Let me start by saying this little gadget has become my travel essential. The GL.iNet GL-SFT1200 fits in my palm (145g!) yet delivers serious networking muscle. I've used it everywhere from crowded airports to sketchy hotel WiFis - and it's never let me down.

The Good Stuff:

✅ Security that travels: That VPN toggle switch? Genius. One flick and I'm tunneling through OpenVPN while sipping airport coffee. The Cloudflare encryption adds peace of mind when using public networks.

✅ Dual-band magic: Streaming Netflix on 5GHz (867Mbps) while my partner checks emails on 2.4GHz - no lag, no arguments. The Gigabit ports are perfect when I need wired speed in hotels.

✅ Setup so easy my grandma could do it: Seriously, the web interface walks you through everything. Had my private network running before my latte got cold at Starbucks.

Reality Checks:

⚠️ Range limitations: It's no whole-house router. Works perfectly in a hotel room but don't expect backyard coverage.

⚠️ Power hungry: No built-in battery means hunting for outlets. Pro tip: A USB-C power bank keeps it running during layovers.

⚠️ Firmware quirks: Had to downgrade to version 3.x for full functionality - not hard but annoying. The active user forums saved me hours of frustration.

Pro Tips from My Travels:

- Use bridge mode in hotels to bypass device limits
- Create a Tor network for truly anonymous browsing
- The retractable antennas actually matter - keep them vertical!

Final Verdict:
At this price point, the Opal punches way above its weight class. It's not perfect, but for security-conscious travelers who need reliable connectivity anywhere, this is hands-down the best compact router I've tested. Just upgraded my work setup with a second unit - that's how much I believe in this little white box.