Singapore’s public networks are fast, yet plenty of us crave a bubble of private bandwidth. Remote work is entrenched, digital nomads keep clogging café tables, and IMDA’s standalone 5G coverage already blankets 95 percent of the island’s outdoor spaces. Meanwhile, Wi‑Fi 7 routers like TP‑Link’s BE24000 monster are hogging headline space at Sim Lim.
So why bother with a separate gadget? Three big reasons jump out:
- Battery sanity – Your phone melts when you hotspot for hours.
- Stronger radios – Dedicated routers have beefier antennas and better thermals.
- Flexibility – Pop in a prepaid SIM, split the bill with friends, or use a 5G unit as a fibre‑backup at home.
Editor
Lloyd Kelly Miralles's Profile chevron_right
Expert
Adrian Lee chevron_right
Table of Contents
Comparison Table
| Product | Product Image | Price (approx. SGD, May 2025) | Where to Buy | Headline Feature | Battery / Uptime |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TP‑Link M7200 |
 |
$55 | Best Budget Buddy • 150 Mbps Cat 4 4G | 2 000 mAh • ≈ 8 h | |
| Huawei E5586‑822 |
 |
$120 | Small‑but‑Mighty • 195 Mbps 4G + USB‑C | 2 400 mAh • ≈ 6 h | |
| D‑Link DWR‑930M |
 |
$89 | Rugged Road‑Trip • swappable cell | 3 000 mAh • ≈ 12 h | |
| HXR 4G/5G Power‑Bank |
 |
$99 | Battery Marathoner • Wi‑Fi 6 hotspot + 10 000 mAh pack | 10 000 mAh • all‑day | |
| Netgear Nighthawk M5 (5G) |
 |
$1 199 | 5G Speed Demon • Wi‑Fi 6 + 4 Gbps 5G | 5 040 mAh • ≈ 13 h | |
| TP‑Link M7650 |
 |
$249 | Fastest 4G LTE • 600 Mbps Cat 11 | 3 000 mAh • ≈ 15 h | |
| ZTE MF286 |
 |
$259 | Home‑and‑Hotel Hybrid • RJ‑45 & VoLTE | 3 000 mAh backup cell | |
| ZTE F50 UFi 5G |
 |
$139 | Ultra‑Light 5G Value • 1.6 Gbps in 50 g shell | USB‑C powered • no battery | |
| Prolink PRT7011L |
 |
$60 | Local Brand Love • 150 Mbps + USB‑modem mode | 2 300 mAh • ≈ 10 h | |
| TP‑Link TL‑WR902AC |
 |
≈ $50 | Swiss‑Army Router • AC750 dual‑band (no SIM) | USB powered • unlimited |
Buying Guide: How To Choose the Best Portable WiFi?
- Network tier
5G units future‑proof you through 2030, but Cat11 4G still beats crowded public Wi‑Fi.
- Battery versus bulk
3000 to 5000 mAh hits the sweet spot. Only pick 10000 mAh monsters if you camp off‑grid.
- Band support
For Singapore look for n78 on 5G and B3, B7, B8 on 4G. Malaysia relies heavily on B40 for 4G and n78 for 5G.
- Device count
Add every smartwatch and smart bottle before you decide.
- Ports
Ethernet turns a hotspot into emergency home internet. MicroSD slots let you sneak files to offline laptops.
10 Best Portable Wifis in Singapore 2025 - Top Brands
Adrian Lee
From my experience as a videographer and tech enthusiast, portable WiFi is more stable than public WiFi (like in cafés or hotels) and much safer because you’re using your own network. But for heavy tasks like live streaming or uploading large video files, you need to ensure your data speed is fast and your plan has enough bandwidth.
So, is it reliable? Most of the time, yes! But always check your SIM provider's coverage before relying on it 100%
The M7200’s calling card is simplicity. Slip in any nano‑SIM, tap the power button, and you get up to 150 Mbps 4G with WPA2 encryption. The tiny monochrome display shows signal, data used, and battery level at a glance. Its 2000 mAh pack survives around eight hours, enough for a workday of email and Spotify.
Lighter than most wallets, this white pebble weighs about 81 g yet hits 195 Mbps on 4G and lets you plug a modern USB‑C cable. Its 2400 mAh battery is slightly bigger than the M7200’s, and Huawei lets sixteen friends hop on at once, great for road trips.
This matte‑black slab uses a 3000 mAh user‑replaceable cell, a rarity nowadays. Grab a spare battery and you can double your runtime without a power socket. LED icons show SMS alerts and network type, handy when roaming.
Imagine a 10000 mAh power bank that also pumps out Wi‑Fi 6. That is the HXR. A 2.5 inch color screen tracks signal and remaining juice while up to sixteen gadgets ride the dual‑band network. Early listings promise sub‑6 5G support, so the hardware is future‑proof if you roam into 5G territory.
Powered by Qualcomm’s X55 modem, the M5 regularly tops 1 Gbps in real world testing and can theoretically touch 4 Gbps. The bright touchscreen makes band‑locking easy, while Wi‑Fi 6 plus an Ethernet port turn this hotspot into a legit home router when fibre goes dark.
If your plan is still 4G but you crave speed, the Cat11 M7650 peaks at 600 Mbps. Its crisp LCD shows data used in megabytes and remaining battery hours, saving you bill shock. The 3000 mAh battery pushed through fifteen hours in TP‑Link’s own lab tests.
More mini‑CPE than pocket gizmo, the MF286 shines as a temporary fixed connection. Hook the RJ‑45 port into a mesh node, use the RJ‑11 for VoLTE phone calls, and keep surfing even if fibre is down. Sixty‑four devices can connect, more than enough for a stay‑cation Airbnb full of smart bulbs
This candy‑bar sized dongle weighs just 50 g because there is no internal battery. Plug it into a laptop, car charger, or power bank and you get dual‑band Wi‑Fi 5 and up to 1.6 Gbps 5G speeds. Ten devices can share which suits solo travelers or small crews.
Designed by a Singapore outfit, the PRT7011L costs about the same as a fancy burger combo yet pumps out 150 Mbps 4G for up to sixteen devices. The LED bar is intuitive: green for good signal, orange for battery warning. It doubles as a USB modem for desktops that lack Wi‑Fi.
No cellular radio here, yet it earns a slot because of sheer versatility. Bridge sketchy hotel Wi‑Fi, share Ethernet in a meeting room, or turn a phone’s USB tether into dual‑band AC750 wireless. It even trickle‑charges earbuds through its USB port.
Adrian Lee
Portable WiFi shiok lah, super useful if you always need internet on the go, whether for work, travel, or content creation. Way better than public WiFi, which is slow and risky—at least with your own device, no need to worry about kena hacked. If your SIM card got good network coverage, the speed quite solid, good enough for file transfers, live streaming, and Zoom calls. Plus, won’t suck your phone battery like hotspot does, and can connect multiple devices at the same time. But of course, if you in ulu place with weak signal, speed sure affected one. Overall, if you need steady, secure, and portable internet, confirm worth getting!
Frequently Asked Questions answered by ProductNation.co team
Can’t I just tether my phone?
Yes, but the phone’s battery overheats, drains faster, and its internal antenna is weaker than a dedicated hotspot.
Do these work when I cross to JB?
Yes. All ten models cover Malaysia’s 4G bands, and the 5G units handle n78 which DNB uses for its 5G network.
What about eSIM data packs?
Right now only the pricey Netgear M5 (and a few GlocalMe models not in this list) handle eSIM. IMDA’s new spec is expected to push eSIM support wider next year.
Can I leave a 5G hotspot plugged in at home?
Units with Ethernet such as the Netgear M5 and ZTE MF286 can back up fibre broadband. Expect slightly higher latency than wired fibre.
Will any of these talk to Wi‑Fi 7 clients?
Not yet. Portable routers top out at Wi‑Fi 6 today. Wi‑Fi 7 requires more RF chains and power than pocket devices can currently offer.
Conclusion
Have you field‑tested one of these pocket routers in the heat of a National Day crowd? Until then, may your packets be fast, your videos buffer‑free, and your battery icon eternally green
Adrian Lee
Portable WiFi is very important for me lah, especially as a videographer and tech guy. When I’m out shooting or editing on the go, I cannot rely on public WiFi—too slow and risky. Need stable internet for fast file transfers, live streaming, and working remotely without headache. Plus, I always got multiple devices—laptop, phone, camera—all need to stay connected.