GL.iNet Slate 7 Firmware 4.9: The New VPN Features That Actually Matter
When I originally tested the GL.iNet Slate 7 (BE3600), I liked the hardware. But there were things I wanted the software to do better.
Then GL.iNet released firmware 4.9.0.
And several capabilities that previously made me look toward more advanced hardware started appearing on the Slate 7. That changes the conversation around this router.
Here are the updates I think actually matter for people using a Slate 7 as part of a Personal VPN.
1. VPN Obfuscation
One of the more interesting additions is VPN obfuscation. Normally, even when the contents of VPN traffic are encrypted, a network can potentially recognize characteristics indicating that VPN traffic is being used. Obfuscation is designed to make that traffic more difficult to identify as VPN traffic.
This can be useful in network environments where VPN connections are restricted or treated differently. It isn't something every remote worker needs every day. But having the capability available directly on a travel router makes the Slate 7 considerably more flexible.
2. Deep Packet Inspection
Firmware 4.9 also brings Deep Packet Inspection, or DPI, capabilities to the Slate 7. DPI gives you greater visibility into what's happening on your network.
For most people, that isn't something you're going to stare at every day. Where it becomes useful is troubleshooting. When something isn't behaving the way you expect, additional visibility can help determine whether you're dealing with a VPN problem, an application problem, unexpected traffic, or something else happening on the network.
3. Automatic VPN Profile Failover
This may be one of the most practically useful improvements. A Personal VPN shouldn't be designed around the assumption that nothing will ever fail. Internet connections fail. VPN servers can become unavailable. Network conditions change.
Being able to work with VPN profile failover creates opportunities to build more resilient configurations instead of depending entirely on one connection profile. But there's an important caveat: failover only helps if the backup path has been designed correctly. Having a button or feature in the router doesn't automatically give you redundancy.
4. More Control Over the Physical Toggle Switch
GL.iNet also expanded what you can do with the router's physical toggle switch. That sounds minor compared with VPN obfuscation or DPI. In actual travel use, however, physical controls can be useful. The less time you have to spend navigating menus when moving between networks and troubleshooting connections, the better.
5. Kill-Switch Changes
GL.iNet also changed the way some VPN kill-switch behavior is presented in the interface. The terminology and controls may change, but the underlying question remains the same: What should happen to your internet traffic if the VPN connection disappears?
That's something every remote worker using a travel router should understand. Don't simply enable settings because they sound more secure. Understand what the router will do when the tunnel goes down—and test that behavior before you're depending on the system from another country.
The Slate 7 Became a Better Router Without New Hardware
This is probably my biggest takeaway from firmware 4.9. The Slate 7 didn't suddenly get a faster processor. The physical ports didn't change. The router didn't get larger. Instead, GL.iNet expanded what the existing hardware can do.
That's important when comparing the Slate 7 with the Slate 7 Pro. Some people who assumed they needed to move to the Pro may find that the regular Slate 7 now handles considerably more of what they actually need. The Pro still has hardware advantages. But firmware 4.9 makes the decision less obvious than simply newer and bigger equals better.
Don't Upgrade Just Because an Update Exists
Don't fix what isn't broken. A firmware release containing useful new features doesn't mean you should immediately update equipment that is currently supporting your work.
Read the release information. Understand what changed. Determine whether you actually need those capabilities. And have a recovery plan before changing a network you depend on for your job. That's especially important with a Personal VPN.
A Better Travel Router Is Still Not a Complete Personal VPN
Firmware 4.9 makes the Slate 7 more capable. It doesn't eliminate the need for good network design. Your home connection, VPN server, travel connection, router configuration, redundancy plan and your ability to troubleshoot the system still work together.
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