For anyone who has ever wanted a full OpenWrt router that fits in a shirt pocket, GL.iNet's Mango 2 (GL-MG1300) makes a strong case. The successor to one of the company's most popular travel routers runs GL.iNet's OpenWrt-based firmware with built-in support for WireGuard (up to 184Mbps throughput), OpenVPN DCO (up to 95Mbps), and Tailscale, all inside an enclosure measuring just 89 x 63 x 15 mm (3.5 x 2.5 x 0.6 inches) and weighing 100 g (3.5 oz). The company maintains an open-source fork of OpenWrt on GitHub, and the router's admin interface exposes the underlying OpenWrt and Linux kernel versions for anyone who wants to dig deeper. A review unit tested in September 2026 showed the Mango 2 running OpenWrt 22.03.4 under GL.iNet's custom interface, confirmed via the device's system status page in NAS Compares' hands-on review, giving experienced users a familiar base to work from even with GL.iNet's overlay in place.
The Mango 2 represents a significant step up from the original Mango in nearly every category. Wi-Fi jumps from single-band 2.4GHz 802.11n to dual-band 802.11ac with a 2x2 MIMO configuration, delivering theoretical speeds of up to 400Mbps on 2.4GHz and 866Mbps on 5GHz. Ethernet moves from 10/100Mbps to full Gigabit on both the dedicated WAN and LAN ports, and the USB host port upgrades from USB 2.0 to USB 3.0. Power input switches from Micro-USB to USB-C at 5V/2A, drawing under 5W. Under the hood, a dual-core MediaTek processor clocked at 880MHz replaces the original's single-core 580MHz chip, paired with 128MB of DDR3L memory and 128MB of NAND flash.
Beyond straightforward routing, the Mango 2 supports four distinct uplink methods: Ethernet, Wi-Fi repeater, USB tethering, and USB cellular modems via the USB 3.0 port. A Multi-WAN feature allows configuring multiple connections with automatic failover if the primary link drops. The software side includes separate main, guest, and IoT wireless networks on both bands, along with GoodCloud remote management, DNS configuration, IPv6, dynamic DNS, and port forwarding. A detailed user guide covers setup for all connection types and VPN configuration with over 30 supported providers. For developers who want to go further, GL.iNet also maintains an OpenWrt SDK on GitHub for cross-compiling and packaging custom software for its router lineup, the same toolchain the company uses to build its stock firmware.
GL.iNet has not yet announced official pricing, though early reports suggest a target below $50 (around €46). The company notes that the Mango 2 is currently unavailable in the United States due to recent FCC-related developments, with no timeline given for when that might change.
