Picture this: You’re in your hotel room only to find that the only available internet connection is via the Ethernet and not Wi-Fi? If you’re carrying a laptop, it’s all good since you can plug in the Ethernet cable to the included port but the internet availability is of no use if you happen to carry only a smartphone and/or a tablet. This is where D-Link’s latest DIR-505 Mobile Companion comes into picture. Mobile Companion basically allows that same internet connection via Ethernet to be shared across many devices over Wi-Fi.
Design:
The AC adapter-esque Mobile Companion sports all the important ports like an Ethernet and USB port at the bottom, a switch at the top to change the device’s modes, a small LED on the front and a WPS button on the side. All in all, the DIR-505 has a pretty simple and a clean design and is small enough to carry it in your bag.
Performance:
With the help of the switch at the top, the DIR-505 can be used in the Router/AP, Wi-Fi Hotspot and Repeater. To give you a brief explanation, the Router/AP mode will allow users to plug in the regular Ethernet cable to the port and use it as a wireless internet. The Repeater mode will help extend the range of your existing wireless network and the Wi-Fi Hotspot mode will allow to communicate with another access point and create a Wi-Fi hotspot.
Setting up routers is somewhat considered a complex task but D-Link has made an active effort to setup DIR-505 a piece of cake. Users can setup the device using the conventional web interface or can use a smartphone app named QRS Mobile (available on iOS and iPhone) by following with on screen instructions. Repeater mode can be set by using the WPS button on the main router and the DIR-505.
The device promises up to 150Mbps 802.11b/g/n speeds and does not compromise on the security as well. The device supports the usual WPA and WPA2 encryption and dual SPI and NAT firewall support.
The DIR-505 also has a USB port that allows file sharing. This is a nifty feature considering you can just pop in a USB flash drive or an external HDD to share its contents wirelessly. The device is SharePort-enabled as well which means the same shared content can be copied or streamed to an Android or iOS device via the SharePort Mobile app that is available for download free of cost. However, do note that this USB port cannot be used to share internet connection via USB dongles.
Conclusion:
D-Link is an experienced player when it comes to integrating networking features in a small, pocketable solution. They did it with Le Petit and this Mobile Companion is no different. It’s small, handy and does the job as intended out of the box.
The D-Link DIR-505 retails for about Rs. 2,200 on Snapdeal.
Rating: 
Pros: Works as intended, Compact design, SharePort
Cons: Does not support USB dongles
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