Solwise 3GWIFIMRW 3G internet router

The one downside of broadband is that you can't take it with you - but with Solwise's snappily named 3GWIFIMRW router you can share a mobile broadband connection so you can get high speed web access wherever you've got mobile coverage.

Unlike regular routers, in addition to normal Ethernet ports - so you can wirelessly share a standard broadband connection - it also offers USB so you can plug in your own 3G dongle to get online via super speedy HSDPA as well. As it's sharing the connection between multiple PCs, you only need one dongle for all your computers.

It supports the 802.11g standard, so you can connect to it at up to 54Mbps - far faster than any internet pipe it will be hooked up too. It's also tiny - similar to an oversize power adapter - so you can carry it with you wherever you go.

The 3GWIFIMRW is available now for £50 from Solwise.

D-Link DIR-855 energy saving router

It may look more white than green, but D-Link's DIR-855 router promises to use up to 40 percent less energy than your standard Wi-Fi router. When you consider that most routers are generally left on 24/7 that could add up to a considerable saving over the year - not just for your pocket but for the planet as well.

Utilising D-Link's Green Ethernet technology, the router can automatically detect which ports are being used and how long the cables are so it can adjust its output accordingly. When this is combined with a scheduler to turn off Wi-Fi when it's not needed, the energy savings are significant.

It may use less energy, but it's still able to perform as fast as rival models on the market - with support for both the speedier 802.11n specification and gigabit Ethernet as standard.

The DIR-855 is available now for £159.99, see D-Link for more information.

Internet calls on your mobile

Although you can now buy VoIP-enabled mobile phones, such as the Belkin Skype Wi-Fi Phone (see our review), what if you'd like to enjoy cheap internet calls but are perfectly happy with your current handset?

One solution is to buy an IPdrum IP Voicelink, a palm-sized device that lets you connect to Skype and other VoIP services using your existing mobile, so you can talk for free to other Skype users and drastically reduce the cost of international calls. Connecting to your PC via USB, the IPdrum acts as a gateway between your phone and the VoIP network, allowing you to dial Skype contacts from your handset's address book, and make and receive internet calls from anywhere. As it uses your home connection to access the net, and relays calls over the mobile network via its own SIM card, there's no need for a nearby Wi-Fi zone in order to chat.

Claimed to be compatible with any mobile phone, the IPdrum IP Voicelink will be available to buy from the end of January for around £140. Find out more at the IPdrum website.