Guides & agencies
Kit for a live tour: router, mic and power bank
Published Updated 8 min read
Midday in the square. Carmen has about twenty people around her and she is just getting to the best part of the story. A motorbike roars past. At the back, someone turns to their partner and asks, “What did she say?” And her phone, which has been working all morning, shows 15 % battery halfway through the route.
None of that is fixed by talking louder. It is fixed before you leave, with what Carmen packs in her bag.
With the right kit, the guide is heard in the middle of a cathedral nave or a busy square without raising their voice, and the group does not miss a word. No internet, no receivers to hand out, and an option for large groups. This is the kit we work with. Prices are approximate, taken from Amazon Spain in mid-October 2026, and they change often.
Amazon links are affiliate links: if you buy through them, Echoris may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It does not change what we recommend.
What you do not need: coverage or receivers
Before the list, what is not on it. The live tour does not use the internet. Audio travels over a local Wi-Fi network that the group creates itself, so it makes no difference whether you are in a crypt, a valley or a street with no signal.
You do not hand out devices either. Each person hears the guide on their own phone, with their own earphones: a tour guide system with nothing to rent. The step-by-step setup is in how to broadcast a live tour from your phone.
The Wi-Fi router: your group's network
The guide's phone can create the tour network with its hotspot. For a small group, that is enough. In that case the phone sets the limit: Apple says the number of connections depends on model and carrier, and Google documents up to ten on a Pixel. We go into more detail in radioguide vs smartphone.
Our rule: with more than five people, bring a router. It is a device built for the job, and it takes the work of holding the network off the guide's phone.
The one we use: TP-Link M7450 V3, about €110. According to its listing, it has a 3280 mAh battery, “up to 15 hours” of use and dual band, and the manufacturer states up to 32 devices. That 32 is the ceiling of the radio, not a group size: what we have measured is real tours of about 20 people with this router. We use it without a SIM, because all it has to do is create the Wi-Fi network.
If your group is going to go past thirty, that ceiling of 32 falls short. And it is the same one stated by almost every battery-powered pocket router, including the pricier ones such as the TP-Link M7750. For a large group, our choice is a travel router: the GL.iNet Slate 7 (GL-BE3600), about €166. According to GL.iNet, it supports more than 120 devices at once. That is the manufacturer's figure, not a measured group size: we have not yet taken it on a tour with Echoris. The app, for its part, admits up to 50 tourists per session, which is the software's configured limit. The Slate 7 is dual-band Wi-Fi 7 and weighs about 300 g, so it disappears into your bag.
It has no battery of its own. It is powered over USB-C PD and, according to GL.iNet, draws less than 18 W with nothing plugged into its USB port. That is why it always travels with a power bank dedicated to it alone; we tell you which one below. Its Amazon listing mentions a UK plug, which does not matter on the tour: it runs from the power bank.
Before you leave, two checks on the router: that client isolation is off, and that you are not on its guest network. With either one on, phones cannot see each other and nobody hears you. We also cover this in how to choose a tour guide system.
With a large group, the technical limit is also rarely the one that decides. We explain why in how to organise large groups without losing anyone.
The microphone: don't let the motorbike take the sentence
You can talk into the phone's own microphone, but then it stays in your hand for the whole tour. A clip-on mic gives you your hands back and stays the same distance from your mouth when you turn your head.
The one we use: DJI Mic Mini, about €77. It is the pack with two transmitters, one receiver and a charging case.
What sold us on it:
- Two transmitters. Two people can speak at once: Javier and his interpreter, or two guides sharing the route.
- Noise cancelling with two levels, Basic and Strong. Strong is for streets with traffic. It is also the one for a hall full of machinery, as we explain in guided factory tours.
- The receiver plugs into the phone's USB-C port, with the USB-C adapter included. If your phone has Lightning, the Lightning adapter is sold separately.
- Battery for days: according to its listing, up to 48 hours with the case.
Other options (we have not tested them with Echoris). Try them with your own phone before your first tour.
- RØDE Wireless Micro (USB-C), about €85. Two clip-on mics with a receiver that goes straight into the phone's USB-C port. Its listing does not advertise noise cancelling, unlike the DJI. A good wireless alternative.
- BOYA BY-M1, about €19. A clip-on mic with a 6-metre cable and a four-pole 3.5 mm jack. It is omnidirectional, so it picks up a lot of background. Most current phones have no jack: you need a USB-C to 3.5 mm adapter that supports a microphone. For the tightest budget and quiet places.
- Sennheiser XS Lav USB-C, about €53. A clip-on mic with 2 metres of cable straight into USB-C, no batteries. It is the simplest option, though the cable ties you to the phone.
- A headset microphone, with no specific model. It sits right by your mouth and shuts out more noise, so it is worth exploring for very loud places. Check first that its connector works with your phone.
Power banks: one for each job
We chose the three below for their specs; we have not yet taken them on a tour with Echoris. The guide's phone broadcasts for the entire tour, and the router needs power too. With the right power bank, the battery percentage stops being an issue. All three are made by Anker and have a built-in USB-C cable; if your phone has Lightning, add its cable.
- For the phone, with the TP-Link M7450: Anker Nano 10,000 mAh 30 W, about €30, about 215 g. Since the router has its own battery, this one is enough for the phone. It is the light one, the one that fits in a pocket.
- For the Slate 7: Anker Zolo 20,000 mAh 45 W, about €32, about 365 g, with two built-in USB-C cables. According to its listing, it delivers up to 45 W to a single device, more than enough for the router. With several devices at once, the total drops to 15 W, so the rule is simple: dedicate it to the router and charge the phone from another one.
- One power bank for router and phone: Anker 20,000 mAh 87 W, about €40, about 440 g, with a built-in USB-C cable. According to Anker, it shares 87 W across three devices, with up to 65 W to one. On paper, it has power to spare for both.
What you do not have to buy: earphones
Each person uses their own. The ones that came with the phone are fine. All you need is a line in the booking: “bring your earphones”. That way nobody finds out in the square that theirs are back at the hotel.
A lanyard to keep your hands free
A small detail you will notice. With a phone lanyard like the caslord, about €5, the phone hangs round your neck and your hands are free to point, open a door or help someone on a step. It needs a case: the patch sits between the phone and the case, so it does not work with very thick or full-body cases.
Before you leave
- router charged (or, with the Slate 7, its power bank charged), with client isolation off and no guest network;
- microphone charged, in its case;
- phone power bank charged;
- the right adapter for your phone, USB-C or Lightning;
- a note to your group: bring earphones and a charged phone.
The bag gets packed the night before, not in the square.
The kit does not make the tour. The tour is made by someone who knows where to stop, what to tell and when to wait for the last person. What you carry in your bag only makes sure that story reaches everyone in the group whole, including the person at the back.
Sources
- Apple Support — Connect to the Personal Hotspot of an iPhone or iPad.
- Google Pixel Help — Share a mobile connection by tethering or hotspot.
- TP-Link — introduction to AP isolation: with the feature on, two devices on the same wireless network cannot communicate with each other.
- Amazon — TP-Link M7450 V3 listing: 3280 mAh battery, up to 15 hours and up to 32 devices, checked on 14 October 2026.
- TP-Link — M7750 specifications: up to 32 devices connected at once, checked on 15 October 2026.
- GL.iNet — Slate 7 (GL-BE3600): more than 120 devices at once, dual-band Wi-Fi 7 and USB-C power, checked on 15 October 2026.
- Amazon — DJI Mic Mini listing: two transmitters, noise cancelling and up to 48 hours with the case, checked on 14 October 2026.
- Amazon — Anker Zolo 20,000 mAh 45 W listing: up to 45 W to one device and 15 W in total with several, checked on 15 October 2026.
- Amazon — Anker 20,000 mAh 87 W listing: 87 W across three devices and up to 65 W to one, checked on 15 October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need a router for a live tour?
- For a small group, the guide's phone hotspot is enough. But there the phone sets the limit: Apple says it depends on model and carrier, and Google documents up to ten connections on a Pixel. Our recommendation is to bring a router with more than five people.
- How many people can connect to the router?
- The TP-Link M7450 V3 we use supports up to 32 devices according to the manufacturer, which is the ceiling of its radio, not a group size. What we have measured is real tours of about 20 people with this router. If your group is going to go past thirty, that ceiling falls short: for large groups, our choice is the GL.iNet Slate 7, which we have not yet taken on a tour with Echoris.
- What if my group is 50 people?
- For large groups, our choice is the GL.iNet Slate 7 (GL-BE3600), about €166, which according to GL.iNet supports more than 120 devices at once. That is the manufacturer's figure, not a measured group size: we have not yet taken it on a tour with Echoris, and with a router what we have measured is real tours of about 20 people. The app admits up to 50 tourists per session, which is the software's configured limit, not a tested group size. The Slate 7 has no battery: it always travels with a dedicated power bank, such as the Anker Zolo 20,000 mAh 45 W. And with 50 people, how you organise the group matters as much as the kit.
- Does it work without internet or signal?
- Yes. Audio travels over a local Wi-Fi network between the guide's phone and the group's phones, without going through the internet. On our tours we use the router without a SIM: all it has to do is create the Wi-Fi network.
- Which microphone do you recommend?
- The DJI Mic Mini with two transmitters, about €77, which is the one we use. Two people can speak at once, and it has a strong noise-cancelling level for the street. The receiver plugs into the phone's USB-C port; if your phone has Lightning, the adapter is sold separately.
- Do I have to buy earphones for the group?
- No. Each person hears the guide on their own phone with their own earphones; the ones that came with the phone are fine. Just ask them to bring them when they book.
- How much does the basic kit cost?
- Router, microphone and power bank come to about €217 with the models we suggest: about €110 for the TP-Link M7450 V3, about €77 for the DJI Mic Mini and about €30 for the Anker Nano 10,000 mAh. For large groups, the router becomes the GL.iNet Slate 7 with its own power bank. These are approximate Amazon Spain prices in mid-October 2026 and they change often.