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TrendNet TEW-655BR3G review

Our Rating :
Price when reviewed : £76
inc VAT

A capable router with a 3G modem and rechargeable battery built in, so you can use it away from the mains or a computer.

Specifications

802.11n, 1x 10/100Mbit/s Ethernet ports

http://www.pixmania.co.uk

With a 3G modem, LAN port, USB port, 150N wireless and a battery, this little gadget offers the traveller an easy way to share a 3G internet connection – or a hotel’s wired connection – with other devices and people. A small booklet contains the setup guide, which has a useful section at the front for jotting down ISP information, such as username and password.

TrendNet TEW-655BR3G

The booklet provides clear, step-by-step guides for setting up a 3G or WAN connection and wireless security. The guide points to the wizard available via the web interface, and there’s also an Advanced option for those happy with a DIY approach. The web interface is far more logically laid out than most, with main topics in tabs across the top.

TrendNet TEW-655BR3G rear

The wireless access point performed well at close range in our speed tests, managing 43Mbit/s, but this trailed off as the distance grew larger. This is normal for a travel router, and as it’s more likely to be used in a small space such as a hotel room it shouldn’t be an issue.

Most of the advanced features we’d want are present, including UPnP, a DMZ, filtering by port, domain, URL or MAC address, Dynamic DNS and QoS. The only thing missing is WDS, which shouldn’t trouble most people. The Tenda 3G150M has all of these features and costs far less, although its need for a USB or mains power source means it’s not as flexible as the Trendnet. If you won’t always have a computer with you on your travels, the TEW-655BR3G is the better bet.

Basic Specifications

Rating ****
Modem type 3G
802.11b support yes
802.11g support yes
Draft 802.11n support yes
Draft 802.11n 5GHz support no
MIMO no
Stated speed 150Mbit/s

Security

128-bit WEP yes
WPA2 yes
Firewall yes
MAC address filtering yes
DMZ yes

Physical

Size 21x107x76mm
Antennas 1
Internal/external antennas internal
Upgradeable antenna no
Number of WAN ports 1
Ethernet ports 1
Ethernet connection speed 10/100Mbit/s
Other ports USB
Wall mountable no
Power consumption on 2W

Other Features

Dynamic DNS yes
Universal Plug and Play support yes
DHCP server yes
MAC spoofing yes
Port forwarding yes
WDS Support no
USB device support no
QoS yes

Buying Information

Price £76
Warranty three years RTB
Supplier http://www.pixmania.co.uk
Details www.trendnet.com