august1991's Full Review: Trendware TRENDnet TEW-431BRP Router
I bought this router for home use about nine months ago. I have a simple network with two users. One is on a wireless laptop and the other is sometimes connected by wire and sometimes by wireless. Distances involved were 15 meters maximum. The only surrounding radio/electrical signals are typical of a normal household in a normal residential neighbourhood.
Well, the router just died and Trendnet's support is next to useless. (They don't even offer a 1-800 number so calls are at the user's expense.) If you look carefully at their warranty policy, you will realize that it is essentially non-existent and their warranty registration process seems more a method to obtain your email address for spam. They have extremely strict conditions for accepting returns or offering replacements. I'm not about to jump through hoops to replace a $40 router and I suspect Trendnet knows this.
The problem in my router is clearly hardware. I have unplugged, re-installed and pressed the reset button several times. The front panel indicators all glow except the one indicating power.
Based on my experience, Trendnet seems to use less reliable components that are less costly. This allows them to undercut slightly the competition and offer a lower retail price. It's for you to decide if saving 5 bucks is worth the hassle.
As for the installation and interface, I never found it simple or easy. In the nine months the router worked, I found that I too often had to get the printed manual out and go through the installation steps again. This process is far from seamless. You will have to know, for example, whether your system uses a static IP address and whether you have a PPPoE DSL connection.
Where Trendnet does seem to spend money is in their marketing. Their website is well written.
I must also note that when the router worked, it had a tendency to drop connections. I often had to ask Windows to reconnect to the Internet. (This only occurred when I was using the router - not when I connected to my modem directly.)
This product has been discontinued and I post this review in the event someone is thinking of buying a used one. As for myself, I'm in the market for a new router now but it won't be a Trendnet.
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 40 Driver Availability: Windows, Linux, and Mac
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