TRENDnet N300 Wireless Gigabit Router, TEW-639GR

I have Verizon FIOS with the Actiontec MI424-WR that has 'G' wireless that Vz thinks is perfectly fine looking to the future and has no plans to upgrade. I can't just change it out because that router has the coax connection that distributes the on-screen channel/program guide to a couple HD-dvr's and an HD stb. So that router and the broadband WAN connection is in the home office at one end of the hacienda. At the far end of the place is a collection of networked entertainment pieces -- TV, home theater ensemble, mega-changer juke box, et al -- some of which have both usb (which could take wireless adapters) and RJ45 ports, except for one box. Sony, bless their hearts, think that RJ45 ports are still the only way to go, and that's all they included on their otherwise excellent 400-disc Blu-Ray juke box that catalogs your collection automatically via Gracenote. What I really need at that end is a nice simple wireless hub, but nobody seems to offer something like that, thus the need for a feature-laden router-cum-switch with WDS.After a couple evenings on the web doing the research, it looks like ALL brands drive their 802.11n customers into two camps -- those who love the products because the setup was easy and/or the thing has been stable in operation, and those who hate the products because the setup was a nightmare and/or the thing has been unstable from day 1 or perhaps was stable for awhile but now it's not.So, why am I choosing Trendnet? Well, it started with the generally positive comments from folks who have experience with the TEW-637AP. Then I just needed a router most likely to be compatible with that, thus the TEW-639GR. So they're shipping now. Five stars 'cause they can only go downhill from here. I'll try to remember to come back and report on the setup and operation later.A comment (updated 11/2/2011) for those who have reported frequent connection drops: get the free app 'Wifi Analyzer' on your smart phone. It will help you with antenna placement and channel selection.Post-installation update Feb 14, 2010:So my application is somewhat oddball, but only a little, and so a top-down setup wasn't quite the right thing to do. A call to Trendnet hooked me up with Sean, an extremely knowledgeable and patient tech who got me going in the correct sequence adjusting settings so the TEW-639gr router would be recognized by the Actiontec router via the TEW-637AP, and I could hit the Internet from a laptop connected via RJ45 to the TEW-639gr thence wirelessly to the WAN over the wireless-n link we'd created. All of this was done while the two Trendnet devices were about 6 feet apart in my home office. Then I moved the TEW-639gr to its final location at the far end of the house, which is around 70 feet away straight-line, but 4 walls and quite a bit of furniture and other stuff apart in terms of intervening obstructions. Even with much fiddling with antenna positioning, and despite the successful passing of 1000-packet ping tests betweeen the Actiontec and the TEW-639gr, the performance of an 'n'-only link was simply dismal. I had to switch the pair to g/b mode, in which it covers this range with what we've come to expect as acceptable performance for streaming media. So, one star off for the inability to operate in 'n' mode over this relatively short distance. Will report back if any issues with long term stability or reliability.Long-term update November 2, 2011:My little WDS (Wireless Distribution System) network consisting of the TEW-639gr and a pair of TEW-637ap's has performed reliably in 'g' mode, but there's absolutely no way Trendnet has made these units to interoperate in 'n' mode with WDS enabled. Any single box will run in 'n' by itself, but no box will talk to another Trendnet box in 'n' mode. As late as May, 2011, their user guides continue to perpetrate this fiction. On the TEW-639gr, it helps to set the data rate to a fixed value, instead of letting it auto-negotiate, if you'll be streaming video through this box. 24Mb/s is plenty to stream HD video. No, a 'g' mode network will not support 54Mb/s continuous fixed rate. If you allow this box to auto-adjust the data rate, you will find your Netflix movie halting and restarting in a down-rezzed version frequently. Another star off Trendnet's rating for the interop problem. Eventually I'll be looking to replace this hardware with something else that actually does 'n'-spec.

What a headache, 32 days after I got this router (2 days after I could've returned it), I found out that I couldn't VPN with work. If you must get this router, first check that you can. Yes, this router does share out an internet connection wirelessly and applies effective security. What it doesn't do is allow you to fully administer the router with any browser other than Internet Explorer. What it also doesn't do is properly VPN with a Cisco VPN appliance Model 3000. If you're a non-Windows user beware. If you VPN with your work place and you have any amount of considerable security on VPN connections, beware.I had previous LinkSys and NetGear routers that "just worked" with our workplace VPN, but as soon as I connected this router, my MacBook didn't even show that a connection was attempted the VPN logs at the work place. Plugging directly in to the cable modem did, I definitely diagnosed it as a problem with router preventing PPTP VPN connections. When I contacted their tech support, my experience with this company took a nose dive. They would take 3-7 days at times to respond. I had to remind them that I needed help and to get the lead out. When I wasn't able to flash my firmware, they told me that the unit was defective and to return it and I paid $11 to do so. They told me that the router I'd get in return would have new software on it. Not only was the unit NOT defective, but the unit they returned to me did not have the new software on it. I called in to their tech support (which I'm pretty sure was India or Banglidesh or whatever... not the USA, despite the Americanized names), I escalated through 3 levels of support and was promised a callback + resolution within 24-48 hours which also didn't happen. That's when I figured out (without their help) that the firmware could only be flashed Internet Explorer and I didn't need to return the original router for $11. To add on to the problem, the new firmware didn't fix the VPN issue.Their tech support either didn't know that you had to have IE to flash the firmware or they only test their administrative web-based software in Internet Explorer, which is scary and narrow-minded.I told them that I wanted to invoke my warranty because it didn't properly VPN through PPTP like the ad and box says it will. I was pointed at their corporate legaleese that allows them handle this however they want and a cold and unsympathetic "NO." This was 2 months in to the troubleshooting process. So I found some of their higher ups emails and sent a note of appeal over.They responded with their "Sr. Technology Manager" whose english and/or level of priority prevented him from asking questions that didn't burn up more time or make sense to our Networking guy who is a guru with his masters in computer science.Another corporate guy over the responded with "I'll try to see if I can get it returned to Amazon, but no promises." Or commitment apparently! They never responded again as to whether or not the return was possible.The company assumed no accountability or responsibility for the problem this router created for me. They offered no solutions. They didn't care that their product couldn't do what their competitors' products could do or that it couldn't do what it said it could do on the box.I finally threw in the towel, I was getting nowhere and they were completely comfortable with the problem remaining unresolved. I guess I'm gonna try and sell this thing on Craigslist.Be very careful with Trendnet. As complexity increased with my problem, the less they cared. They won't care if you're a paying customer, if your problem doesn't fit in to the thin training they give their tech support, you're out of luck and they're indemnified by their well-written corporate policies on warranty invocation.

Operated perfectly as it should.

I purchased this router over two years ago after exasperating experiences with a few DLink routers which needed to be reset a few times a week. Spent much time researching and reading users reviews and settled for this unit. Time well spent. This wireless router has provided our family with a stable connection for over two years.

So far this router has been great. Easy set up and hadn't lost signal.

merci

Super affaire.Sans doute un déstockage ...Au point de vue routeur, rien à dire. Tout y est. Avec une bonne interface de programmation.A conseiller