Customer Reviews

TRENDnet 300Mbps Wireless N Gigabit Router TEW-633GR (Piano Black)

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(19)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Final verdict on the Trendnet TEW-633GR and its routing problem. (See Final Update below for the end results.)

Summary: When I connect my systems (Red Hat, Windows, Palm OS, OS/2 (Warp/Server)), PS2, etc to the Internet using this router, I'm unable to reach various Internet addresses. Doing a trace route finds the packets go so far and then get "Destination Network Unreachable."

NOTE: This also occurs from the router's administration page's ping page not just from various machines on the network.

The problem does NOT occur under two circumstances.

1) I connect a system directly to my Comcast cable modem.

2) I use my Linksys router (WRT54G or WRT600N).

Hook the Trendnet back up and the problem returns 100% of the time.

After calling Trendnet support, I began to become hopeful in finding a solution. Level one sent me almost immediately to level two, who called me back and worked through various possibilities. Follow-up phone calls from level two, though, required I contact them.

During the last session level two agreed something "interesting" was going on for two reasons.

1) They were unable to ping to these sites from their location using DSL. Their trace routes failed at the same point.

2) They connected into my router and verified mine failed by using the ping feature under Administration.

NOTE: I'm avoiding using the term web site, as I use various Internet protocols into these sites (e.g. sftp, ssh, smtp, dns, imcp, and yes http).

They gave me a choice to send them the unit or send it back to Amazon.com for a refund. I decided this unit is still my first choice as a replacement for the Linksys. Getting a RMA number, I send the unit back. This is where we are today. Trendnet has the unit (USPS tracking) but has yet to contact me.

The TEW-633GR works great otherwise and the gigabit wired interfaces do improve system to system speed for various protocols (e.g. ftp, sftp, large http requests, etc.).

Can I recommend it to you? If the Internet addresses you try to reach doesn't hit this routing issue the answer is yes! But I'm not sure what Internet addresses have problems with this router. You might go a lifetime without hitting this problem or one day you need to connect to your new employer's site and can't. Fortunately, Trendnet does seem interested in solving this issue.

I'll update this review as I get more information. The verdict is still out and hopefully this router will get a five by five rating and be with me for a very long time.

Final update:

According to the router's developers the problem is with the ATHEROS chip set they use.

I'm using Comcast and tried both a RCA and Motorola modem. We also tried DOCSIS 1.1 and 2.0 before I ended up returning the router. Trendnet said they are ** NOT ** going to fix the issue for a couple of reasons.

(1) They don't have cable access at their headquarters. They have T-1 and DSL.

(2) They don't believe cable users are a large percentage of their business.

(3) We agreed not all cable users will see this issue. Yet, those who do will be out of luck, period.

I'm now using a Linksys WRT600N with a Broadband chipset with no routing issues. I returned the Trendnet TEW-633GR to Amazon.com because of this design / software defect (per Trendnet assessment).

Pros: Ubicom Firmware for great QOS, with a ton of firmware options. Nice looking, and VERY stable.

Cons: None

This is easily the best router I have ever owned. Previous routers I have owned were the Linksys WRT-54G, Dlink DGL-4500, Zyxel X-550.

This router is FAR more stable than any of the other routers I have owned. For example, in both the Dlink and Zyxel routers, the "User access control" would always eventually lock up the router if I turned on logging. This router never locks up when I do that.

The firmware is actually written by Ubicom. I knew that before I purchased it, otherwise I would not have purchased a router from Trendnet. Its very similar to the very popular Dlink DIR-655 router. Only this router has larger antennas, more memory (according to an xblitlabs review).

The lights on this router are also just the right brightness. One thing I always hated about the Dink routers was the super blinding blue lights... which were cool at first, but quickly you wanted to cover them up because they become annoying. The lights on this router are just the right brightness... orange and green. Also if the light is orange, it means its a gigabyte connection... green means its not a gigabyte connection.

The wireless signal is even a little stronger than my previous Zyxel router. Although I'm only using it in 54g mode (no mixed mode).

If you do buy this router, *** make sure to update the firmware before you do anything ***. Mine shipped with firmware dated last year... and its the reason the router gets some negative posts.

I didn't install any of the software, I just type the router address of 192.168.10.1 into my browser address bar and accessed the config from there.

I have my router sitting in its included stand, sideways so that the heat escapes easier.

This is easily the best router I have owned, and I honestly mean that. I am not a Trendnet fanboy either. I don't understand why some people have problems with this router. One thing I never do though, is trust any review written by a person who has only one review on Amazon. Or a review written from a year ago using old firmware.

Unlike some routers that you have to configure before you can get them to work, this one came with an installation CD that did the job right, no strings attached. Instructions were extremely simple and easy to follow, and i've never had any problems with it. Encrypting/securing the router is part of the installation, and you don't have to be a computer junkie to figure it out. About the only downside of the product is fingerprints are highly visible on it when you touch it since it's like a black shiny mirror, but you can just wipe those right off. This product not only supports N-band, but is backwards compatible with all other previous wireless bands (G-band, B-band, etc), no configuration required.

This was my first and only router setup ever and it was so easy even the most technically challenged user could do it. I'm running Vista Home Premium and have Comcast cable 6mb connection but it's been running very slow lately, about 2k kbps download. I was very hesitant to use the installation CD to begin the setup after reading numerous reviews saying the setup process would get hung up and error out but I gave it a shot myself, followed the instructions word for word and didn't have a single problem. After completing the setup/installation I got online and downloaded the latest firmware for it and using the routers GUI via it's IP address I was able to successfully install it.

After that I went online to see how my surfing experience was. I had been having a speed issue with my Comcast service and had been only getting 2k kbps speeds for my downloads. When my homepage opened up it was nearly instant, I thought I was imagining things. So then I clicked on a link to open my gmail and it too was nearly instant. Noticing the seemingly faster browsing I immediately went to [...] to test my connection speed and was blown away, I was seeing a 23k kbps download speed! The only thing that had changed from when I was getting 2k kbps to now getting 23k kbps was that I had installed the router. I just tested my speed again this morning and my download speed is up to 28k kbps!!

Riding the high of my newfound internet speed thanks to my router, I decided to try to wirelessly sync my Zune....it too was simple as could be and was successful. One thing I forgot to mention about the setup process is that another issue alot of people complained about is when using the installation cd that it automatically installed a trial version of Magic Network and McAfee AV, I don't know what options they had on their cd but on mine I had the ability to select "no" and that software was not installed on my machine. I think if they had slowed down a bit and read everything they would have been spared that annoyance.

The setup was a breeze, the thing is easy on the eyes, and for some reason it's boosted my download speeds to incredible levels and has given me a secure wireless network to use however I need. I highly recommend this product to anyone looking for a good router!!

As BOTH of my 5 yr old Linksys BEFW11S4'S started being irritable, I needed to find a reliable replacement ( one was used just as a switch). After much research reading many reviews and recommendations I purchased this item ( seems QUALITY for MAJOR brands is NO LONGER JOB ONE.)

why I chose:

1) item had mostly glowing reviews, and v.few unsatisfieds. ( 4-1/2 stars )

2) 3 yr warranty

3) semi-future-proof ( "N" wireless , GigaBit switch)

(see Trendnet TEW631 if don't want Gigbit)

4) responsive Web-based, email support.

---------------------

issues:

1) There are two versions Ver 1.0R and vers 1.1R ... According to Trendnet, the 1.1R has a REALTEC chipset for the gigabit switch section. I have used both versions. I have NOT noticed any performance difference between the two version ( no testing performed, just casual observation).

2) Trendnet's website support is knowledgble, helpfull and responsive. I was impressed.

3) The installation instructions provided are horrible and will waste your time.

... just plug router into your network, cycle power to cable/dsl modem and then cycle power to new router, then reboot PC ... the type default router IP: 192.168.10.1 into browser ... then configure router... snap ( hint: there is NO default password " ... b l a n k ... " !

4) my 1st purchase was from local BIg-Box ( not BB) as I needed ASAP. It was vers. 1.0R. ... worked fine . But AMAZON was 20% cheaper . so ordered it too. I tried to get Amazon ppl to see which mdl they ship ; Amazon was NOT very helpful in that regard. But Amazon shipped the V1.1R mdl to me. ... BUT ... according to Trendnet support... mine was broken..

Any "100/10Mbps" adapter would only negotiate to "10Mbps" with this ver 1.1R router. forcing 100Mbps in adapter setup would cause the connection to FAIL. Though, 1Gbps devices auto-negotiated to 1Gbps just fine.

5) To their credit, Amazon is sending a "free" replacement, so I am not without a router during exchange period.

6) status indicater lights are way too bright; which is a waste of energy and annoying at night.

7) I love the "DHCP Reservation" feature. I no longer have to use Fix-ed IP in WinXP, as the router recognizes the PC ( by MAC address ) as assigns "reserved" IP.

8) Switch on router to turn Wireless Access ON or OFF is nice touch.

I would highly recommend this router and Amazon... either vers 1.0R or vers 1.1R

Rated only 4-STARs because of my V1.1R unit failure. Manufacturing Final-QC should have rejected this one.

note: I did try to get local BigBox to match Amazon price, unsuccessfully.

added: ... recommend mounting the router vertically ( use supplied base) as unit will get somewhat hot laying horizontally (heat causes early failures).

192.168.10.1 again 192.168.10.1

That is the address to access the router. Dlink likes to use 192.168.0.1, well that's the address for the Trendnet. Now why is it so important? Because they don't bother to tell you what it is until after you install all this crazy network monitoring crap that you don't need. They force you to use the CD to setup the router, ok fine, if you are a total newbie and have no ideal what you are doing, then I can understand how the CD would help with step by step instructions. I did as the tutorial said and it kept not finding an internet connection. After repeated attempts, I finally found the 192.168.10.1 address online and manually configured the router and it worked instantly. This company needs to just let people know what it is in the manual that comes in the box because not everyone is a router newbie. Wasted 30 minutes of my life on that stupid tutorial. The worst part of it was that it installs some program called Network Magic that stinking takes over your network settings in windows. Fine, but the worst part is that it's a 30 day trial. It's not even that great of a program. Windows is simple and fine, I don't need extra crap on there slowing the computer down. Overall, nothing else to complain about, the router works just like any other router. Please remember to use WPA2 encryption. Good luck and don't forget 192.168.10.1

TRENDnet TEW-633GR 300Mbps Wireless N Gigabit Router

I'm diggin' it!

Purchased from Amazon.com my TEW-633GR was well packed (for once). The unit is glossy black with a low profile. Both sides are completely slotted for great ventilation. The face has eight lenses that wrap from front to top for the LED indicators. The Power and WAN LED's are both green. The LED's for the gigabit ports are orange for gigabit connections and green for 100mb or 10mb. The ports are auto-switch enabled for simple plug-and-play. There are also LED's for Wireless Status and WPS setup. The right side has three taller than average 4dBi antenna that are fixed. The rear houses the port and power connectors, and the reset button. The right side has switch to enable/disable wireless connections, just set the switch and the router changes the setting and reboots itself. the top has a WPS button for auto-configuration of new wireless devices to the network. The control panel is feature rich but lacks the on page help of the D-Link CP, however the help file is quite useful.

The unit runs on 12v/1A of power. Inside, everything is mounted to a one-peice multi-layer PCB showing good design. Unlike older versions that had a Vitesse VSC7385 chipset, the v1.1R model I received sports the RealTek RTL8366SR for gigabit ethernet that supports jumbo frames.

Performance-wise, my experience with the TRW-633GR is positive. Gigabit LAN is faster than my former Linksys DIR-655 A3, wireless is a bit slower but with better range. Since the antenna are mounted on the side there are no reception issues with mounting the router vertically, unlike the DIR-655 which Linksys recommends be used horizontally for best reception. A big plus is that it has been on since arriving with no reboot save for wireless enable and disable. This includes the 72-hour burn-in upon arrival. I have not needed to update the frmware, though there is a newer version availbale.

FWIW, I chose this router over a Linksys DIR-655 for the following reasons:

Internally, it is very similar in terms of hardware used.

Performance it right on par.

Everything is mounted to one board, the DIR-655 achieved this only after three revisions.

It can be used vertically with no loss of reception.

It runs at a cooler temperature meaning longer life.

Instant wireless on/off via a physical switch!! Takes about 5 seconds and you don't have to have the host PC booted. Saaahhh-weeet!

The airport stopped calling with pilot complaint's about blinding blue lights on the approach path. Okay, the airport never really called. but the LED's on the DIR-655 are waaay toooo bright, the TEW-633GR's LED's are easily seen while not casting light into the room.

The DIR-655 rebotted occasionally for no apparant reason, something the TEW-655GR does not do.

Three year warranty. Linksys offers 1 year.

You can mod it. If you are handy you can solder in antenna mounts (the holes are on the PCB) and add removable antenna.

Things Trendnet could improve:

Detachable antenna.

On-screen descriptions of settings while in the control panel.

A rear-mounted USB port for printer or NAS connectivity.

So there it is, I hope someone finds this helpful.

Cheers!

Fuzzilla :o)

I have never in my life had a problem with wired connections on a router. With this router though I have had several right out of the box.

For some reason when I plug my wired machines into this router the machines want to use 802.1x Authentication. Since there are no machines on my network to authenticate against the network adapters all go into an error state "Authentication Failed" and fail to DHCP.

I have never even heard of WIRED 802.1x Authentication but it seems to be related to a service on Vista and XPsp3 called Wired AutoConfig. On my Vista machine disabling this service allowed me to DHCP with the router. On my XP machine disabling the service made no difference. I also tried simply unchecking "Enable IEEE 802.1x Authentication" this also made no difference.

The wireless works just fine.

My old router which was slower also worked just fine for all of my devices. I think despite the wonderful speed of this device I will be returning it. I'm waiting to hear back from trendnet support first. I'll update this review if I find some resolution to the problem.

UPDATE: After a few rounds of shoulder shrugging Trendnet has reproduced my problem in house (I can reproduce it 100% of the time with any machine so this should not be a big accomplishment). I kept the router and am eagerly awaiting a firmware update. If they can get this problem take care of I'll up my rating.

I have owned more than a few routers - old Linksys b router, WRT610N, Netgear and a few others. This one blows them all away. GREAT wireless range. I have mine installed in a furnace room that's in the basement of my house (that room also has thick concrete walls) and I still get great signal everywhere in my home and outside - Even on the street out in front. Right now I'm running 2 wireless laptops, 1 desktop, network printer and PS3. No problems with any devices talking to each other or accessing the internet. I always got DLNA errors when I used the Linksys 610N when trying to stream from my desktop to the PS3. With this router - no problems at all. I can have torrents running and still get zero lag with PS3 gaming. The firmware enables a very high level of customization. You definitely get a lot for the money (I only paid $83 for mine). My only pet peeve is that the case is that shiny plastic that scratches if you even look at it the wrong way LOL. Buy this router, you will not be disappointed.

Pros: Easy setup; 4 Auto-sensing Gigabit ports; Wireless Draft N 2.0; 3 Year Warranty; lots of options in UI; included stand; black color to match home components; great low price(on sale).

Both HP dv9000t laptop and Dell Inspiron 6000 are now always connected at full speed/bars anywhere in our apartment and haven't dropped connection once(using G, but haven't had chance to try N yet). Gigabit port on HP laptop is finally getting awesome use for transferring files; also great for gigabit PS3.

Note: IP for this router is 192.168.10.1...Make sure if you get this router to look for hardware version 1.1R on box or router, as the previous version seems to have had some issues. If you can, try to use Cat 6 cables for the gigabit ports. Also update all your wireless card drivers/software to the latest, and also this router to latest firmware(currently v1.0.4.4).

Cons: On Connection Quality/Speed: None yet.

For Features: found WEP option glitchy(just use WPA and above); Not dual band; no USB port; still DRAFT N 2.0(by the time they get "N" to be a standard, there will be another wireless protocol coming out)

Other Thoughts: For over 4 years, I had been using the awesome Linksys WRT54G without many issues at all. I recently wanted to upgrade, and did much research for the past few months, but was still hesitant to go into Draft N, or even gigabit routers due to cost. I had settled on the D-Link DIR655 as my first option , and this TRENDnet as one of my possible seconds, but cost was still an issue. Then this TRENDnet went on sale(on another site) for about as much as a G router costs these days. I tried a manual setup with the TRENDnet at first(always did manual setups with Linksys) which initially did not work for me, so I ended up using the included CD to make it easy and switch over to the new TRENDnet router. The trick is to leave your current network connected the original way, and then use the CD to switch over to the TRENDnet router following the CD instructions step by step. After that, remove any installed software, and you can always change all the manual settings you wish(which I did).