Customer Reviews

TRENDnet 300Mbps Wireless-N Travel Router Kit TEW-654TR (Black)

5 star:		(47)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

I travel a lot and spend way too much time in hotels where the only internet connection they have is a short wired connection sitting near some uncomfortable desk. I used to carry around a longer wire and a connector so that I could sit wherever I wanted in the room, but it is just a pain to do so.

A few years ago I found a solution in a small wireless AP sold by Asus (the WL-300 and later the WL-330g) which I used for a number of years with lots of success. However, I finally decided it was time to upgrade to 802.11n.

A bit of searching/comparing brought me to the TrendNet 654TR. Ordered one from Amazon and had it in my hands in a couple of days.

The device is much smaller and sleeker than the Asus model. Setup was easy to follow and configure (though I would enter a small complaint that I had to configure the "router" mode settings and the "AP" mode settings individually -- when I switched from "router" to "AP" it was as if I had gone back to factory defaults -- even the encryption keys & wireless configuration had to be configured again). This is just a minor complaint, easily dealt with and for many people, one they would never run into.

I've used the device at home and in several hotels on the road to great success. Rather than lugging the included AC power adapter, I simply use my iPhone USB charging block along with the included USB power adapter and I can power the unit with my little white apple block.

So now I carry this device with me on all my trips and use it here/there.

Very satisfied. If you're looking for a portable AP to carry around with you, this is it!

I absolutely could not live without this travel router. I travel a lot for business and spend about 6 months a year in hotel rooms. Even when the hotel offers wifi access I prefer to use my TrendNet router because speed and signal strength is so much better. One thing that I found quite interesting is the three modes that the router can operate in. It can be used as a router, and access point (ethernet extention), or as a client. In client mode it works "backwards", giving wifi to a device that typically wouldn't have it. These are sometimes known as "Ethernet Bridges" and range in price from $75-$200. For $50, you get this functionality plus a travel router.

Compatibility was my big question - previous reviews said they had problems with iPads and phones. I can happily report that it works great with iPads, iPhones, and every other wifi enabled device I have thrown at it. The set up screens for the router don't work very well in Safari or Chrome (missing buttons) so try to configure it using IE.

Over all, I love it and would buy it again.

I disagree with the person that says that it does not work with ipads (and iphones).
Using it in AP mode, I was able to browse the web in less than 10 minutes, no laptop needed to configure it.
Very good product.
If you need to configure it differently, you need a laptop or desktop, but you can do that at home before you leave.

I got this pocket router to use in hotels when I am in the road and there is only ethernet. As it comes from factory, when you plug it into an ethernet port it automatically creates an open wifi network called "trendnet" something. The iPad immediately connected as well as my macbook.

Problem is: anybody can access your wifi and also by default is very easy to gain administrator's privileges. I suggest the first thing you do is to access the setup of the router (you can do that over wifi) and change the admin password of the device. It is quite easy also to increase the security of the this wifi router.

My family and I travel alot, and there are still plenty of hotels within the U.S and especially abroad without Wifi in the room or just has a weak signal. The TRENDnet-654TR is just the solution to that problem, it's wireless N is very fast and has excellent range. I travel with a laptop primarily, but my wife and kids use Apple ipads for travel, this is a must have if you travel with an ipad!...Trust me.

The TRENDnet-654TR is tiny, the pictures above are very deceiving (youtube it to find a video). Super simple set up, it works right out of the box after plugging in a an ethernet cable and power (you can even use your iphone or ipad power block for the power source instead of the adapter that it comes with). The only other thing you optionally have to do is set up the security encryption, which is still pretty easy (do it before your trip so that anything you need to access it is already set up).

I wish regular home wireless routers were this easy to set up!

This little router works great and is so easy to set up, but who thought up the idea to sell a "travel router" with a 110 volt power adapter. Obviously someone who's never travelled outside the USA. Any-ways, I would have given it 5 stars except I had to get my own dual voltage adapter for it. It came quickly, was packaged nicely, and has an excellent travel case. The instructions are quick and simple. I've been using it at hotels all over Asia for the past few months and not had a single problem.

I bought the wireless travel router and it came with a British style, 3 prong, 220v plug. I went on the company website and wrote up a customer service ticket and requested two things: 1. Why did it have that type of plug instead of the standard US plug as described on the box, and 2. to exchange the plug (power adapter). They refused to exchange the plug and sent me a parts price list and was told it would cost me $15 to get a new cord. They will not answer my responses to the service ticket anymore. In my opinion I would find another company's travel router.

Top Line: I am really impressed with this WiFi travel router. Feature-packed, easy-to-use, all at a good value. However, device configuration HTML pages do not work in iPhone/iPad Safari browser - configure the router before you go.

The details:
I found out 3 days before departing to a Mexico Club Med that Wifi was limited to the main patio/pool area, and only wired internet was available in the rooms. Quick research told me there was no device (short of a laptop) to hard-wire connect my iPhone and iPad to the Club's internet, so a travel WiFi hotspot was the way to go. I chose the TRENDnet Travel router based on the reviews, size, kit components and price, and it did not disappoint.

I received it the day before we left, and was a bit confused by the many possible modes of operation mentioned briefly in the quick-setup guide. I decided to just plug it into my home network and see if my iPhone could access the internet right out of the box. Sure enough, with no configuration of the TRENDnet at all, my iPhone connected quickly and accessed web pages without a problem.

At Club Med, I plugged the TRENDnet into the hotel room's internet connector. After a few moments of powering up, I turned on my iPhone, made a WiFi connection to the TRENDnet router, and after a few seconds, was prompted with a Club Med web page to enter my passcode (Club Med charges about $10/day for internet access and requires a login procedure.) I logged in and was immediately e-mailing photos back home and making Skype calls.

Why Qualified Success? The TRENDnet router's configuration HTML pages can be accessed using a browser, but it only partially loaded on the iPhone/iPad's Safari browser, and I couldn't get past the device's login page. For most users this is not a problem. My recommendation, though: Before you travel, hook the TRENDnet up to your home network, login into the device's configuration page (needs to use a wireless connection from a computer), and change the default password so that someone in a neighboring hotel room doesn't hack your router. Just run through the Wizard to quickly set this up.

For further security, I suggest configuring a password for the router, to keep others from using it without permission. In the configuration menu, go to Setup -> Wireless and look for "Wireless Security Mode". I use "Enable WPA2 Wireless Security" and selected an appropriate password. (At this point, the device resets, and you will need to reconfigure your computer's WiFi connection to the TrendNet with this password to connect again.) The user manual on the provided disk should give detailed instructions. When you connect with your iPhone or iPad, it will prompt you for this passcode (just the first time - it remembers) and then connect when you enter it. Again, play with this at home before your trip, so there are no surprises.

Bottom line: This device worked well, packed easily, setup simply and was priced well. I highly recommend it!

I used to use this at my high school, because for some reason they deny wifi access there (too bad they have terrible security on it, pretty easy to crack). This thing was great. Just plug in the ethernet, plug in the power, and you've got yourself a rouge access point anywhere you have ethernet (you can power on USB).
The device is 300mbps wireless N, but if you use the ethernet cable, you'll be bottle-necked at 100, since the ethernet jack isn't gigabit. This device works in Client Mode (like a wireless client, giving you internet to another Access Point (AP)), as an AP (Just a wireless extension to an existing private network), or as a router (AP with DHCP server, to make a private network and connect to the internet).
The size is nice, it does get a bit warm though. I now have a bunch of nails in my wall, with a super long cable and I have it in client mode. Client mode can remember settings for AP's to auto connect to without the need of an interface (computer), and is configured over HTTP in your browser. One of the best things I love about this is that you never need a driver (except your NIC, which is almost always installed) or logon details to hook up wireless if you want to hot swap it.
In client mode, you can hook up to a network, that I'll call Network A. Now, I can also have the minirouter(client mode) create it's own network, as if it was in router mode (a switch on the bottom switches the modes). This allows me to connect my laptop and desktop at N speeds, so I can watch my recorded TV. I don't know if it's draft N or normal N, but it hasn't had any firmware updates, so I don't think it's going to upgrade to normal N if it's draft.
The case it comes in is very compact, however putting the power adapter in is a bit of work since they have to do in a very specific manner. It's nice, I really love it, it's GREAT for troubleshooting.
My only problem is that the little 'click' thing you hear when you plug in an Ethernet cord causes problems. The first time I hooked one in, it literally LOCKED in. And it wouldn't come out. Eventually I broke the lock part, and I just use a rubber band to hold the cable in. Oh, and the range isn't as superb as normal routers, but you can't really expect it to the be the same.
Overall, if you need portability/troubleshooting/adhoc/HD streaming (n only) without a switch, this is a nice device.

Update: 7/9/2011 - Still going strong. I never mentioned this in my original review, but the first time I plugged in the supplied ethernet cord, I could not get it out. I eventually did get it out but hte locking mechanism in the router was broken in the process. That means it still works but the cable falls out really easily. Some rubber bands to hold the cable in fixed it right up.

The model that Amazon is shipping is out of date and won't accept the latest Firmware from the TrendNet site. In addition, upon booting, the device doesn't show any "text" associated with buttons, labels, etc. on all the Administration pages.

You're better off just getting a simple AP/RT.