TP-Link 150Mbps Wireless N Mini Pocket Router (TL-WR700N)

I have a handful of Airport Express base stations that I set up around the house a few years ago, and they have started to die, one by one. I use them mostly to connect devices to my wireless network where running an Ethernet cable is not possible. Last week, I had the one that connects my security camera DVR to my home network die, and after wasting a few hours trying to configure a DLink and NetGear router as a wireless client, took to Amazon and wound up ordering this TL-WR700N to replace the Apple Airport Express, which was around $100 for the new model. At just 12% of the cost of a new Airport Express, I thought this was worth a try. I was very pleasantly surprised by the ease of setup this device provides, as when working with non-Apple devices, I'm used to long delays, cursing, multiple resets, and even possibly having to resort to using an older PC running Windows 7 and Internet Explorer to able to make it though the setup. For the TL-WR700N, I was able to make it through just using my iPhone and connecting to the default wireless network the device provides. After setting it in client mode and connecting it to my DVR via its Ethernet cable, I just needed to wait until the status light turned green (the documentation said blue but I suspect there may be a variation from model to model) and *bang* I was able to connect to my DVR again - the whole process took less than 30 minutes. I am so impressed that I'm likely going to order a couple more of these to have as spares for when the rest of my Airport Express base stations decide to "give up the ghost." On the other hand, one thing about the design of the TL-WR700N really rubbed me the wrong way - and that is the orientation of the power connector - it's facing lengthwise, which means that when plugged into a power strip it will cover at least one additional, and possibly two additional sockets unless placed at the very end. Had the prongs for power been rotated 90 degrees, it would have easily fit into a space in the power strip between two other adapters - I just can't understand why designers of products don't think of details like this but I had to use a one-foot extension cord to plug this in. Granted the cord is just $1.50, but when someone is in a hurry to complete an install a stopping point like this is just too frustrating. At any rate, I am not going to deduct a star from the review for this oversight, but anyone looking to buy the TL-WR700N should be aware of this detail. Pros: • Perfect drop-in replacement for wireless client to Ethernet bridging • Much less expensive than the Airport Express it replaced • Easy setup worked with Safari on my iPhone • Reliable and steady connection so far • Brand name I know and trust (I use their Powerline equipment) Cons: • Does not replace all features of an Airport Express (no AirPlay, no USB connection) • Awkward orientation of power prongs necessitates a short (or long) extension cord

I've traveled to too many hotels that offer only a wired ethernet connection with no wireless. If you only need to connect one device, that's no problem. But if you have multiple devices or wifi only devices (like tablets and mobile phones) a single ethernet connection won't suffice. After shopping around for a bit, this travel router seemed to be the best portable solution for a reasonable price. Here's my experience with it thus far. PERFORMANCE Reception is solid. I get five bars on my MBPro from about 100ft away with two walls in between. I plan on using this primarily in hotel rooms, so I have no concerns that I'll get full coverage wherever I stay. I experienced no hiccups while browsing the web. FEATURES You can change the SSID and password (wasn't sure if you had to use the default one printed on the router). Strangely, my network adapter on my PC (Linksys WUSB600N) wouldn't detect the default SSID, but once I changed the name, I was able to see and connect to the router without a problem. You can also choose whether to enable DHCP, IP address range, static IP's (by MAC address), and lease time. You can also restrict access to the router by MAC address. The various modes seem to work as well (access point, router, repeater, bridge, and client), but I use this primarily as an AP. Supports the typical encryption settings for wifi (none, WEP, WPA, WPA2). Pretty straightforward set of features you'd expect on any basic router. I'm glad they didn't skimp on any of the core features. DESIGN They clearly took a cue from Apple's design and modeled it somewhat after the Airport Express. Even the packaging is elegant and very Apple-esque. It's a sturdy, small plastic case with a swivel out plug. I wish you could swap the plug with a corded plug like you can with the Airport Express, but I'm being nit-picky. A simple extension cord will solve the problem. NOTES Note, my router came with English instructions and seems to be packaged for American markets. It also came with firmware 4.18.16 (build 110810) which is the latest version (as of June 2012). CONCLUSION A solid travel router for a very reasonable price.

Excelente router portatil, del tamaño de un cargador de iPad (aproximadamente) y fácil de configurar. Solo no esperen tener gran cobertura inalambrica, creo que su alcance va de acuerdo a su tamaño.

Router de buen tamaño, pero es muy lento el acceso a la memoria USB. Es el unico pero que le encuentro pero era lo fundamental por lo que lo compre.