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TRENDnet 300Mbps Dual Band Wireless N Gigabit Router

#123 | 3:46 |

Gadget TV

Friday June 4, 2010

Home network routers are not the sexiest devices in the world. Sure, they're functional, but they don't really grab any attention. TRENDnet is apparently trying to change this with its TEW-673GRU router. It features an LCD screen and a bright, shining blue LED that will compel your fellow geeks to huddle around and marvel.

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Show Notes

TRENDnet 300Mbps Dual Band Wireless N Gigabit Router
TEW-673GRU
$214.99 MSRP
~$160 online

- Creates two distinct networks in your home. An 802.11b/g 2.4GHz network with its own SSID and a 5GHz a/n network, also with its own SSID.

- Includes some granular controls for setting things like usage restrictions (handy for parents), time and data limitations, site blocking and quality of service (QoS) settings.

- QoS can be configured to prioritize certain traffic. Your online gaming and VoIP conversations can take precedence over BitTorrent downloads, for example.

- Two USB ports for sharing USB drives and printers.

- Would rather the router create a network share as opposed to running a piece of software on the computer that then can access the attached devices.

- Features Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS). This allows you to press a button on the router, press a button on another WPS compliant device and get them talking to each other without tinkering.

- LCD display shows information like connected devices and MAC addresses, network uptime, time and date.

- While the LCD display is a nice touch, it's not used enough to justify the extra >$100 over the similar (minus the screen) TEW-671BR.

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