Tenda W300M Wireless N300 Portable AP/Router Review

1. Introduction2. Packaging & Bundle3. Tenda W300M Portable AP/Router4. Tenda W300M Settings Interface & Configuration5. Testing Methodology & Performance6. Closing Thoughts7. View All Pages

The Tenda W300M wireless N300 portable access point/router is a very convenient device which has the ability to solve many network-related problems that are encountered when travelling, or even in one's own residence.

We liked the fact that Tenda gives the W300M a number of operating modes. The Access Point mode which converts a 100Mbps wired connection to a 300Mbps Wireless-N signal is, in our opinion, the most convenient. If your hotel, meeting or student accommodation room is limited to a single wired port, the Tenda W300M can easily solve the problem associated with connecting wireless devices.

Another useful pair of features for the W300M is its wireless repeater/extender and bridge modes. The extender mode is useful for boosting the signal through a home, allowing devices with not-so-powerful wireless adapters to obtain a stable connection.

Wired devices such as internet-capable TVs can also be connected to the main network in a method which is far cheaper than forking out for a proprietary adapter. Although we didn't have the equipment required to test it, we would assume that the W300M can provide an internet signal to older Xbox 360 consoles which don't feature a wireless adapter. This is a more flexible and cheaper method than purchasing Microsoft's proprietary hardware.

The W300M's ease-of-use is good. Tenda provides instructions which should be easy to follow for many users, but novices may get a little confused. All modes other than the default AP setting require the supplied disk to be used for instructions. This could cause problems for some users. We hope that Tenda takes our advice and includes Windows 7 configuration steps in the guides of future products.

Performance of the W300M was good. The portable access point had the ability to penetrate a tough set of obstacles and provide a perfectly usable, albeit slightly slower, signal over a large distance.

Amazon is selling the Tenda W300M for the very competitive price of £18.89. In spite of the stiff competition from TP-Link's slower TL-WR702N, Tenda's W300M portable access point/router is priced very reasonably.

Pros:

• Good signal coverage.
• Variety of applications.
• Very portable.
• Plenty of security settings.
• Good value.

Cons:

• Installation guide should have Windows 7 configuration steps.
• Configuring the non-AP modes can be confusing at times, especially without access to the disk.

KitGuru says: An extremely convenient portable device which has the ability to solve many network-related problems.

 

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