Trendnet TEW-631BRP

The TEW-631BRP is the latest router from Trendnet and bears an uncanny resemblance to the Zyxel. It isn't as stylish, though, with the two unused LEDs and glowing orange wireless router logo looking a little unprofessional.

The antennae are identical to the NBG-415N's, with the middle one being removable. Even the LEDs are in the same order at the front, and the rear panel is similar, lacking only the Zyxel's USB port for Windows Connect Now.

This is of little consequence, though, as it's hardly a chore to select the correct SSID from the list of available networks and key in the passphrase. Other than the USB port, the two routers are inseparable in terms of features.

Both offer Ubicom's StreamEngine, which manages QoS and prioritises gaming and VoIP traffic to minimise lag, and there are plenty of preset games and applications in the list so you don't have to make the settings manually. You'll also find DDNS services, the ability to set static routes, DMZ, WPA2-Enterprise security and IP filtering.

Performance and coverage proved better than the Zyxel's, especially when the matching TEW-621PC PC Card is used. At close range, it managed 31.4Mb/sec, 26Mb/sec at 15m and 3.2Mb/sec at 25m. With the Centrino Wi-Fi, speeds were slightly above the Zyxel's at medium range and, although we also experienced connection drops at 25m, we did successfully run our tests three times and saw an average throughput of 3.9Mb/sec.

Despite the three-year warranty, the TEW-631BRP is too expensive at £94 considering the lack of Gigabit Ethernet or an ADSL modem.

Author: Jim Martin