INTRODUCTION

   Since I’ve always had more than just 1 computer at my place when DSL first arrived into this country although everyone i knew chose the normal low-cost ADSL modems i opted for the more powerful and expensive modem/router combination so i could give access to all my systems without much fuss. Well to this day I’ve never stopped using modem/router models (the Netgear i have now is the 7th in line) but something strange has happened and so for the past 2 years for unknown reasons (to me at least) all the well-known network solutions companies out there have shifted their focus towards the design and manufacture of standalone router models. Of course as you can all understand i am not too fond of that cause i can't upgrade my modem/router with a newer model but since the latest 802.11ac (AC1750) Wi-Fi protocol has been introduced in routers we had to take a closer look and the TEW-812DRU AC1750 Dual Band Wireless Router by TRENDnet was the first to arrive on our doorstep.

   TRENDnet's vision is to build innovative, easy to use, and reliable Networks People Trust™. TRENDnet solutions network the countless devices which enable your connected lifestyle and workplace. Building award winning networking solutions since 1990, TRENDnet connects you with what you value most. Founded in Torrance, California, TRENDnet has grown to become a leading global networking hardware brand. From the network core to the periphery, TRENDnet's expansive product portfolio includes Wireless, Wired, Surveillance, Connectivity, and Peripheral device categories. An emphasis on continual improvement and our ISO 9001:2008 quality management certification (click here to view certificate) is an essential component of TRENDnet’s success. The TRENDnet brand is consistently recognized for exceptional quality, superior performance, and responsive support.

   The latest AC1750 Gigabit Wi-Fi technology actually takes its name from the how it works and it basically broadcasts a concurrent dual band signal in both 5GHz and 2.4GHz (3 internal antennas for each) allowing for speeds of up to 1300Mbps (802.11ac) for the first and 450Mbps (802.11n) for the 2nd totaling at 1750Mbps for both. So although naturally you can't use both with the same adapter even just the 802.11ac protocol allows you to stream FullHD material and play online games without the hiccups of previous protocols or at least that's how it should be if it actually works (remains to be seen). Of course needless to say that you will need one of the latest AC1750 (802.11ac) compatible Wi-Fi adapters to use such routers as it was meant so for this review TRENDnet made available their latest TEW-805UB AC1200 Dual Band Wireless USB Adapter which of course we will also use to test other AC1750 compatible routers in the future. So let's see just how faster this new technology makes the TEW-812DRU compared to the other routers we have in our growing database.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

The TEW-812DRU arrived inside an orange/black box with a large product image and its main features at the front.

Both the features and bundle contents lists are placed on the left side.

A table showcasing the differences between the new AC1750 technology and previous ones is placed at the rear along with a topology drawing, two small pictures of the router and a few words about it written in 7 languages.

The entire bundle sits inside a thick cardboard container.

The TEW-812DRU, CAT5E Ethernet cable, CD containing the user guide and the quick installation guide are placed in that container.

THE TEW-812DRU

The housing of the TEW-812DRU is entirely made by hard plastic and although the same applies for most routers out there in this case because it just weighs 395g it feels somewhat cheap. However after using it for over a month we've had no problems with it.

TRENDnet has placed their logo with large silver letters on both sides.

All activity LEDs are placed vertically at the front of the device (power/internet access/lan ports/WiFi/wps/USB).

Moving at the rear of the unit we see the DC power in port, on/off button, Gigabit WAN port, 4 Gigabit LAN ports, WPS button and a USB 2.0 port.

At the bottom there's a sticker on which TRENDnet has placed the country model, hardware version, serial number, MAC address, Wi-Fi/SSID name, Wi-Fi key and several certification logos.

This is the TEW-805UB AC1200 Dual Band Wireless USB Adapter and although it doesn't say much in terms of appearance it more than just makes up for that with its performance.

WEB INTERFACE

The first screen you will see once you access the router is the setup wizard which will take you through 2 quick steps.

Prior to adjusting other settings however i do recommend going to the official TRENDnet support page to download the latest firmware version.

Once you download the firmware onto your hard drive head to administrator tab to perform the firmware update (takes around 2 minutes to complete).

You can adjust everything related to WAN, LAN, iPv6, QOS and DHCP from the Network tab. We will let the snapshots do all the talking rather than describing each setting (that would take too long).

Moving to the 2.4GHz and 5GHz tabs from here you can obviously enable/disable the Wi-Fi signal, adjust the two modes, set the broadcast names, choose the security and encryption modes, set the passphrase and much more.

From within the advanced tab you can configure the DMZ settings, enable/disable the virtual server function, set static routes, place filters, configure the ALG feature, set port trigger rules, use the gaming function, enable/disable UPNP and again much more than that.

The administrator page allows you to update the firmware, set the time, share files, set the user name and password, read the logs, check the system status and more.

TESTING METHODOLOGY

    Since regular routers can't directly connect to the internet (unless you have a cable connection which we don't) the only thing that's left is to test and see how much bandwidth they can offer by directly linking two devices with them. So once again we will be using the networking benchmark by Passmark (v.8) and the QCheck by Ixia to test such devices the same exact way we test Powerline adapters and Modem/Routers. So both systems are placed 15m away from the router with 3 concrete walls between them while each test is repeated a total of 6 times after which the average scores are recorded into our charts. Both systems have Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 installed with all the updates until the 25^th of October.

TEST RESULTS

CONCLUSION

   As you can easily tell from our charts by comparing the TEW-812DRU with the previous devices we've reviewed the latest 802.11ac wireless protocol does indeed make a huge difference when you use an AC compatible Wi-Fi adapter so for people who actually like to use Wi-Fi or for people who simply have no other way to access the internet this could make a noticeable difference in their daily activities. Moving to the web interface of the TEW-812DRU we can't complain there either since it really leaves very little to be desired (if at all) since it offers more functions that even we could ever hope to use. My only slight issue is with the enclosure of the TEW-812DRU which although good looking it just feels way too "weak" for my taste anyways. That being said there's really nothing wrong with the TEW-812DRU and i really wish TRENDnet may release it as a modem/router too (although i don't see that happening).

   With a current price tag set at USD135.99 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and at 105Euros inside the EU (Amazon.co.uk) the TEW-812DRU AC1750 Dual Band Wireless Router by TRENDnet may not be the cheapest one out there but it offers impressive wired & wireless performance with a plethora of available functions so we really can't call it expensive. That being said if you don't plan on using the TEW-812DRU for its AC1750 Wi-Fi technology then we really see no reason to even consider getting it since you can find much cheaper solutions also by TRENDnet that only lack that specific feature. All things considered the TEW-812DRU is an impressive router and because of that it gets our Platinum award (too bad we can only use a modem/router).

PROS

- Overall Build Quality
- Design
- Impressive Performance
- AC1750 Technology (802.11ac + 802.11n)
- 6 Internal Antennas
- Web Interface Options
- On/Off Switch
- 4 Gigabit Ethernet Ports
- USB Port 

CONS

- Enclosure Feeling (Personal Opinion)
- Price (For Some)