TRENDnet TEW-687GA 450Mbps Wireless N Gaming Adapter Review

Others/Networking Gear by stefan @ 2011-02-27

The new Wireless 450Mbps TEW-687GA from TRENDnet is not USB anymore like the previously released products, but offers a Gigabit network interface between itself and the computer we are connecting the adapter to; this way, we don't have to install drivers anymore and is compatible with any platform (we can even configure it through the Playstation3 Internet Browser). We will perform some data transfer speeds to see if it is really better in terms of performance.

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Packaging, A Closer Look

The new 450Mbps Wireless N Gaming Adapter from TRENDnet is shipped inside a medium-sized cardboard box; with the photo of the product on the front and a small graph with transfer speeds comparison between different wireless standards:

 

 

The product features, along with the package contents are listed on one side of the box:

 

 

The full list of specifications is listed on another side of the cardboard box:

 

 

On the back side of the package, we can find a network solution, a small product description, along with some related products listed:

 

 

For added protection, inside the package there is another plain cardboard box, in which we will find the product along with its bundle:

 

 

Here are the items that we can find inside:

 

-Quick Installation Guide

-CD with product User's Guide

-TEW-687GA Wireless N adapter

-Power adapter

-LAN cable

 

 

In the Quick Installation Guide (which is written in multiple languages), we can find information on how to quickly install and configure the product:

 

 

The power adapter that comes with the product has a relatively short wire and is rated on the output 12V, 1A:

 

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Comment from jmke @ 2011/02/27
What use exactly would you give this product? Add highspeed wireless to a system at $100 ( http://www.google.com/search?q=TEW-6...874725 dc45b7 ) which doesn't have wireless network card? A PCI wireless network card is about $50 for high end one, how does this stack up? How many times do you switch around network between devices?

PS3 and XBOX 360 have wireless network integrated, so maybe for other devices like Popcorn Hour? That one only has LAN, with this you can give it a fast wireless access? It does come at a premium price though, to be honest
Comment from Stefan Mileschin @ 2011/02/27
These devices with the new speed are still at the beginning and I am sure that a lot of speed improvements will be made with firmware upgrades to both router and adapter.

I see this product as a great device to add Wireless LAN and Internet access to any device in our homes with a RJ45 connector, without the need to configure anything else after the main setup wizard has been completed.

The PS3 comes with Wireless B/G so this adapter is a great upgrade to the internal wireless solution.
Comment from jmke @ 2011/02/27
Would this setup be possible?

In a room where you don't have wired connection to your network
- PC1
- PC2
connected with RJ45 to a switch in that room
switch connected to TEW-687GA.
Does the 687GA provide DHCP to more than one client?
Comment from Stefan Mileschin @ 2011/02/27
That would be an interesting test to perform, but I do not have currently a switch handy.
Comment from jmke @ 2011/02/27
a router with 4 UTP ports and its internal DHCP disabled should work too
Comment from Stefan Mileschin @ 2011/02/27
Yes, that is a solution too, but with a regular switch it would have been much more simpler

 

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