Last year we reviewed a couple TP-LINK products and were extremely impressed with them. TP-LINK’s latest portable router is the TL-WR700N 150Mbps Wireless N Mini Pocket Router. Its max wireless speed is rated a bit lower than standard routers, but its feature-set doesn’t suffer. The TL-WR700N supports multiple modes including AP, Repeater, Client, Bridge, and can function as a basic router. Has TP-LINK tried to pack too much into a small device? Or will they blow us away again? Check out the full review to find out.
Thanks to TP-LINK for providing us with the TL-WR700N 150Mbps Wireless N Mini Pocket Router to review.
Specifications
| HARDWARE FEATURES | |
| Plug Type | US |
| Interfaces | 1 10/100Mbps WAN/LAN Port Reset Button |
| Wireless Standards | IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11n |
| Dimensions ( W x D x H ) | 3.2 x 2.8 x 1.1 in (81 x 71 x 28mm) |
| Antenna Type | On-Board |
| WIRELESS FEATURES | |
| Frequency | 2.4-2.4835GHz |
| Signal Rate | 11n: Up to 150Mbps(dynamic) 11g: Up to 54Mbps(dynamic) 11b: Up to 11Mbps(dynamic) |
| EIRP | <20dBm(EIRP) |
| Reception Sensitivity | 135M:-70dBm@10%PER 65M:-73dBm@10%PER 54M:-76dBm@10%PER 6M:-92dBm@10%PER |
| Wireless Modes | AP Mode, Router Mode ,Client Mode, Repeater Mode, Bridge Mode |
| Wireless Functions | Enable/Disable Wireless Radio, WDS Bridge, WMM, Wireless Statistics |
| Wireless Security | 64/128/152-bit WEP / WPA / WPA2,WPA-PSK / WPA2-PSK |
| SOFTWARE FEATURES | |
| WAN Type | Dynamic IP/Static IP/PPPoE/PPTP/L2TP |
| DHCP | Server, Client, DHCP Client List, Address Reservation |
| Quality of Service | WMM, Bandwidth Control |
| Port Forwarding | Virtual Server, Port Triggering, UPnP, DMZ |
| Dynamic DNS | DynDns, Comexe, NO-IP |
| VPN Pass-Through | PPTP, L2TP, IPSec (ESP Head) |
| Access Control | Local Management Control, Host List, Access Schedule, Rule Management |
| Firewall Security | DoS, SPI Firewall, IP Address Filter/MAC Address Filter/Domain Filter, IP and MAC Address Binding |
| Management | Access Control Local Management Remote Management |
| OTHERS | |
| Certification | FCC, RoHS |
| Package Contents | TL-WR700N Resource CD Quick Installation Guide RJ-45 Ethernet Cable |
| Environment | Operating Temperature: 0℃~40℃ (32℉~104℉) Storage Temperature: -40℃~70℃ (-40℉~158℉) Operating Humidity: 10%~90% non-condensing Storage Humidity: 5%~90% non-condensing |
| Warranty | 2 years limited warranty. Advanced replacement service is available. |
Packaging
TP-LINK has moved away from the green and white packaging they used last year to a blue and white scheme. While I liked their green and white packaging, the blue and white is definitely more modern. Which works well for the TL-WR700N, because it is quite modern itself.
The front has what you’d expect, a picture of the product along with its main purpose. Since this is a router, we’re notified that can perform at speeds of 150Mbps which means it is 802.11n, and in this case, the TL-WR700N is a Mini Pocket Router, meaning it is highly portable. One item not commonly seen on products is a 24/7 tech support sticker. TP-LINK proudly puts a phone number and email address right on the front of the box. I’ve never had to use TP-LINK’s tech support, so I can’t vouch for the quality of their support, but it is nice to know that the information is right there on the front of the box.
Flipping the box around, there’s a short feature list along with a visual depiction of the device’s general purpose. We learn that the TL-WR700N has foldable plugs, multi-operating modes, and is designed for tablets, smartphones, and game consoles to connect to the internet via Wi-Fi. More on all of that in the Setup and Testing sections.
TP-LINK was rather thoughtful when designing the box. Sometimes boxes can be difficult to open. TP-LINK has circumvented this issue by eliminating the right side of the box, allowing you to easily slip out the inner-box. Once free from its shell, the inner-box unfolds providing a clear view of the package’s contents (although the ethernet cable is a bit hidden). The left side of the box contains the router, and the right contains a Quick Installation Guide, Resource CD, and Installation for Mac OS X. Each side of the inner-box is backed with styrofoam to make sure the product stays protected.
