TP-LINK TL-WR700N 150Mbps Wireless N Mini Pocket Router Review

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.

TP-LINK TL-WR700N 150Mbps Wireless N Mini Pocket Router TP-LINK TL-WR700N 150Mbps Wireless N Mini Pocket Router

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.

TP-LINK TL-WR700N 150Mbps Wireless N Mini Pocket Router TP-LINK TL-WR700N 150Mbps Wireless N Mini Pocket Router