TrendNet TEW-814DAP - disappointing

[VirtualLarry]

I have an Engenius ESR1200 AC1200 AP that I am using on my gigabit LAN. I had been using PremierTek PT-8812AU USB3.0 RealTek 8812AU wifi adapters.

I can get 24MB/sec out of these, downloading from my unRAID server. I think I've gotten 27MB/sec out of my other NAS, when I was running the full driver package. The full driver package includes a "check and switch" utility, that I think switches the USB wifi from USB2.0 to 3.0, if it can, for greater speed. With the driver-only package, it shows up under my USB hub as USB2.0 hub as its parent node, so I assume that it is running in USB2.0 mode.

Anyways, I recently picked up the TrendNet AP (which can be configured as AP + repeater, or Client mode). It requires being plugged into an existing router to obtain an IP address for itself, in order to be configured. Once configured, though, in client mode, it works well. It does pass IPv6 in Client mode, which is an issue for Tomato routers.

Only, it's slow. Like, 10MB/sec max slow, connected to my unRAID server through my ESR1200 AP through my gigabit network.

Interestingly enough, I saw this in the TEW's log:
Jan 1 00:00:15 <=== FirmwareDownload8812()

Indicating, possibly, that this device has a RealTek 8812 chipset internally. I don't know if it's the same USB3.0 chipset, bridged to a gigabit ethernet port internally, or if it's a PCI-E version.

But given the cap on download speeds using this device, I'm guessing it's USB.

Very disappointed with this product. Also disappointed that it only has a single gigabit ethernet port. Their equivalent router model to this AP, does have four LAN and one WAN gigabit port, but it does not support repeater or Client mode. It's an artificial market segmentation, forcing users to buy one device or the other.

 

[azazel1024]

Are you sure it isn't in repeater mode, and not in access point mode? Also distance to the thing? Obstructions? Got a read on what the actual signal strength is (in dBm)?

On the whole though I don't believe that Trendnet makes very good wireless products. Them, Belkin and DLink I generally steer clear of. That said, DLink does seem to make halfway decent and cheap semi-managed switches, but I dislike their wireless products heavily.

Netgear and Asus generally make pretty quality ones, for a price. TP-Link tends to make good quality products at fairly low prices, but tend to be missing some of the firmware/features of "the big two". Linksys is just highly overpriced. Engenius tends to make inexpensive "prosumer" products that get okay performance, but they are less consumer oriented (both in pricing and feature set, but as mentioned, prosumer, so if you need some of that stuff, like POE support, or outdoor rated equipment, they are a great go to manufacturer if you aren't looking for super high performance or quality...and can't afford the price tag that goes with that).

 

[Emulex]

Trendnet is generally thought of as a junk brand!

 

[VirtualLarry]

Trendnet is generally thought of as a junk brand!

I wouldn't go that far. TrendNet makes decent smaller unmanaged switches. I was using one of their metal-casing gigabit switches for like 5 years or so, until a power outage took it out. (Unprotected.) Thankfully, I had bought an identical backup when I bought the original. Always have spare network gear!

Contrast that with a white plastic-casing Netgear 5-port gigabit switch, that started acting flaky (overheating?) within 5-6 months.

 

[inachu]

Trendnet is generally thought of as a junk brand!

^^^^^^^^^ 10,000 this

 

[Phynaz]

Op got what he paid for. Larry, at some point you will stop buying cheap crap and realize the value of quality.

Hopefully.

 

[azazel1024]

I wouldn't go that far. TrendNet makes decent smaller unmanaged switches. I was using one of their metal-casing gigabit switches for like 5 years or so, until a power outage took it out. (Unprotected.) Thankfully, I had bought an identical backup when I bought the original. Always have spare network gear!

Contrast that with a white plastic-casing Netgear 5-port gigabit switch, that started acting flaky (overheating?) within 5-6 months.

Just because a cheap product works fine, doesn't mean it isn't still a cheap product.

A small dumb gigabit switch is pretty hard to mess up.

That said, it is rather amazing that Netgear has managed to do such a thing (yes, I've seen some of their cheap 5/8 port switches die a horrible death. Netgear dumb switches are about the only 5/8 port dumb switchs I have ever seen die, which to me say manufacturing defect at one of their factories).

The semi-managed Trendnet switch I have is at best meh. It works and it works fine, but the UI of the admin page is at best cruddy and the features are very light for a semi-managed switch. It is circa 2011, but gives the feeling of something that was design circa 2004. My 1 year newer TP-Link semi-managed switch has a much better UI and significantly more features. It has also had much better post launch support (up to I think 4 or 5 firmware updates over the last 2 years. The Trendnet switch had...no firmware updates ever).

I am not going to sing hosanas over my TP-Link switch, because it isn't "incredible", but it IS a good value for the money. In my experience Trendnet products are simply cheap. TP-Link is value for the money (only a couple of sheckles more than Trendnet stuff tends to be, but a vast gulf in reliability/performance).

 

[VirtualLarry]

Op got what he paid for. Larry, at some point you will stop buying cheap crap and realize the value of quality.

Hopefully.

Is there a noticable difference in the quality of SOHO networking products? Or are you suggesting I go Cisco?

 

[Phynaz]

Personally I like ASUS. They have two lines, the RTU line is the better one.

 

[azazel1024]

Is there a noticable difference in the quality of SOHO networking products? Or are you suggesting I go Cisco?

There deffinitely is.

Look at Smallnetbuilders recent AC1200 testing. The bottom couple (Netis and some other geric-y brand AC1200 router) manage about 60-70% of the wireless performance of the Netgear N6220, which was the old "worst" performer.

So, yeah, it can matter a LOT.

Most of the "big buy" SOHO makers have a stinker product or two. That said pretty much most of the Asus routers are quite good. Most Netgear products are good. Linksys has a few good (and a number of crap) products. TP-Link is mostly decent to very good, but tends to not have the best UI (though their very latest UI design on some like the Archer C8 and C9 are nice) and tend to be missing some features that some of the other boys have (like download and VPN servers).