TrendNet TEW-655BR3G review

With a 3G modem, LAN port, USB port, 150N wireless and a battery, this little gadget offers the traveller an easy way to share a 3G internet connection – or a hotel’s wired connection – with other devices and people. A small booklet contains the setup guide, which has a useful section at the front for jotting down ISP information, such as username and password.

The booklet provides clear, step-by-step guides for setting up a 3G or WAN connection and wireless security. The guide points to the wizard available via the web interface, and there’s also an Advanced option for those happy with a DIY approach. The web interface is far more logically laid out than most, with main topics in tabs across the top.

The wireless access point performed well at close range in our speed tests, managing 43Mbit/s, but this trailed off as the distance grew larger. This is normal for a travel router, and as it’s more likely to be used in a small space such as a hotel room it shouldn’t be an issue.

Most of the advanced features we’d want are present, including UPnP, a DMZ, filtering by port, domain, URL or MAC address, Dynamic DNS and QoS. The only thing missing is WDS, which shouldn’t trouble most people. The Tenda 3G150M has all of these features and costs far less, although its need for a USB or mains power source means it’s not as flexible as the Trendnet. If you won’t always have a computer with you on your travels, the TEW-655BR3G is the better bet.