About The Product
First of all before starting the review , I would like to thank you NETPAC (Lahore) and TP-Link for providing me the sample for reviewing and evaluation
The company’s TL-WR2543ND 450 Mbps Dual-Band Wireless N Gigabit Router is the latest product to arrive at TechTipsnReview , This Router support 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz frequency , But you can use only one at a time by doing some settings in web management interface .It offers a high speed (up to 450 Mbps in theory).
The device allows connection of wired Ethernet devices utilising one of four on board Gigabit ports, as well as a USB port for sharing a printer or external hard disk on the network. Three external MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) antennas offer better Wi-Fi coverage compared to other devices in TP-Link’s range, and like most of the company’s other networking devices, easy setup is delivered courtesy of Wi-Fi Protected Setup support.
So, Without wasting more time lets jump into the review and see what this wireless and gigabit router have to give to its consumers .
General Specifications and Features
Some of the salient features of the TP-Link TL-WR2543ND Wireless N Gigabit Router is
- Three advanced spatial streams reach a maximum wireless speed of up to 450Mbps
- The less crowded 5GHz band delivers increase wireless stability allowing users to enjoy a high performance wireless experience
- Versatile USB port allows users to share files, media and printers with friends or family to access the stored data locally or through the Internet with FTP server functions.
- With built-in gigabit Ethernet switch, TL-WR2543ND provides more powerful data processing abilities
Hardware Specifications
Software Specifications
Packaging and Unboxing
TP-Link TL-WR2543ND router comes in green big box , as you can clearly notice that most of the features of the router is mentioned on the front side of the box along with the Picture of the router . On middle left , 450Mbps speed , the dual band feature and USB sharing which we think is amazing feature for a high end router like this.
If you notice at bottom left , you would see some more of it . This Router gives you control to set the bandwith amount and WDS bridge setup .
On the backside of the router ,some network setup is mentioned on the left side of the box by TP-link so you get better idea how to utilize the full capacity of the router . Again on the right side Some features and benefits are discussed and at the bottom , This Router is compared to other version and if you notice all the boxes are tick in the coloumn of TP-Link TL-WR2543ND showing that it supports almost every feature.
After opening up the box , You could find the following accessories
- TP-Link TL-WR2543ND Router
- Power Adapter For the Router
- 3 Detachable Dual Band Antennas
- Ethernet Cable
- Installation Mini Cd
- Quick Installation Guide
- Purchasing Guide and License Notice
Closer Look at the Router
The router comes in a plastic bag with TP-Link printed all over it . The router itself is very elegant and nice looking and not so much big aswell . The black and silver color combination give a router a nice look . The silver part of router is highly polished and reflective as well.
On the front of the router you can clearly see , the Status LED lights .Lets start from left . On the left there is the LED light for power , right next to it there is wireless indicator for 2.4Ghz frequency as well as 5Ghz frequency . Right next to it there are 4 LED status light for Gigabit Ports . Next to it status LED light for WAN ( Wide Area Network ) is present and next to it there is USB Sharing light and at the extreme right there is WPS light indicator .
On the backside of the router all the ports are available for connecting the wire and antennas . There are 3 antennas connecter so you can attach movable and detachable dual band antennas . There is a power connecter at the left and next to it is the power on/off button . Right next to it , is the USB port for sharing or printer and also there is WAN ( Wide Area Network ) Port . There are 4 gigabit Ethernet ports at the back . Also on the back there is WPS button which you probably cant see in the photo due to small size of it .
In the below picture you can see , the 3 antennas are attached at the back of the router . Attaching antenna is easy . Just line up the connect and antenna and rotate the antenna into it until it gets tight. That’s All .
Management
Configuring the router’s settings is performed via a web browser, pointed at the default IP address (192.168.0.1 or whatever you configured if you changed it!). At first glance, there’s a lot to take in, but TP-Link’s contextual help pane on the right side of the window helps explain everything as you go.
You’ll find a comprehensive selection features to play with, although there’s nothing too revolutionary within. Expect to find common features such as DHCP Client Control (including a very handy IP address reservation feature, which saves a heap of time in configuring static IPs for devices), strong Wi-Fi security features including MAC address filtering, USB features including printer sharing, network sharing of connected hard drives and an onboard media server, port forwarding and parental controls and a whole lot more. TP-Link’s firmware is usually excellent, and the TL-WR2543ND’s offers all the features you’ll need (and more) for an effective home network.
Testing and Performance
To test the the performance of this router , We Used HP Pavilion DV6 running Windows 7 and Another Laptop Dell N5040 also running windows 7 . Both of these were hook up to the router via Ethernet cable at the back of the router and also connected VIA Wireless interface.
The speed we got was amazing by transferring files from one computer to another . The various reading were taken and the results are below,
When we tested the router with Wireless Mon software , The Speed it showed was 225 Mb/sec which is a very low as compared to 450Mbps which TP-Link claims .
However , the Signal strength and receiving was very impressive for the router.
We tested the reception of internet on various distance from the router on Wireless connection and the results for signal strength are below .
In the End ( Conclusion )
We’ve got absolutely no concerns in heartily recommending the TP-LINK TL_WR2543ND 450 Mbps Dual-Band Wireless N Gigabit Router. It’s certainly not the cheapest model in TP-LINK’s good value networking range, but if you suffer from interference in the home or office from other wireless devices, that 5GHz switch will certainly come in very useful. Otherwise, it’s more of the same great value, good quality networking from the company – a far more modern chassis design, which looks great, the same easy installation and device management and a boost in performance.
If we neglect one factor which is the speed of 450 Mbps , you would find ton of features in this router on the other hand . Moreover the range of the router is extra ordinary , also the reception and the internet browsing from this router is very convenient .
In the end , We are pleased to announce that TP-Link TL-WR2543ND 450 Mbps Dual-Band Wireless N Gigabit Router Receives award at TechTipsnReview for the features and overall quality of the router .
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