The Trendnet TEW-635BRM is a very small wireless router - more miniature even than the Netgear DGN2000 - and it also has a teeny price tag.
It certainly doesn't possess the stylish design qualities of the Netgear router, however, but the Trendnet TEW-635BRM offers a few additional features that make it rather a bargain.
Dual SSIDS (service set identifiers) on the Trendnet TEW-635BRM allow you to set up two wireless networks with different access privileges on each so you can provide guests with access to the internet while keeping your home network locked away. However, Trendnet's implementation of this feature is a little less sophisticated than that on the Belkin router.
Performance-wise, the Trendnet TEW-635BRM is very similar to the Netgear DGN2000 in that it's fine over short distances but slows down dramatically as your move further away from it. We recorded a top performance of 68Mbps (Megabits per second) from close range, but this tailed off to only 6Mbps when we moved to the next room.
Using the Trendnet TEW-635BRM in a small flat may be fine, but if you live in a larger house with thick walls or want to be able to access the network from your garden, we suggest you choose a different model.
Although not an over-complicated device, the Trendnet TEW-635BRM doesn't offer much hand-holding when it comes to setup. There's a helpful printed quick start guide, but not the level of automated setup we've seen from the likes of Linksys or Belkin. If you've not set up a router before you may find you need to consult the manual rather a lot.
However, at £65 the Trendnet TEW-635BRM is one of the least expensive 802.11n routers available. You may be able to find a Linksys WAG160N for less, this the latter doesn't support dual SSIDs and can't be used as a wireless repeater.
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