| TP-LINK TL-WDR4300 | NETGEAR WNDR4000 | ASUS RT-N66U | |
|---|---|---|---|
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 |
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| WiFi Performance | N750 WiFi (300 + 450 Mbps) | N750 WiFi (300 + 450 Mbps) | N900 WiFi (300 + 600 Mbps) |
| WiFi Band | 2.4GHz & 5GHz | 2.4GHz & 5GHz | 2.4GHz & 5GHz |
| Ethernet Ports | 4 Gigabit LAN port 1 Gigabit WAN port |
4 Gigabit LAN port 1 Gigabit WAN port |
4 Gigabit LAN port 1 Gigabit WAN port |
| USB Ports | 2 USB 2.0 ports | 1 USB 2.0 port | 2 USB 2.0 ports |
| Antennas | 3 detachable dual band external antennas | Internal | 3 detachable antennas |
| MSRP | $99.99 | $99.99 | $129.99 |
The TL-WDR4300 is a dual band router with four Gigabit Ethernet ports and two USB2.0 ports. It supports dual band Wi-Fi at 2.4GHz and 5GHz band. The 2.4GHz delivers up to 300Mpbs whereas the 5GHz band offers up to 450Mbps. It has three big antennas that are detachable. It offers the standard wireless security with 64/128-bit WEP, WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK and WPA/WPA2. It comes with a range of software features, meaning if you’re looking for a particular functionality in the router, you’re likely to find it in the TL-WDR4300 specs. It is very competitively priced for the features it offers.
The TL-WDR4300 has a quick setup wizard that makes it easy to configure the device. The web user-interface loads quickly and offers all the standard options that are included in a router, including parental control, port forwarding and Dynamic DNS. The Wi-Fi performance, while not the most stunning, still manages to do better than many other routers. At 2.4GHz band, it delivers better transfer rates than those achieved by the competitor, Netgear’s WNDR4000. When connected to a USB broadband dongle, it may offer poor transfer rates at distances above 20 meters. On the 5GHz band, the transfer rates are quite impressive, even at 25 meters range. Connecting the USB dongle on the 5GHz range yields similar problems when the range is increased to more than 25 meters.
The TL-WDR4300 has a built-in media server that makes it easy to play media files on an attached USB storage device. The videos play well at 720p on a laptop connected at a distance of 25 meters via built-in Wi-Fi adaptor. However, the results are poor for 1080p resolution. The router comes with an additional utility that must be installed to print from an attached USB printer. Of course, the printer drivers must be installed on the PC from which the print command is to be sent.
Overall, the TP-Link TL-WDR4300 is a great product for its price. Many people seek an inexpensive router especially for home use. Companies like TP-Link meet this need by releasing high-quality devices that are not a burden on your budget. In coming up with the inexpensive TL-WDR4300, it hasn’t compromised on its features and still manages to deliver decent performance. Basic home users can enjoy gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi connectivity to Internet, and media streaming.
Another key feature is the simplicity of setup, making it a good choice for non-technical users. Advanced routers have a lot of complex features that novice users never even use. Additionally, it also becomes more difficult to set up those complex features. Upgrading from an old router to a new one also involves a certain level of complexity. TL-WDR4300 simplifies these tasks, making it a suitable choice for users who need a simple Wi-Fi device.
