TP-Link N300 Wireless Wi-Fi Router Review: Things to Watch Out for
Flawless internet connectivity is the key to staying in touch with our social life, career, and much more. A home requires complete and unfailing internet connectivity for all network-enabled devices. If you are looking for a speedy and stable internet connection, you have to rely on a trustworthy routing device. We think that this TP-Link N300 Wireless Wi-Fi router review can help you decide whether this router would be the best for you.
TP-Link TL-WR841N Wireless router is the best in the TP-Link N300 Wi-Fi router series. Today, we will be reviewing this particular router. If you are searching for a router that can serve your internet requirements for your small to a mid-sized apartment, you can go for this.
Let’s check the detailed TP-Link N300 Wireless Wi-Fi router review for more information.
Design: TP-Link N300 Wireless Wi-Fi Router Review
The first look of the TP-Link TL-WR841N looks like a very basic router. The design seems to be very simple and old-school. However, the router weighs only 8.1 ounces, along with the dimensions of 5.1-inch x 1.3-inch x 7.6-inch. This implies that the router is quite compact with a flat body. Additionally, there are two detachable antennas at the rear side of the router.
The presence of two antennas proves that this router can deliver a wide range of networks. On the other hand, the front side of the router has a row of LED lights. The function of these LED lights is to inform you about the status of the network right now.
If you’re talking about buttons on the router, there are several buttons for quick access. While performing the TP-Link N300 Wireless Wi-Fi router review, we got a power button, a Wi-Fi button, and a WPS button. You can use the WPS button to reset the router, as well.
However, the router lacks USB ports, which means that you can’t use any storage device on this router. This is a basic router for pretty good coverage at your home or small office according to its pocket-friendly price.
What about the Setup?
The best thing about this TP-Link N300 Wireless Wi-Fi router review is that you can set this router up very easily. It’s similar to setting up any other router to your existing internet connection. TP-Link TL-WR841N comes with a preset wireless network connection and default login credentials. The default username and password are available with the router instruction card, and you have to enter them in the admin panel of the router.
But, to start with, you have to connect your TP-Link router to your internet connectivity or modem. Plug an ethernet cable from your modem’s WAN port to the router’s WAN port. After that, you can turn on the router, and your router is now connected to the internet connection.
Next, you need to connect the router to your computer through wired or wireless means. Go to the default IP address of your router, and that is 192.168.0.1. Provide the default login credentials, and you’re good to go.
The admin panel has a simple interface for handling basic settings. You can easily configure your router and its corresponding settings. However, if you’re currently connected to too many clients and have to choose a particular MAC address, then it can be quite difficult.
If you’re looking for high-end features, then this TP-Link N300 Wireless Wi-Fi router review might disappoint you. This is a very basic router, and nothing is exciting except for the parental control program. But, you can find common settings, such as port forwarding, IPv6 support, Dynamic DNS, and a few more. Well, you can’t create a guest network with this router.
Wi-Fi Standard: TP-Link N300 Wireless Wi-Fi Router Review
If you want to go truly wireless with your new purchase, you should check the Wi-Fi standards. TP-Link TL-WR841N comes with a Wi-Fi speed of 300Mbps. The router supports a single-band 802.11n Wi-Fi standard.
It indicates that the router operates on the 2.4GHz band. Though the router works on the original band, there are chances of interference due to electronics and electrical appliances. Therefore, you have to ensure that you can’t keep cordless phones, microwaves, and other conflicting devices near the router. Or else, it might disturb the natural flow of the network of the router.
On the other hand, we had faced little issues with the networking experience when the space was crowded. The practical speed from the TP-Link TL-WR841N router never exceeded 200Mbps.
Performance Metrics of the TP-Link N300 Wireless Wi-FI Router
Overall, the testing experience with the TP-Link TL-WR841N router was more pleasing than what we expected from such a basic router. When we tested the router at a short distance or range of 15 feet, the outcome speed was 83Mbps. Whereas, the speed decreased to 34Mbps when we increased the distance up to five times. So, we can conclude that the coverage is pretty good. Additionally, the results from the speed test were satisfactory.
Now, the practical coverage of the router and its corresponding signal can vary according to your circumstances. If there are too many concrete walls and other interfering devices, you might not get the expected results. But, if you look at the price and compare the performance, then the TP-Link N300 Wireless Wi-Fi router review is a great deal.
What are the Cons of this TP-Link TL-WR841N Wi-Fi Router?
So far, we have figured out a few disadvantages of this router while drafting the TP-Link N300 Wireless Wi-Fi router review. The router doesn’t support the 5GHz band. In addition to this, you might miss out on certain high-end settings available on other routers.
However, this router offers a decent internet speed compared to other expensive routers in the market. If you want a router within a considerable budget and decent coverage, then you can go for a TP-Link TL-WR841N 300Mbps router.
