Pros: First lets say DSL is not the most popular internet provider but sometimes that’s the only choice.

This modem/router is well okay...

Speeds were inline with my Verizon supplied modem the Built in WI-FI leaves more to be desired

Cons: The unit itself feels very cheap not sure how long it will last.

Unit is not for the advanced user the internal GUI is like using MS-DOS from 1995 and lots of features are not enabled?

Verizon does not support the device they did not want me using it.

Other Thoughts: I don’t think I can recommend this device to most but if you needs DSL modem/router/WI-FI then there’s just not many options.

Manufacturer Response:

Dear Scott,
We thank you for taking the time to review our product and sorry to hear the TD-W8951ND did not satisfy your current needs.
This model, although is very capable of performing well for the average home user, is our entry level ADSL 2+ modem/wireless router product that was designed to address a more cost effective solution for customers. If you are interested in a ADSL modem/router product that is equipped with an abundance of extra features as well as capable of delivering outstanding wireless performance, we recommend taking a look at the following model

http://www.tp-link.us/products/details/cat-15_TD-W8980.html

Should you have any further questions or concerns regarding our products, please feel free to contact us 24/7 via the number and/or email provided below and an available technician will be happy to assist you.
Best Regards!
TP-LINK Support Team
866) 225-8139
ussupportteam@tp-link.com

Pros: Solid DSL modem function that is powered by TrendChip DSL chips.

Cons: Super unstable wireless N router that is powered by buggy Ralink Wifi Chips.

Other Thoughts: I am updating to my previous post because Howard from TP-LINK suggested I update FW, but that's an invalid suggestion.

The modem I bought is revision 5.1. Both router FW and DSL data pump FW are newer than the latest posted on TP-LINK website Howard provided.

Various HW versions of this unit, 4.0, 4.1, 5.0, 5.1 all uses some combination of TrendChip + Ralink devices. I went exchanged my rev5.1 for an rev5.0 modem and had the exact issue. Maybe older revision of the products were better but as it stands, all the new versions that are currently on the market is horrible.

Just to prove this is a real issue, I set up my old DSL modem and pair it with a TP-LINK's Chinese Competitor Tenda's router and had no issue with dropping connection or refused connections on any of my devices.

Manufacturer Response:

Dear customer,

We're happy to hear you like the DSL module of the modem router.

For the wireless disconnection issue, may I give you some suggestions?
1. Change the channel to a better one; You may consider to use the inSSIDer to detect the interference;
2. Change the Channel Width to 20MHz;

To further analysis the issue, could you please contact me and let me know what're your wireless clients?
Howard.he@tp-link.com

Thank you in advance.
Best Regards!
TP-LINK Support Team
support@tp-link.com
(866) 225-8139
http://www.tp-link.com/us/support http://www.facebook.com/TPLINK

Pros: DSL modem part is powered by TrendChip aquired by Ralink. The setup is very easy as it had drop down menu support for every single DSL ISP in the US I can think of. The connection speed is high and stable and virtually no CRC errors. A lot of flexibility such as changing MTU and MSS to optimize the DSL connection.

Cons: Ralink powered 802.11n 150N - PURE JUNK.

-Very low signal penetration even on "high" setting.
-Insanely high transmit error count according to the Log. -Authentication function has serious bugs. After a mere 24 hours of running, it refused to let my laptops, phones regain WiFi access to the router. While set top box that was left on overnight was able to maintain WiFi connection established the night before. I had to power cycle the router almost every 24 hours to reset the messed up WiFi function.
-WiFi related settings require power cycle of the unit to take effect, even though there is a Apply button on the UI. Unfortunately, the power cycle process takes a long time because it needs to reinitialize the modem and do line training for the DSL connection.
-I configured it for mix G+N mode and had continuous connection problems. Even from my HP computers which had Ralink WiFi Client devices. Imagine this: this thing is so buggy that Ralink's own client devices can't connect to this Ralink-based Router.

I used a WiFi sniffer to look at the Router's Beacon and other protocol bursts and everything looked like a mess. Even though I had set for G+N mode, the router broadcast that it still supports B mode. I only configured 1 SSID, but it broadcast 4 SSIDs of the same name, config. It's bad enough to confuse Ralink Clients that they would connect, then drop, then reconnect, then drop again at random.

I called TP-LINK support since their employees posted comment on NewEgg offer to help. That said, there was no answer to phone calls or emails - just a recording saying they are busy and to call back.

Other Thoughts: A solid DSL modem but horrible WiFi router. Ralink WiFi killed the attractiveness of the TrendChip DSL modem, making this all-in-one unit a pain in the rear to use.

If you think your AT&T provided 2Wire is unreliable, this thing is 10x more unreliable.

Manufacturer Response:

Hello Will,

We apologize for any inconvenience that this product has caused you. We are sad to see that you are getting so many errors with this device. The issues that you describe are not common and seem to point to some serious bugs for the Wireless. We have released many drivers for this particular device for the different hardware versions. You may find that upgrading this firmware can produce a better and more stable wireless connection. This may also take care of the issue and stop you from having to reboot the device so many times.

http://www.tp-link.com/en/products/details/?model=TD-W8951ND#down

We're glad to see that the Modem aspect is working for you, and we believe the firmware upgrade and tweaking of the wireless settings may help this Router fucntion as you want. If you are having issues with contact from the Technical Support team then you may contact me directly at howard.he@tp-link.com

Best Regards!

TP-LINK Support Team
support@tp-link.com
(866) 225-8139
http://www.tp-link.com/us/support
http://www.facebook.com/TPLINK

Pros: Works for peanuts easy ATT hookup

Cons: uglier than a mud fence

Other Thoughts: Good enough to throw a-zon books to Mom's Kindle over the slowest DSL connection in the world

Pros: The aesthetics is fairly nice. The unit worked straight off the box. You just need to know your ISP's configuration and it should work. It's best to run the wizard and have the ISP's configuration handy. As instructed in the manual, you must call your ISP so that you can request the correct config. Having your own modem will save you $5.00 a month for leasing their modem. On the plus side, since this is a modem/router, you won't need to buy yourself a wifi-router because this is already one. The menu has mostly everything a regular person needs in a router, but lacks the better features of the higher end routers. The wi-fi signal is alright, I'm able to receive signal from right outside my home (2,600sqft home with full driveway). I've had no problems with bottlenecks in the network or congestion, even when 2 computers playing LoL, Netflix streaming on the TV, and 3 other people are browsing on their iPhones. If this continued to work, I would definitely continue using it. The device is simple and easy to use. That is what makes this product great! Their customer service was great, even though they weren't able to help me fix the problem of the device, they assured me that they will replace the product if newegg didn't want to.

Cons: Apparently stopped working in the middle of my Black Friday shopping. Somewhere around 5AM PST in the morning, it suddenly dropped my internet. I was still connected onto the router, and I was still able to navigate through the menu, but the modem stopped working. I tried turning off and on, and resetting it. The best it could do was give me an indication that it was trying to receive signal from my ISP by blinking a couple times, but ultimately it fails and gives up completely. There was 1 time though when I was trying to make it work, it actually got DSL for about 5 minutes, and then it went blank. How can a device with minimal usage and less than a month break on you? I mean, there is only me and my wife in the house, the only thing I usually do is play LoL, and my wife, Netflix. I hope TP-Link figures this out soon and this is not a good thing. On the ironic note, the box has a slogan "The Reliable Choice".

Other Thoughts: When people sign up for DSL, the first thing that should go in their mind is, "buy a modem". It's because ISPs usually charge $5.00 to lease their modem. On the plus side of that, at least they are able to service you better because they know their own equipment, but still, that's $5.00 a month. I bet you'll rarely need to call them anyway because the only thing they'll probably tell you is "unplug and plug the modem". If this product didn't stop working, I would definitely recommend it, the device is simple and straight forward. Just access the wizard, choose the ISP, choose the correct configuration, setup the wifi password, and BAM, DONE! I haven't owned a TP-Link product but this, so I don't know the reliability of the company, although their customer service was 24/7 and helpful. I suggest giving it a try. It's on sale for $38.00. I was probably one of those 1 in 1,000 customers that got the defective one.

Manufacturer Response:

Dear Customer,

We hope your DSL connection issue was a temporary one. It is, indeed, a little difficult to troubleshoot in this situations as you are using a TP-LINK device that connects you to your ISP's service line. Usually this means both companies end up being consulted when there is a problem.

If your device did turn out to be faulty, and the DSL light never again went solid, we would be happy to set up an RMA to get you a replacement modem.

Please feel free to contact our support team for any questions about this.

We look forward to hearing from you soon!

Best Regards!
TP-LINK Support Team
(866)225-8139
http://www.tp-link.com/us/support
http://www.facebook.com/TPLINK

Pros: Inexpensive, runs cool, light weight, interesting design. The product does operate, but not without hiccups (see cons).

Cons: First of all, the box boasts an improved wireless range. However, over my junky standard ISP supplied modem, I lose 2 bars switching to this. Internet connection stays stable, but for some reason streaming programs like Netflix and Hulu will lock up if this device is the signal broadcaster. The “wizard” allows you to select from a multitude of ISPs, and I was surprised to see my ISP on the list. However, the settings didn’t work at all. I had to manually configure the settings myself, which is to be expected with most modems but I was disappointed I wasn’t able to take advantage of the features. If more than one person is sharing the connection, there are even significant slow downs. Overall I was not pleased with this product and I switched to my old modem supplied by my ISP.

Other Thoughts: I usually enjoy TP-Link products but this one falls short of every expectation. I even paired this with their TL-WN722N wireless USB network adapter and was surprised at the lack of functionality provided by this modem. Would not recommend unless you’re in need of a quick, cheap modem and will not have multiple devices running on the network at once.

Manufacturer Response:

Dear Customer,

Thank you for your feedback. We are sorry to hear that your less than satisfied with the performance of the TD-W8951ND.

We take pride in our products, and thus, we try to make sure everything in our line functions well beyond satisfactory. We will look into this and see if there is an improvement that can be made in the firmware.

We appreciate honest feedback like this, as it helps us improve on our products for present and future releases.

Thanks for supporting TP-LINK!

Best Regards!
TP-LINK Support Team
(866)225-8139
http://www.tp-link.com/us/support
http://www.facebook.com/TPLINK