TP-LINK TL-WR740N Wireless N150 Home Router, 150Mbps, IP QoS, WPS Button TP-LINK TL-WR740N Wireless N150 Home Router, 150Mbps, IP QoS, WPS Button

Pros: Cheap router installed DD-WRT v24-sp2 (07/20/12) std - build 19519.
Make sure NOT to install the new version of DD-WRT as wifi will not work with security on web/wpa/wpa2.....

Cons: Fixed antenna but i know that before i bought it

Other Thoughts: Didn't try the build in software so im not sure how good or bad it is.

Pros: Cheap, good value
Small
Runs cool
Extensible (third party firmware)

Cons: Non-removable antenna
Better devices aren't that much more expensive

Other Thoughts: Ordering April 2013, I got v4.24 - which works with the latest release of OpenWRT. The factory firmware is easy to use, relatively cleanly designed and responsive. As expected, third party firmware adds a ton of functionality - potentially at the cost of warranty coverage. For a device this inexpensive, the tradeoffs still result in a lot of value. Better TP-Link units can be had for a negligble increase in price in terms of absolute dollars, but a larger percentage increase in cost - because this unit is so inexpensive. For something that's almost a "disposable" cost to me, this is my go-to device for installations where I need to get something working, do wireless bridging (3rd party firmware) or donate hardware. I've been very pleased with the hardware considering the cost.

Pros: I used to think this router was kind of cheap, and it was. It cost me 29.99 and I was accustomed to seeing wireless routers sell for at least one hundred dollars. I used to have DSL which had the router log in through PPPoE. I had to reset the modem/router at least once a week, sometimes more.

I recently switched to Cable internet and man has the difference been night and day. This modem uses dynamic IP to login and I don't remember the last time I had to reset the modem or router. It has been working night and day and giving me great speeds!

Cons: Signal is a little weak, but for the price point and typical use I find it does more than enough.

Other Thoughts: I am shopping around for building a bigger network, so of course I wanted to check the prices/product line of my little work horse at home.

Pros: I used this router to connect my apartment and it was fine. Range was >50 feet through several walls. Could connect all of my devices (desktop, two consoles, laptop, tablet, phone). It was fairly easy to configure port forwarding and static IP for setting up a Minecraft server, too. Great price for a great product.

Cons: None really. Still works fine.

Pros: They do the job, interface is user friendly, havn't had to many complaints. Had a pretty decent range when I set them up, Bought a bulk of them a few years ago on black friday, they are running strong.

Cons: none

Pros: Flashed it with ddwrt. It runs very well. This is easily the cheapest router you can buy for running ddwrt.

Cons: It seems to lock up for 5 minutes randomly and wouldn't respond to ping or http. Not sure if this was ddwrt or the router.

Pros: Bought this to run dd-wrt open source software for a client mode application. Easy to flash and haven't had a glitch yet. Throughput and stability seem good.

Cons: None. Really, folks; it's a $20 router.

Other Thoughts: Unit is used as a "reverse router" to connect a private secure network to a public wireless network for Internet access. Much cheaper and more flexible than a bridge. If you just want to tinker with open source router software this is a good place to start.

Pros: Not suggested for general use.

Cons: This unit has a very short distance for use. It probably would work in a dorm room, but not in an apartment as it wouldn't transmit 16 feet to the next room of my apartment.

Manufacturer Response:

We're sorry to see that you are unsatisfied with this device. This Router shouldn’t have a problem connecting multiple devices in a house or apartment. The factor that would determine the connection between the walls would be based on how dense the walls are, and how far the connecting devices are from the Router. You may find the ‘transmission power’ under the Wireless section in the Router configuration. You want to make sure that this is set to high to get the best range from the Router. In some instances where the walls are too thick to support a wireless connection; you may see that a Power-Line may be your best option.
We appreciate you trying TP-Link and hope you will continue to try our products. If you need further information, please feel free to contact me 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: Easy to set up

Cons: Cover limited area and weak signal.

Other Thoughts: Bought this to replace my over decade old router. However, signal drops quite often and can't even cover my entire apartment (700 sq ft). Why would I replace my old router if it works the same as the old one?

Manufacturer Response:

Dear Customer,

We appreciate you taking the time in trying our product and leaving some feed back. The TL-WR740N should be able to cover the area of your apartment with out a problem. As long as it's somewhat high up, free from obstruction, and away from any kind of radio or electrical interference, then you should see a good signal.

Why would you replace this with your old Router? This is a good question, and you may find that the specs are rather similar. In this case upgrading may be unnecessary.

This device is a 150Mbps Wireless N router. It also comes with an omni-directional 5dBi antenna - this should give a good range. If you are looking to get more out of the Router than you can try upgrading the antennas to a higher gain or maybe try a newer router with multiple antennas to get better transmission speeds. We thank you for checking out our Router and encourage you to reach out to our technical support team if you have any issues.

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: Seems to use open source software.

Cons: WDS is the reason I bought it. Reception is too weak to be usefull. The radio in my tiny cell phone gets far better reception.

Other Thoughts: Spend more money and shop elsewhere. My friend also had trouble with this brand.

Manufacturer Response:

Hello Customer,

We're sorry to see that you are unsatisfied with the product. The TL-WR740N carries a 5dBi antenna and is strong enough to transmit and receive a good quality signal. Location is a big factor in signal degradation as obstacles and distances can weaken the signal. The default settings should be strong enough for your WDS connection as the transmit power is on 'high', and the wireless channel is set to 'Automatic' to help find the cleanest signal. If you find that the device may be defective then we would love to replace it with a new one for you. We have a 2 year factory warranty and can ship you out a new one if you find that this product is defective.

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