Hands On:Hands On: TP-Link TD-W8950ND 150Mbps Wireless Lite N ADSL2+ Modem Router Lite N ADSL2+ Modem Router

A few weeks ago we reviewed TP-Link’s 150Mbps Wireless Lite-N Router TL-WR741ND – a (very) low cost router that surprised us with good looking hardware, strong configuration software and a feature set you’d expect from hardware many more times it’s £19 ($28) list price. Add an extra £4, and you can benefit from TP-Link’s new TD-W8950ND, which adds an ADSL modem into the mix for those of you who prefer your broadband through the phone line. That’s right, £23 (ex VAT) for an all-in-one four port ADSL modem router, offering data transfer speeds of “up to” 150 Mbps. Has the world gone mad? Let’s see.

Specifications

Whilst TP-Link claim compatibility with 802.11n network devices, let’s be clear – that up to 150Mbps quoted data transfer rate is for 802.11n devices only. The router is 802.11b and g certified, so you’ll get standard speeds when working with those flavours of Wi-Fi, whereas if you connect a newer 820.11n device to the router, you’ll get a bump up in speed. But the device isn’t 802.11n certified, so your mileage may vary.

Otherwise, the TD-W8950ND has all of the features you’d want from your router – a suite that’s very similar to the TL-WR741ND. Here’s the tale of the tape:

ADSL Features	Full-rate ANSI T1.413 Issue 2 ITU-T G.992.1 (G.dmt) ITU-T G.994.1 (G.hs) ITU-T G.992.3 (G.lite.bis) ITU-T G.992.5 Max 6 kilometers
Data Rates	Downstream: Up to 24Mbps Upstream: Up to 1.5Mbps
ATM Features	UNI 3.1,ATM Adaptation Layer Type 5-AAL5 Multiprotocol encapsulation over ATM (RFC 1483) UBR, CBR, VBR-rt, VBR-nrt Supports 8PVCs
PPP Features	PPP over ATM (RFC 2364) PPP over Ethernet (RFC 2516)
Switching Features	IGMP multicast IEEE 802.1d transparent learning bridging
Routing Features	Classical IP and ARP over ATM (RFC 1577/2225), MER Static Routing, IP, TCP, UDP, ARP NAT, NAPT, DNS, DDNS, DHCP Server UPnP, Virtual Server, DMZ, Port Trigger
Wireless Features	Complies with IEEE802.11n, IEEE 802.11g, IEEE802.11b 11n: Up to 150Mbps(dynamic) Security: WEP 64bit/128bit , WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK , WPA/WPA2 Provides 64/128bit WEP encryption security and wireless LAN ACL (Access Control List) Max wireless transmit power: 17dbm Antenna gain: 3dbi Frequency Range:2.4~2.4835GHz
Security	NAT and SPI Firewall IP Filtering MAC filtering Parental control
IPSec VPN	Support up to 10 IPSec VPN tunnels
VPN Pass Through	IPSec/PPTP Pass-through
QoS	IP Type of service(ToS)
Device Management	HTTP Administration and operation software (firmware) upgradable locally by web(HTTP) CWMP(TR-069)
Ports	4 10/100M LAN Ports(RJ45) 1 Line Port(RJ11)
LED Indicators	Power, Internet, ADSL, WLAN, LAN1~4,QSS
Dimensions (W*D*H)	6.9*4.7*1.1 in.(174*120*28.8 mm)

What’s in the Box?

The TD-W8950ND is packaged with an ADSL Filter, telephone and Ethernet Cables to help you get up and running quickly. The box contains:

• TP-Link TD-W8950ND 150Mbps Wireless Lite N ADSL2+ Modem Router
• Power Adaptor
• 1 x ADSL Filter
• 2 x RJ-11 Telephone Cables
• 1 x RJ-45 Ethernet Cable
• Resources CD
• Quick Installation Guide

First Looks

The TD-W8950ND shares an aesthetic with its baby brother, the non-modem variant TL-WR741ND – clad in white and black plastic, the router looks a little dated in design – even more so than the TL-WR741ND. Perhaps in today’s age of piano black everything, the balance between white and black on the router is the wrong way round.

Anyway, at £23, we’re not to fussed with looks – it’s what’s inside that counts (as my mother used to tell me. A lot.) On the front panel, you’ll find LEDs for Power, ADSL, Internet, Wireless LAN and Ethernet ports 1-4, plus a QSS button that provides an easy setup for wireless security. Flip the box around, and there’s a telephone socket, reset button, power socket, on/off switch, four Ethernet ports and an antenna socket.

Installation

We were really impressed with the quality of installation experience we encountered on the non-ADSL model. The new router has an updated installation wizard, which is now Flash based. The illustrations we saw with the TL-WR741ND have now been replaced with animations showing how to connect the router to your telephone line and PC.

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