TP-Link 841 router: reviews, tuning

In the network equipment market, there is one interesting router model that attracts attention - TP-Link 841. The fact is that the router has two modifications that are in different price segments. In this article the reader will get acquainted with two devices having the same marking. Description of features, ease of customization and feedback from owners will allow you to select a decent network equipment for home use.

Representative of the budget class

The TP-Link 841 router with the ND label is called the first representative of an expensive segment. The fact is that its cost (1200 - 1500 rubles) positions the device in the initial segment of network equipment, and the functional provides a presence in the business class.

1. Dual mode of operation: access point and router. True when switching settings are not saved and they need to be re-entered (it's about routing).
2. Support for all existing standards of Wi-Fi 802.11bgn. The maximum speed within the wireless communication is 300 MB / s, but in practice this figure is less by 2 times.
3. Standard for all budget devices 4-port switch, WPS and two antennas for signal amplification are also present.

Getting to know an inexpensive device

A large white box is quite informative: there is a description of the characteristics and color image of the TP-Link 841 router. How to connect the router will tell you the detailed instructions that come with the kit. Also in the box, the user will find a power supply, software disks, patch cords and several colored brochures of advertising content.

Assembling and connecting to the Internet do not require special knowledge in communications - all elements on the router panel have color differences that help the owner to cope with the task. Complaints only the cooling system - the manufacturer made the ventilation holes only on the bottom of the device. Small rubberized legs do not allow the internal components to cool adequately, so the router may overheat due to prolonged operation.

Setting up and managing a budget device

The operation manual, like the control panel interface, is Russified, so the owner can easily configure the TP-Link 841 router. However, as the users point out in their feedback, the menu is too large - there are many items whose functionality is unclear even with the instruction at hand. In fact, the manufacturer has established an interface similar to business devices, focusing not only on home users, but also on small businesses.

When you first log in to the control panel, the assistant also does not appear. You need to run it yourself through the "Quick Setup" menu. There is nothing complicated in the configuration:

• If the line is selected, then the router itself performs routing, otherwise, it displays a window with parameters for network configuration (VPN, PPPoE and the like);
• The "Wireless Networks" menu offers to create a Wi-Fi network (for example, the user's guide is an example of setting);
• Additional parameters TP-Link 841 owner already installs himself (firewall, port forwarding, demilitarized zone and similar settings).

Strange features of the TP-Link 841 ND router

After creating a connection, a wireless network and specifying the necessary parameters, the router requires a reboot to save the settings. At this stage, and shows a manufacturer's defect - the router suddenly discovers that the official site has a new firmware for TP-Link 841. Naturally, the user must download and install the updated software. All the settings made are overwritten, and the owner must re-write the parameters of the router.

Another negative that the user will have to face is the hang of the device when streaming video or torrents through a wireless channel. This is due to overheating of the internal components of the router. The problem is solved by installing a cooling system under the housing of the device. Many owners in their reviews recommend for this use an inexpensive stand for blowing out laptops.

Representative of an expensive segment

But the business class router will be of interest to users who wish to configure the device once and never again to return to this issue. On the advanced TP-Link router, 841 reviews in the media describe only merit. In addition to all the necessary technical characteristics (support for Wi-Fi standards, speed, ease of configuration and similar functionality), the router provides the ability to administer the corporate segment.

First of all, we are talking about the ability to manage traffic - you can set priorities for each connected device, block or restrict access to the Internet by MAC address or range of addresses, create service channels and much more interesting for the system administrator.

A real router

The standard configuration of the device is unlikely to please the buyer, except that the appearance of the router itself attracts attention. Taking the TP-Link 841 HP router in hand, the owner will immediately understand that it is not just another plastic toy in front of him, but real network equipment (even a big weight indicates it). The owner will also like the amplification antennas - they really increase the transmission of a quality signal, and are not another props (the Wi-Fi signal easily breaks through several concrete walls - this is a worthy indicator).

I solved the manufacturer and the problem with cooling - the body is perfectly blown from all sides. Many owners in their reviews claim that with the long use of the TP-Link 841 (2 - 3 years), the device has never crashed. Even the strong dustiness of the router standing on the cabinet does not interfere with full-featured work.

Features of setting up an advanced router

With the connection and management of the router, the owners will not have problems. Is that some users may not like the English interface. It is embarrassing that the device costing 4 - 5 thousand rubles is not provided with a language pack. By the way, the situation can fix the firmware, which can be downloaded from the official website of the manufacturer.

For the average owner, who looks after the TP-Link 841 router for his needs, the setup will not be difficult. There is an assistant that runs when you first enter the setup menu, there is a step-by-step instruction in Russian, supplied in the kit. Everything is done for the convenience of the end user.

Disadvantages of an expensive representative

And it's not by chance that the TP-Link 841 router is positioned in the segment of the business class. Configure security in the local and wireless network is its main criterion in the market of network devices. Having limited this functionality, the manufacturer forgot about ordinary users. There is no USB port in the router. Accordingly, neither the printer, nor a flash drive, nor a hard drive, to connect to the router. This is a serious flaw, which can cost TP-Link a loss of customers.

There are strangenesses in the amplification of the signal. Quite interestingly, the manufacturer realized the power setting. For example, when installing the "US" location and downloading firmware for this country, the Wi-Fi signal is doubled (several independent IT experts confirm this fact). Is the Russian-speaking population worse than the Americans?

Finally

As a result of the review, it remains to draw conclusions on two completely different routers with the same marking. The TP-Link 841 budget representative will be interested in undemanding customers, for whom the cost of the device is in priority. When buying a cheap router, the user agrees to "dancing with a tambourine" around a representative of the cheap segment (it's about hang-ups).

The business class router offers some advantages - high stability, many settings, decent security. But again, for a home user, the lack of a conventional USB interface negates all the convenience. In any case, the buyer decides what is more important to him: reliability or functionality, because the golden mean is not provided by the manufacturer of TP-Link.