The TL-WR2543ND, otherwise known as the 450Mbps Dual-Band Wireless N Gigabit Router, is the newest offer from Tp-Link. Promised for release earlier this year, together with another similar wireless router, the TL-WR2543ND has finally arrived a little behind schedule.
Aesthetically, this wireless router is quite a looker – professional and slick in black and silver. The three antennas convincingly stand out with promises of faster internet connections. The TL-WR2543ND sports a slick design with various ports, including an internet port, four LAN ports and a USB port.
It may look good, but how well does it perform? According to the manufacturers, the TL-WR2543ND has a theoretical speed of 450 Mbps supported by its three antennas. This seems to be the new standard for wireless routers released in the last few months. But does this really translate to higher connection speeds? This depends on the connection speed of the main router that links to the Internet. If the router is connected at a speed of 100Mbps, then this 450Mbps wireless router will also transmit at the same speed.
The main advantage of the 450Mbps speed is if there are multiple data streams taking place at the same time. For instance, if there are multiple users connected to the router, or if users are accessing resources (like video conferencing or gaming) that require larger bandwidth. In situations like these, the 450 Mbps will be an advantage as all the users will access their resources flawlessly. After purchasing the TL-WR2543ND, the novice user may wonder if this product will need a Wi-Fi expert to install. This is where the user guide comes in. It is well-written with clear instructions and diagrams that guide the user step by step. It starts off by describing what the product does and the different features you will find on the product. It then takes the user through the installation and configuration process. The user guide has been set up for ease of use for any level of user.
In terms of security, the TL-WR2543ND has a wide range of options to protect against attacks. The user can setup security options, which include enabling the firewall, VPN passthrough and ALG (Application Layer Gateway). There is also local and remote management that can be enabled at setup. The local management option allows the user to either allow or deny access to the router from other computers in the LAN. It is also possible to specify which particular computers in the LAN have access to the router by listing their MAC addresses. The remote management option permits the user to allow or deny access to the router via the web. This can also be from a particular IP address, or from any computer.
For parents who are worried about what their children will access online while they are at work, there is the parental control option. It permits the user to specify allowable websites and restrict the amount of internet surfing time. This can be controlled from a different computer, called the parent computer, which is also connected via the same wireless router.
The USB port is quite handy for a number of reasons. It can be used to share hardware resources, like USB printers, to everyone connected to the router. It can also be used to share files by connecting a storage device to the router. Anyone with access to the router, locally or remotely, is able to access these files.
As we all know, there are a wide range of products that use the wireless channels, including kitchen appliances, phones and many others. Most of these function in the 2.4GHz range. The TL-WR2543ND has the advantage of providing both a 2.4GHz connection and a 5GHz connection. Therefore, if a user has a device that works with a 5GHz wireless connection, there will be less interference and greater stability as this channel is not overcrowded. The only disadvantage with this is that the two channels cannot function dually. In other words, your devices can only either use the 2.4GHz connection or the 5GHz connection at any given time.
The TL-WR2543ND’s price is not yet available online. Earlier estimates were that it would retail at $110. Considering that other Tp-Link products are fairly priced, buyers of this product will get more value for their money than they bargained for.