TrendNet demos its TEW-655BR3G portable cellular mobile router
TrendNet unveils its first cellular mobile Wireless-N router at CES 2010 that comes in a compact design with built-in battery and included car charger.
LAS VEGAS--Do you want a cellular mobile router but can't afford the expensive and limited MiFi 2200 solutions from Sprint and Verizon? Do Netgear's new mobile routersnot excite you because of their large size? TrendNet has something that may make you happy.
The company announced Thursday at CES its first cellular Wireless-N router that redefines portability for a router of its type, the 150Mbps Mobile Wireless N Router model TEW-655BR3G.
About the size of a pack of Orbitz chewing gum, the TEW-655BR3G has a USB port so that you can connect a compatible USB modem from 3G/4G Internet service providers such as Sprint, AT&T, or Verizon to it. All you need to do is plug the USB dongle into the port and you have a real Wireless-N network that connects to the Internet. Unlike the MiFi, the TEW-655BR3G can share the Internet connection to a lot more than just five people.
Apart from the USB port, the router also comes with a WAN Ethernet port so you can connect it to a traditional broadband modem or wired Internet connection.
Though the device is not full dual-stream Wireless-N router, at 150Mbps it still offers up to six times the speed of a Wireless-G solution and has up to three times the range. This is speedy enough to share even the fastest existing cellular Internet connections available in the U.S., which currently maxes out at 7.2Mbps.
Despite its size, the mini router also supports advanced security features and the Wi-Fi Protected Setup, which allows for connecting devices via a press of a button.
The feature that makes the TEW-655BR3G truly mobile is its built-in battery that lasts up to 1.5 hours and comes with a car charger and AC power adapter.
TrendNet demonstrated a unit at CES, but you'll have to wait until early April to purchase one for yourself. The new mini router is estimated to cost about $100.