CES 2009

The TEW-673GR true dual-band wireless-N router from Trendnet.

(Credit: Trendnet)

Better late than never, Trendnet unveiled at CES 2009 its first true dual-band wireless-N router, the 300Mbps Concurrent Dual-Band Wireless N Gigabit Router, or TEW-673GR. This is the upgrade to the company's TEW-672GR, which was released five months ago and is a non-true dual-band router.

The TEW-673GR is built with an Atheros chipset and Trendnet claims that it delivers unsurpassed wireless speed. Most importantly, the router offers concurrent dual-band wireless-N performance.

If you still don't know what this means, concurrent (or true) dual-band technology allows two wireless networks simultaneously, using both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz radio frequencies. This enables users to create an advanced hybrid network in which wireless clients can be assigned to either the 2.4GHz or the 5GHz band.

Most wireless networks use the 2.4GHz radio frequency, in which cordless phones, cellular phones, microwaves and Bluetooth devices also operate. The crowded nature of the 2.4GHz band can degrade your network's wireless performance and actually interfere with and slow your transmissions.

Dual-band networking offer users to connect to the wireless network via the supposedly "cleaner" 5GHz band, resulting in a better wireless experience.

The TEW-673GR is Wi-Fi certified, meaning it supports interoperability with other wireless products and backward compatibility with legacy wireless standards.

According to Trendnet, the TEW-673GR uses about thirty percent less power than the previous generation. A unique wireless on/off switch offers additional energy savings and security by turning off the wireless signal when it is not in use. The router also supports Wi-Fi Protected Setup that allows for easily adding wireless clients to the network without having to manually enter the encryption key.

The TEW-673GR will be available shortly with the estimated price of $175.

The 450Mbps TEW-773GR from Trendnet is fast.

(Credit: Dong Ngo/CBS Interactive)

Before I begin, let me say this one more time: The 802.11n wireless specification (or Wireless-N, which is currently still in draft state and therefore is also known as Draft N) is a wireless networking standard that offers speeds up to 300Mbps. That is a lot faster than the previous and popular specification 802.11g (or Wireless-G) that caps out at 54Mbps. Wireless-N is backward compatible with Wireless-G devices, meaning they can be connected to Wireless-N networks at 802.11g speed.

Now that, though confusing, is all common knowledge. What's not commonly known is that wireless vendors are about to turn Wireless-N up a notch, making it offer speeds up to 450Mbps. At CES this year, I ran into two vendors who showed off their newest higher-speed Wireless-N routers. Those vendors are D-Link, with the D-Link Xtreme N 450, and Trendnet, with the 450Mbps Wireless N Gigabit Router TEW-773GR.

The D-Link N 450 is similar in functionality to D-Link's DIR-855 Xtreme router. The router features Gigabit Ethernet, SharePort technology, and simultaneous dual-band 2.4 and 5GHz performance.

What makes the N 450 distinctively different from the DIR-855 is that it can offer wireless speeds up to 450Mbps. The 50-percent increase of speed is made possible by the latest chip design and faster processor that allow the router to handle three streams of signal per antenna. Most existing Wireless-N routers can handle only two streams and budget ones can handle only one stream per antenna.

The D-Link N 450 will be available around the beginning of the second quarter of 2009. Pricing is not yet available.

Similar to the N 450, Trendnet's TEW-773GR router also supports three high-performance antennas and three spatial streams per antenna. However the TEW-773GR is a single band 2.4GHz-only Wireless-N router. The router is also currently in a prototype state and will be available to the public in the second quarter of 2009. It's estimated to cost less than $200.

Like all Wireless-N routers, these new routers will be backward compatible with all existing wireless clients of the same band (2.4Ghz or 5GHz). In order for the 450Mbps to archive, users will need new clients (add-in cards/adapters) that support this speed.

As the change in speed is not based on a proprietary technology, it's highly likely that the 450Mbps routers and adapters from different vendors will interoperate at this speed, especially when they are Wi-Fi Certified.

The N 450 wireless router from D-Link can run as fast as 450Mbps.

(Credit: D-Link)

The 300Mbps Wireless N Travel Router from Trendnet.

(Credit: Trendnet)

Wireless routers that fit in your pocket have been around for a long time (I especially like the Windy31, though it's a little peculiar). However, while convenient and cool, they share the same shortcoming: the lack of support for high-speed Draft N wireless.

Trendnet on Thursday ended that trait by introducing a 300Mbps Wireless N Travel Router, model TEW-654TR.

Measuring merely 2.5 inches by 3.25 inches by 0.75 inches, the TEW-654TR is arguably the world's smallest router that supports the Draft N specification, offering wireless speed up to 300Mbps (as opposed to 54Mbps of existing mini wireless routers).

The 300Mbps Wireless N Travel Router comes with a convenient carrying case, a thin 3-foot long Ethernet cable, an electrical adapter, and an alternate USB cable to power the router from a computer. This is nice feature since it spares you from having to carry the power adapter.

The TEW-654TR features an internal antenna design and one 10/100Mbps WAN port to support any broadband modem as well as other CAT5-based network inputs. The router supports the latest wireless encryption and advanced multiple input multiple output (MIMO) antenna technology. This promises to deliver high-speed wireless connectivity and long range in signal coverage.

For the first time, you can travel light without having to compromise the network performance. The new mini router TEW-654TR is slated to be available by early March and will cost about $90.

(Credit: Trendnet)

Recording and viewing images from a security camera is nothing new, but being able to do that conveniently from any location within a wireless network is. And this is exactly what Trendnet offers at CES 2009 with its first-to-market 7" Wireless Internet Camera Monitor Kit, the TV-M7110WK.

The security surveillance kit includes one 7" Wireless Internet Camera and Photo Monitor, the TV-M7, and a Wireless Internet Camera, the TV-IP110W. The TV-M7 displays streaming IP Camera video in real time via the wireless network.

The TV-IP110W is capable of providing real-time, high-quality wireless video in the M-JPEG format. The camera can perform motion-detection recording, e-mail alerts, and scheduled recordings. It comes with an easy-to-use mounting kit and can be used on most surfaces.

The 7" TV-M7, on the other hand, can automatically connect to your wireless network, detect the included camera, and stream real-time video wirelessly. Interestingly, it can also act like a photo frame that displays slide shows and plays personal videos and music. It even comes with a little remote control for you to easily change what it displays.

The TV-M7 is the first device of its kind in the market for now and allows for monitoring up to four Trendnet Internet cameras on one screen or scan between cameras one at a time. While you can do the same thing with a computer, the TV-M7 makes it much more convenient and easy to use. And, of course, it works without any computer at all.

The Wireless Internet Camera Monitor Kit TV-M7110WK seems a good investment for a large home or a warehouse. It comes with a two-year limited warranty and an estimated price of $450. It will be available shortly in the U.S.