In April 2016, Consumer Reports sent inspections of third-party authoritative testing organizations to home wireless routers including TP-LINK, Huawei Technologies, Xiaomi, Pole Routing, Tenda, and 360 Secure Routing, based on signal strength, intelligence, and durability. These three aspects of sex were compared and evaluated.
Which router is the "king of the wall"? Is a smart router really "smart"? The assessment report will be announced for you.
Assessment Report 1: Huawei Signal Strength Is Better Than Tenda
The results showed that the overall signal strength of Huawei WS831 was better, while Tenda F3 performed better. In addition, routers can basically satisfy home broadband speeds.
"300 square meters large coverage," "brass antenna," "high-gain antenna," "through the wall of the king" ... behind the various "high-end" technical word vocabulary publicity behind the router, in the final analysis are to highlight the signal strength of their own brand is better .
To verify the signal strength of these routers, in April 2016, consumer reports tested six popular home wireless routers on the market: TP-LINK WR842N, Huawei WS831, Xiaomi router mini, Pole routing 1S, and Tenda. F3, 360 security route P1.
In order to make the data more objective and three-dimensional, the publication compares the authoritative testing data and software testing methods of third-party testing organizations.
This test is based on the industry standard YD/T 2193-2010 mobile user terminal wireless LAN space RF radiated power and receiver performance measurement methods to detect two important indicators reflect the signal strength of the router b, g, n system - "radiation power" And "receiving sensitivity".
In addition, this publication uses the software WirelessMon to test the signal conditions of the six routers at various points in the room (through the wall).
Tenda has a weak launch reception capability
Using a router, the signal strength is undoubtedly the most concern. In March 2016, a consumer report launched a survey on the router's understanding and use, which showed that of the 146 users, 78% said they were more concerned with the router's signal strength.
“The Wi-Fi signal strength performance of a router can be judged by detecting the 'radiation power' and 'reception sensitivity' of different routers, where 'radiation power' reflects the transmission characteristics of the router and 'reception sensitivity' reflects The receiving characteristics of the router.†A senior testing expert Dong Gong pointed out when interviewed by a consumer report reporter.
To this end, the Journal examined the “radiation power†and “receiving sensitivity†of the IEEE 802.11 b/g/n standard intermediate channel that all six routers have, in order to judge the performance of the wireless signal of each router.
According to the radiated power data, Huawei WS831 performed best in the three systems of b, g, and n, while Tenda F3 performed poorly overall. (Figure 1)
The engineer in charge of this test pointed out: "In the same circumstances, the router with stronger radiated power will receive stronger Wi-Fi signal from our mobile phone."
For the test results, Song Ying, head of brand of Shenzhen Jixiang Tenda Technology Co., Ltd., replied to the reporter: “The Tenda F3 is a cost-effective router product, which is somewhat unfair to the higher-priced router products on the market.â€
A person surnamed Lin who has been engaged in the Wi-Fi industry for a long time revealed to reporters: "Because Tenda's main product is cost-effective, the cost is reduced, and the quality of materials used is poor, resulting in a general signal performance."
The radiated power only reflects the router's transmission performance, while the receiving sensitivity reflects the router's receiving performance. The above-mentioned engineers introduced: “The strong sensitivity can be generally understood as the better direction of the router, and the signal of the product is better for each direction.â€
The receiver sensitivity data shows that Tenda F3's performance in b, g, and n is still the worst, and Xiaomi's router performance is relatively better. (Figure 2)
"Radiation power is good, router transmitter performance is good, transmission speed is fast; sensitivity is good, router receiver performance is good, and reception speed is fast." Ou Gong from the inspection team told reporters.
In daily life, the experience of watching videos and brushing web pages relies on the launch performance of routers; and the experience of transmitting file data depends on the receiving performance.
In terms of comprehensive emission performance and receiving performance, Huawei WS831 performed well overall, while Tenda F3 performed better.
Router is not a bottleneck for Internet speed
In daily life, users and routers have a certain distance or even a wall or two. Users often attribute the weak signal to routers that have poor wall-penetration.
For this reason, we use a software called WirelessMon to test the orientation signal of the router. This software is a professional wireless signal scanning and monitoring tool and is often used to establish a corporate wireless intranet.
Before the test, this magazine arranged a field test scenario. (Figure 3)
Software test results show that the signal strengths of the various routers at points A, B, C, and D show a progressively decreasing trend. The farther the distance is, the more barriers the wall has, the weaker the signal strength is. It actually reflects that the barrier of the home wall does affect the signal strength. (Figure 4)
Among them, the signal strengths of Huawei WS831 and 360 security route P1 at points A, B, C, and D are generally strong; and Tenda F3 has the weakest signal strength at four points. This test result is basically consistent with the test results of the b, g, and n detection mechanisms.
The testing agency engineer stated: "This method of software testing is not a standard test method. After all, there is no way to eliminate the interference of the surrounding signals and there is no way to guarantee the consistency of the interference, but it can be used as a relative reference."
But does the signal strength mean that the internet speed must be faster?
Through the way of online measurement (opening webpages, downloading videos), we found that the speed of the Internet is more susceptible to broadband. In the peak period of the Internet, the speed of the six routers is relatively slow. In the down period of the Internet, the speed of the six routers is faster overall.
The senior writer of consumer electronics Tianjiao told reporters: “Routers are not the bottleneck of home Internet access. Most home routers in the market have a maximum speed of about 300 Mbps, while home broadband is mostly below 100 Mbps. The router can meet the broadband speed.â€
Assessment Report II: The main observation and evaluation of the traditional router TP-LINK, Tenda is not "smart" and not "beautiful"
Experience results show that the polar routing function is the most abundant, Huawei is the easiest to set up, and the appearance of these two routers is also favored by the experiencer. Compared with smart routers, the traditional routers TP-LINK and Tenda are not “smart†or “good-lookingâ€.
Smart routers, as the name implies, refer to routers that are distinguished from intelligent management of traditional routers.
According to 2015 China Intelligent Router Market Monitoring Report released by iiMedia Research, an internet third-party data organization, the sales volume of smart routers exceeded 6.5 million units in 2015, accounting for an increase from less than 2% in 2014 to 9.9%, and it is expected to achieve a breakthrough in 2016. The outbreak has grown.
In order to verify whether the router's "smart" is worthy of its name, in May 2016, the Consumer Reports recruited 10 people from various industries to perform a subjective experience for 21 days, and the "features" of the 6 brand routers in the process. The degree of enrichment and the ease of setting up the level were subjectively detailed.
Experience results show that the polar routing function is the most abundant, Huawei is the easiest to set up, and both routers are favored by the experience.
Single function of TP-Link and Tenda
In the March 2016 Consumer Report conducted by the router to understand and use the questionnaire, 77% of the 146 respondents preferred to purchase smart routers.
What is the intelligence of the router? Support mobile phone APP? Set more and more intelligent? Or more and more features? There are many opinions!
In order to ensure the objective and fairness of the experience process, 10 experiencers will experience 6 routers in turn until each experiencer experiences the completion of 6 brands.
The subjective experience score results show that in the “functional richness†and “easy setting†scores, the two poor performers were TP-LINK and Tenda. (Figure 5)
In terms of functional design, Tenda is the only router in the 6 routers that does not support the installation of mobile phones. It cannot view the network status, upgrade the firmware, and download other applications, resulting in a lower score on the function. One experiencer feedback: "Tengda F3 function is very simple, almost no other functions except the basic connection to the Internet."
On the contrary, the polar routing 1S function is relatively more, as many as 35 expansion applications. "Applications are rich in practicality, and there are many items that can be controlled. It is very pleasant." A hobbyist who has played with routers gives such an evaluation.
From the overall feedback of the experiencer, the smart router provides several more useful functions. For example, to prevent flooding, you can check the status of the Internet device by logging in to the router management page or the mobile phone APP. If you find a user on the Internet, you can pull it into the blacklist. In addition, it is an intelligent speed limit function that can prevent roommates from downloading movies and playing games with speed, and limits the speed of their devices to a certain range.
It is worth mentioning that the problem of network security is becoming more and more severe. Some experience users have expressed concern about the security design of routers when they choose routers. They also reflect 360 secure routes with malicious URL alerts, firewalls, and Internet access security features.
In an interview with a consumer report reporter, Yu Xi, a leader in 360 security routing brands, said: “We rely on the 360-strong cloud security database, so we can effectively implement 9 security protections against Trojans, viruses, and cracks.â€
For consumers, the routers are rich in functionality. If the settings are more complicated, it is not smart. In terms of settings, the TP-LINK Internet setting score is the lowest, and the setting steps and setting reminder instructions are not perfect. An experienced person reported that: "The Huawei router's casing is written with simple setup steps that can be set up step by step without having to look for instructions."
In addition, some experience users mentioned in their reviews that the current smart router is not smart enough and some functions are not practical. Liang Zhenpeng, a senior industrial economic observer and industry analyst, expressed his thoughts in an interview: “The smart routers in the future may be integrated with set-top boxes and smart gateways and become part of the smart home.â€
In this regard, Yu Xi also said: "The future intelligent development direction of routers mainly includes the following two aspects: First, the functions of the router itself will be more intelligent and easy to use, to maximize the actual needs of users; Second, the creation of intelligent ecological chain In the future, routers will become the core hub of smart homes, with other smart home products, to build a true smart home ecology, save users' data and habits."
Huawei router box has the highest score
This is an era of face, appearance and workmanship is our first impression of a router.
In terms of design scores, Huawei WS831 was the leader in square box modeling. It was the only one of the six models that adopted the antenna's built-in design. It was simple and elegant. The shape of the other five routers, two antennas or three antennas, is quite satisfactory and is more traditional.
In terms of workmanship, only the pole routing 1S is a metal enclosure, and the other five enclosures are plastic.
The reminder light is also an important aspect of convenient operation, allowing consumers to judge the different working conditions of the router. Among them, the "Hi" key on the front of Huawei routers is very characteristic, taking into account the functions of the lights and buttons. One press can enable signal relay, and long press can reset the router.
In terms of space availability, the millet and 360 security routes resemble the shape of the Apple Trackpad, which allows the two antennas to be folded together without additional space and more convenient to carry.
Evaluation Report 3: Comprehensive Evaluation Huawei is Better, Tengda Bottom
Through comprehensive comparison, Huawei WS831 is the best, but the price is more expensive, and the cheapest Tenda F3 is at the bottom. In addition, all six routers passed the durability test, and the metal routing of the thermal routing of the lowest pole.
The prices of home routers on the market range from tens of dollars to over a hundred dollars. Is the router more expensive?
In April-June 2016, Consumer Reports tested six home routers that were priced at less than $200, comparing radiated power, receiving sensitivity, signal strength (software testing), settings, features, durability, cooling, and appearance. Item indicators tell consumers which router is better.
Through comprehensive comparison, Huawei WS831 is the best, but the price is more expensive, while the cheapest Tenda F3 is at the bottom.
In addition, all six routers passed durability tests, with the lowest routing temperature in the metal housing.
Pole routing operating temperature below 35°C
In August 2014, the router at Lao Li’s home in Liuhe County, Jilin City was burned down due to a lightning strike. In September 2014, the portable router with built-in battery purchased by Ms. Zhang from Tengzhou City suddenly exploded and burst; in July 2015, the United Airlines computer malfunction caused 800 The delay was due to a router failure.
As a home appliance, the home router has a service life that is easily affected by the use environment and self-heating.
The senior writer of consumer electronics, Tianjiao, told reporters: “High and low temperatures are the conditions that may be encountered at home, and fast group pulses simulate the accidents that users may encounter during lightning and ground faults.â€
In April 2016, consumer reports submitted to third-party testing organizations for the sale of six home routers that are hot in the market, and tested at high, low, and low temperatures according to GB/T 2423.1-2008 Part 2 Test Methods for Environmental Testing of Electrical and Electronics Products. Work conditions under humid and hot conditions, and according to GB/T 17626.4-2008 Electromagnetic Compatibility Test and Measurement Technology Electrical Fast Transient Burst Immunity Test to test the performance under rapid group pulse.
The engineer in charge of this test told the reporter: “Environmental tests or EMS tests can reflect the durability of routers, such as fast charge bursts, which are generally poor quality of the router's power adapter.â€
Test results show that all six home routers have passed durable tests, indicating that the six well-known home routers still have quality and safety protection.
In addition to the external environment, the heating of the electrical appliances is also a major killer of household appliances. Long-term heating and poor heat dissipation can reduce the service life of the router.
Therefore, in addition to the testing of the durability of the body, the journal also uses an infrared thermometer to measure the maximum temperature of the top and bottom surfaces of the six routers during normal operation. The data shows that the thermal performance of the pole routing is the best. The maximum temperature is below 35 degrees Celsius. This is mainly due to the fact that it uses a metal shell and has good thermal conductivity. (Figure 6)
The Tenda F3's cooling performance is not ideal, the back temperature even reached 46.18 degrees Celsius, slightly higher than other brands. (Figure 6)
Comprehensive evaluation: Huawei is better
How much do you want to spend for a home router? In March 2016, a consumer report launched a questionnaire on the understanding and use of routers. Among the 146 respondents, only 7% of respondents were willing to spend more than 200 yuan to purchase a home router.
According to this publication's comprehensive comparison of 6 brand routers (indicators including radiated power, receiving sensitivity, signal strength (software testing), settings, functionality, durability, heat dissipation, and appearance), the highest-priced Huawei performs best with the lowest price Tenda performed better. It looks like it's still a penny. (Figure 7)
Reflecting the three indicators of signal strength - "radiation power", "reception sensitivity" and "signal strength (software test)", Huawei WS831 performed better.
In terms of two indicators that reflect intelligence: “function†and “settingâ€, the polar route 1S is favored by subjective experiencers.
It is worth mentioning that, when 10 participants gave the overall subjective ranking of 6 routers, 7 of them experienced the best routers for Huawei.
In the selection of the worst router, the seven experiencers chose Tenda F3 and the other three selected TP-LINK WR842N. From the experience of feedback, it is mainly due to the relatively single function of the two routers.
Test Report 4: The router does not have as many antennas as possible
The magazine found through inspection that the router is not as good as the number of antennas, consumers should not blindly believe that "three antennas." In addition, in the purchase of home routers, although the 5G operating frequency band of dual-band routers is anti-interference, the wall penetration is not good.
According to the survey results initiated by consumer reports in April 2016, of the 146 respondents, 84% indicated that they would care about the number of antennas when purchasing a router. (Figure 8)
The difference in the number of antennas is a significant difference in the appearance of the routers. Among the six routers, Tengda is a three-antenna except that the Huawei router is a built-in antenna, and the remaining four routers each have two antennas. Is the number of antennas the better?
Dual-band router 5G bad wall
Some consumers feel that the more signals the antenna has, the better. According to the objective results of this publication, the 3rd antenna Tengda F3 ranks the bottom. In the signal strength test and comprehensive evaluation, it is not better than the built-in antenna and the 2 antenna router. This indicates that the number of antennas is not so much. The stronger it is.
Song Ying, director of Tenda's router brand, also admitted to the consumer report reporter: "The number of antennas is not directly related to the signal from the router."
Dual-band routers are also a new concept for vendors. Of the six home routers selected by this publication, Huawei WS831 and Xiaomi router mini are dual-band routers.
Dual-band routers have Wi-Fi at both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz operating frequency bands. Dual-frequency routers appear because the operating frequencies of home appliances are mostly in the 2.4 GHz band (such as air conditioners and microwave ovens) and cause interference to the single-frequency 2.4 GHz band routers.
The dual-frequency router has a working frequency band of 5GHz, which can avoid the interference of other electrical appliances. In real life, if your phone or computer supports it, the dual-band router will display two Wi-Fi names on your phone or computer (5G-band Wi-Fi will be added with “-5G†to distinguish). For example, the millet router will display two Wi-Fis, "xiaomi" and "xiaomi-5G."
The Journal finds that the signal transmissibility of the 5GHz band of dual-frequency routers is poor. In the A, B, C, and D point signal strength software tests, Wi-Fi connected to 5GHz has no signal at D point (above two walls), but there are signals at 2.4GHz (to avoid the peak period of Internet access and even Can access the Internet normally).
So is it necessary to buy a dual-band router?
If you often go online in the room where the router is located, the answer to this publication is necessary. In the case of slow or unstable Internet access, try 5G-band Wi-Fi; if you are not in the room where the router is located (that is, the location of the Internet and the router has a barrier such as a wall), Wi-Fi in the 5G band The signal may be weak.
How to set up and connect a router?
28% of respondents said they will not set up a router or set up a router. The reporter browsed Taobao and found that there was a dedicated home setting up of the router service.
In fact, the router setup process is not complicated and is generally divided into three steps: setting the router management password, setting up Wi-Fi, and setting up the Internet.
Before setting up, you must first connect the router's interface. The number and type of router's interfaces are also very important.
In addition to the power interface, most home routers have a WAN port and a LAN port. A WAN port is an interface to an external network, and a LAN port is an interface to an internal network. If your home is using a home network cable, then the WAN port is connected to the network cable, and the LAN port is connected to your computer; if you only use wireless Wi-Fi, then the LAN port will not need to be connected. Many users connect the computer to the WAN port, resulting in the inability to open the router's configuration interface.
Usually these two kinds of interfaces on the router will be identified with two different colors. For example, the TP-LINK and Tenda routers on this test are marked with a blue WAN port, and the 360 ​​security route is marked with a yellow WAN port. It is worth mentioning that, in addition to these two interfaces, Huawei and Xiaomi routers also have a USB interface, which can be connected to an external mobile hard disk. Through computers and mobile phones, they can access files on mobile hard disks to form a home sharing center.
Master the correct posture for placing and using the router
The question that consumers often encounter is: where is the router better placed?
Ordinary consumers can download some mobile phone software that tests the strength of Wi-Fi signals to test the location of the router. In addition, the router should be placed in an open place as much as possible to improve the signal strength. Second, opening a good ventilation position is also conducive to heat dissipation, extending the life of the router.
Do not place the router on the ground, corners, or near metal barriers, such as drawers, set-top boxes, metal shelves, etc. Otherwise, the signal will be reduced or interfered. Second, we must also pay attention to the daily use of the process, in the event of thunderstorms, it is necessary to promptly unplug the router's power and lines.
Of course, the threat of Wi-Fi security should not be taken lightly. Consumers should be alert to strange wireless networks, be cautious when using public wireless networks, and do not log into online banking accounts or perform online transactions such as monetary transactions.
As for users who are afraid of radiation, especially if they have pregnant women in their homes, the reporter found that some routers in the market have also set up a “pregnant women model†specifically. Industry analyst Liang Zhenpeng said in an interview with a consumer report reporter: “There is no need to shut down the router at night. The radiation generated by the router is weaker than the radiation generated by the mobile phone.â€
Which router is the "king of the wall"? Is a smart router really "smart"? The assessment report will be announced for you.
Assessment Report 1: Huawei Signal Strength Is Better Than Tenda
The results showed that the overall signal strength of Huawei WS831 was better, while Tenda F3 performed better. In addition, routers can basically satisfy home broadband speeds.
"300 square meters large coverage," "brass antenna," "high-gain antenna," "through the wall of the king" ... behind the various "high-end" technical word vocabulary publicity behind the router, in the final analysis are to highlight the signal strength of their own brand is better .
To verify the signal strength of these routers, in April 2016, consumer reports tested six popular home wireless routers on the market: TP-LINK WR842N, Huawei WS831, Xiaomi router mini, Pole routing 1S, and Tenda. F3, 360 security route P1.
In order to make the data more objective and three-dimensional, the publication compares the authoritative testing data and software testing methods of third-party testing organizations.
This test is based on the industry standard YD/T 2193-2010 mobile user terminal wireless LAN space RF radiated power and receiver performance measurement methods to detect two important indicators reflect the signal strength of the router b, g, n system - "radiation power" And "receiving sensitivity".
In addition, this publication uses the software WirelessMon to test the signal conditions of the six routers at various points in the room (through the wall).
Tenda has a weak launch reception capability
Using a router, the signal strength is undoubtedly the most concern. In March 2016, a consumer report launched a survey on the router's understanding and use, which showed that of the 146 users, 78% said they were more concerned with the router's signal strength.
“The Wi-Fi signal strength performance of a router can be judged by detecting the 'radiation power' and 'reception sensitivity' of different routers, where 'radiation power' reflects the transmission characteristics of the router and 'reception sensitivity' reflects The receiving characteristics of the router.†A senior testing expert Dong Gong pointed out when interviewed by a consumer report reporter.
To this end, the Journal examined the “radiation power†and “receiving sensitivity†of the IEEE 802.11 b/g/n standard intermediate channel that all six routers have, in order to judge the performance of the wireless signal of each router.
According to the radiated power data, Huawei WS831 performed best in the three systems of b, g, and n, while Tenda F3 performed poorly overall. (Figure 1)
The engineer in charge of this test pointed out: "In the same circumstances, the router with stronger radiated power will receive stronger Wi-Fi signal from our mobile phone."
For the test results, Song Ying, head of brand of Shenzhen Jixiang Tenda Technology Co., Ltd., replied to the reporter: “The Tenda F3 is a cost-effective router product, which is somewhat unfair to the higher-priced router products on the market.â€
A person surnamed Lin who has been engaged in the Wi-Fi industry for a long time revealed to reporters: "Because Tenda's main product is cost-effective, the cost is reduced, and the quality of materials used is poor, resulting in a general signal performance."
The radiated power only reflects the router's transmission performance, while the receiving sensitivity reflects the router's receiving performance. The above-mentioned engineers introduced: “The strong sensitivity can be generally understood as the better direction of the router, and the signal of the product is better for each direction.â€
The receiver sensitivity data shows that Tenda F3's performance in b, g, and n is still the worst, and Xiaomi's router performance is relatively better. (Figure 2)
"Radiation power is good, router transmitter performance is good, transmission speed is fast; sensitivity is good, router receiver performance is good, and reception speed is fast." Ou Gong from the inspection team told reporters.
In daily life, the experience of watching videos and brushing web pages relies on the launch performance of routers; and the experience of transmitting file data depends on the receiving performance.
In terms of comprehensive emission performance and receiving performance, Huawei WS831 performed well overall, while Tenda F3 performed better.
Router is not a bottleneck for Internet speed
In daily life, users and routers have a certain distance or even a wall or two. Users often attribute the weak signal to routers that have poor wall-penetration.
For this reason, we use a software called WirelessMon to test the orientation signal of the router. This software is a professional wireless signal scanning and monitoring tool and is often used to establish a corporate wireless intranet.
Before the test, this magazine arranged a field test scenario. (Figure 3)
Software test results show that the signal strengths of the various routers at points A, B, C, and D show a progressively decreasing trend. The farther the distance is, the more barriers the wall has, the weaker the signal strength is. It actually reflects that the barrier of the home wall does affect the signal strength. (Figure 4)
Among them, the signal strengths of Huawei WS831 and 360 security route P1 at points A, B, C, and D are generally strong; and Tenda F3 has the weakest signal strength at four points. This test result is basically consistent with the test results of the b, g, and n detection mechanisms.
The testing agency engineer stated: "This method of software testing is not a standard test method. After all, there is no way to eliminate the interference of the surrounding signals and there is no way to guarantee the consistency of the interference, but it can be used as a relative reference."
But does the signal strength mean that the internet speed must be faster?
Through the way of online measurement (opening webpages, downloading videos), we found that the speed of the Internet is more susceptible to broadband. In the peak period of the Internet, the speed of the six routers is relatively slow. In the down period of the Internet, the speed of the six routers is faster overall.
The senior writer of consumer electronics Tianjiao told reporters: “Routers are not the bottleneck of home Internet access. Most home routers in the market have a maximum speed of about 300 Mbps, while home broadband is mostly below 100 Mbps. The router can meet the broadband speed.â€
Assessment Report II: The main observation and evaluation of the traditional router TP-LINK, Tenda is not "smart" and not "beautiful"
Experience results show that the polar routing function is the most abundant, Huawei is the easiest to set up, and the appearance of these two routers is also favored by the experiencer. Compared with smart routers, the traditional routers TP-LINK and Tenda are not “smart†or “good-lookingâ€.
Smart routers, as the name implies, refer to routers that are distinguished from intelligent management of traditional routers.
According to 2015 China Intelligent Router Market Monitoring Report released by iiMedia Research, an internet third-party data organization, the sales volume of smart routers exceeded 6.5 million units in 2015, accounting for an increase from less than 2% in 2014 to 9.9%, and it is expected to achieve a breakthrough in 2016. The outbreak has grown.
In order to verify whether the router's "smart" is worthy of its name, in May 2016, the Consumer Reports recruited 10 people from various industries to perform a subjective experience for 21 days, and the "features" of the 6 brand routers in the process. The degree of enrichment and the ease of setting up the level were subjectively detailed.
Experience results show that the polar routing function is the most abundant, Huawei is the easiest to set up, and both routers are favored by the experience.
Single function of TP-Link and Tenda
In the March 2016 Consumer Report conducted by the router to understand and use the questionnaire, 77% of the 146 respondents preferred to purchase smart routers.
What is the intelligence of the router? Support mobile phone APP? Set more and more intelligent? Or more and more features? There are many opinions!
In order to ensure the objective and fairness of the experience process, 10 experiencers will experience 6 routers in turn until each experiencer experiences the completion of 6 brands.
The subjective experience score results show that in the “functional richness†and “easy setting†scores, the two poor performers were TP-LINK and Tenda. (Figure 5)
In terms of functional design, Tenda is the only router in the 6 routers that does not support the installation of mobile phones. It cannot view the network status, upgrade the firmware, and download other applications, resulting in a lower score on the function. One experiencer feedback: "Tengda F3 function is very simple, almost no other functions except the basic connection to the Internet."
On the contrary, the polar routing 1S function is relatively more, as many as 35 expansion applications. "Applications are rich in practicality, and there are many items that can be controlled. It is very pleasant." A hobbyist who has played with routers gives such an evaluation.
From the overall feedback of the experiencer, the smart router provides several more useful functions. For example, to prevent flooding, you can check the status of the Internet device by logging in to the router management page or the mobile phone APP. If you find a user on the Internet, you can pull it into the blacklist. In addition, it is an intelligent speed limit function that can prevent roommates from downloading movies and playing games with speed, and limits the speed of their devices to a certain range.
It is worth mentioning that the problem of network security is becoming more and more severe. Some experience users have expressed concern about the security design of routers when they choose routers. They also reflect 360 secure routes with malicious URL alerts, firewalls, and Internet access security features.
In an interview with a consumer report reporter, Yu Xi, a leader in 360 security routing brands, said: “We rely on the 360-strong cloud security database, so we can effectively implement 9 security protections against Trojans, viruses, and cracks.â€
For consumers, the routers are rich in functionality. If the settings are more complicated, it is not smart. In terms of settings, the TP-LINK Internet setting score is the lowest, and the setting steps and setting reminder instructions are not perfect. An experienced person reported that: "The Huawei router's casing is written with simple setup steps that can be set up step by step without having to look for instructions."
In addition, some experience users mentioned in their reviews that the current smart router is not smart enough and some functions are not practical. Liang Zhenpeng, a senior industrial economic observer and industry analyst, expressed his thoughts in an interview: “The smart routers in the future may be integrated with set-top boxes and smart gateways and become part of the smart home.â€
In this regard, Yu Xi also said: "The future intelligent development direction of routers mainly includes the following two aspects: First, the functions of the router itself will be more intelligent and easy to use, to maximize the actual needs of users; Second, the creation of intelligent ecological chain In the future, routers will become the core hub of smart homes, with other smart home products, to build a true smart home ecology, save users' data and habits."
Huawei router box has the highest score
This is an era of face, appearance and workmanship is our first impression of a router.
In terms of design scores, Huawei WS831 was the leader in square box modeling. It was the only one of the six models that adopted the antenna's built-in design. It was simple and elegant. The shape of the other five routers, two antennas or three antennas, is quite satisfactory and is more traditional.
In terms of workmanship, only the pole routing 1S is a metal enclosure, and the other five enclosures are plastic.
The reminder light is also an important aspect of convenient operation, allowing consumers to judge the different working conditions of the router. Among them, the "Hi" key on the front of Huawei routers is very characteristic, taking into account the functions of the lights and buttons. One press can enable signal relay, and long press can reset the router.
In terms of space availability, the millet and 360 security routes resemble the shape of the Apple Trackpad, which allows the two antennas to be folded together without additional space and more convenient to carry.
Evaluation Report 3: Comprehensive Evaluation Huawei is Better, Tengda Bottom
Through comprehensive comparison, Huawei WS831 is the best, but the price is more expensive, and the cheapest Tenda F3 is at the bottom. In addition, all six routers passed the durability test, and the metal routing of the thermal routing of the lowest pole.
The prices of home routers on the market range from tens of dollars to over a hundred dollars. Is the router more expensive?
In April-June 2016, Consumer Reports tested six home routers that were priced at less than $200, comparing radiated power, receiving sensitivity, signal strength (software testing), settings, features, durability, cooling, and appearance. Item indicators tell consumers which router is better.
Through comprehensive comparison, Huawei WS831 is the best, but the price is more expensive, while the cheapest Tenda F3 is at the bottom.
In addition, all six routers passed durability tests, with the lowest routing temperature in the metal housing.
Pole routing operating temperature below 35°C
In August 2014, the router at Lao Li’s home in Liuhe County, Jilin City was burned down due to a lightning strike. In September 2014, the portable router with built-in battery purchased by Ms. Zhang from Tengzhou City suddenly exploded and burst; in July 2015, the United Airlines computer malfunction caused 800 The delay was due to a router failure.
As a home appliance, the home router has a service life that is easily affected by the use environment and self-heating.
The senior writer of consumer electronics, Tianjiao, told reporters: “High and low temperatures are the conditions that may be encountered at home, and fast group pulses simulate the accidents that users may encounter during lightning and ground faults.â€
In April 2016, consumer reports submitted to third-party testing organizations for the sale of six home routers that are hot in the market, and tested at high, low, and low temperatures according to GB/T 2423.1-2008 Part 2 Test Methods for Environmental Testing of Electrical and Electronics Products. Work conditions under humid and hot conditions, and according to GB/T 17626.4-2008 Electromagnetic Compatibility Test and Measurement Technology Electrical Fast Transient Burst Immunity Test to test the performance under rapid group pulse.
The engineer in charge of this test told the reporter: “Environmental tests or EMS tests can reflect the durability of routers, such as fast charge bursts, which are generally poor quality of the router's power adapter.â€
Test results show that all six home routers have passed durable tests, indicating that the six well-known home routers still have quality and safety protection.
In addition to the external environment, the heating of the electrical appliances is also a major killer of household appliances. Long-term heating and poor heat dissipation can reduce the service life of the router.
Therefore, in addition to the testing of the durability of the body, the journal also uses an infrared thermometer to measure the maximum temperature of the top and bottom surfaces of the six routers during normal operation. The data shows that the thermal performance of the pole routing is the best. The maximum temperature is below 35 degrees Celsius. This is mainly due to the fact that it uses a metal shell and has good thermal conductivity. (Figure 6)
The Tenda F3's cooling performance is not ideal, the back temperature even reached 46.18 degrees Celsius, slightly higher than other brands. (Figure 6)
Comprehensive evaluation: Huawei is better
How much do you want to spend for a home router? In March 2016, a consumer report launched a questionnaire on the understanding and use of routers. Among the 146 respondents, only 7% of respondents were willing to spend more than 200 yuan to purchase a home router.
According to this publication's comprehensive comparison of 6 brand routers (indicators including radiated power, receiving sensitivity, signal strength (software testing), settings, functionality, durability, heat dissipation, and appearance), the highest-priced Huawei performs best with the lowest price Tenda performed better. It looks like it's still a penny. (Figure 7)
Reflecting the three indicators of signal strength - "radiation power", "reception sensitivity" and "signal strength (software test)", Huawei WS831 performed better.
In terms of two indicators that reflect intelligence: “function†and “settingâ€, the polar route 1S is favored by subjective experiencers.
It is worth mentioning that, when 10 participants gave the overall subjective ranking of 6 routers, 7 of them experienced the best routers for Huawei.
In the selection of the worst router, the seven experiencers chose Tenda F3 and the other three selected TP-LINK WR842N. From the experience of feedback, it is mainly due to the relatively single function of the two routers.
Test Report 4: The router does not have as many antennas as possible
The magazine found through inspection that the router is not as good as the number of antennas, consumers should not blindly believe that "three antennas." In addition, in the purchase of home routers, although the 5G operating frequency band of dual-band routers is anti-interference, the wall penetration is not good.
According to the survey results initiated by consumer reports in April 2016, of the 146 respondents, 84% indicated that they would care about the number of antennas when purchasing a router. (Figure 8)
The difference in the number of antennas is a significant difference in the appearance of the routers. Among the six routers, Tengda is a three-antenna except that the Huawei router is a built-in antenna, and the remaining four routers each have two antennas. Is the number of antennas the better?
Dual-band router 5G bad wall
Some consumers feel that the more signals the antenna has, the better. According to the objective results of this publication, the 3rd antenna Tengda F3 ranks the bottom. In the signal strength test and comprehensive evaluation, it is not better than the built-in antenna and the 2 antenna router. This indicates that the number of antennas is not so much. The stronger it is.
Song Ying, director of Tenda's router brand, also admitted to the consumer report reporter: "The number of antennas is not directly related to the signal from the router."
Dual-band routers are also a new concept for vendors. Of the six home routers selected by this publication, Huawei WS831 and Xiaomi router mini are dual-band routers.
Dual-band routers have Wi-Fi at both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz operating frequency bands. Dual-frequency routers appear because the operating frequencies of home appliances are mostly in the 2.4 GHz band (such as air conditioners and microwave ovens) and cause interference to the single-frequency 2.4 GHz band routers.
The dual-frequency router has a working frequency band of 5GHz, which can avoid the interference of other electrical appliances. In real life, if your phone or computer supports it, the dual-band router will display two Wi-Fi names on your phone or computer (5G-band Wi-Fi will be added with “-5G†to distinguish). For example, the millet router will display two Wi-Fis, "xiaomi" and "xiaomi-5G."
The Journal finds that the signal transmissibility of the 5GHz band of dual-frequency routers is poor. In the A, B, C, and D point signal strength software tests, Wi-Fi connected to 5GHz has no signal at D point (above two walls), but there are signals at 2.4GHz (to avoid the peak period of Internet access and even Can access the Internet normally).
So is it necessary to buy a dual-band router?
If you often go online in the room where the router is located, the answer to this publication is necessary. In the case of slow or unstable Internet access, try 5G-band Wi-Fi; if you are not in the room where the router is located (that is, the location of the Internet and the router has a barrier such as a wall), Wi-Fi in the 5G band The signal may be weak.
How to set up and connect a router?
28% of respondents said they will not set up a router or set up a router. The reporter browsed Taobao and found that there was a dedicated home setting up of the router service.
In fact, the router setup process is not complicated and is generally divided into three steps: setting the router management password, setting up Wi-Fi, and setting up the Internet.
Before setting up, you must first connect the router's interface. The number and type of router's interfaces are also very important.
In addition to the power interface, most home routers have a WAN port and a LAN port. A WAN port is an interface to an external network, and a LAN port is an interface to an internal network. If your home is using a home network cable, then the WAN port is connected to the network cable, and the LAN port is connected to your computer; if you only use wireless Wi-Fi, then the LAN port will not need to be connected. Many users connect the computer to the WAN port, resulting in the inability to open the router's configuration interface.
Usually these two kinds of interfaces on the router will be identified with two different colors. For example, the TP-LINK and Tenda routers on this test are marked with a blue WAN port, and the 360 ​​security route is marked with a yellow WAN port. It is worth mentioning that, in addition to these two interfaces, Huawei and Xiaomi routers also have a USB interface, which can be connected to an external mobile hard disk. Through computers and mobile phones, they can access files on mobile hard disks to form a home sharing center.
Master the correct posture for placing and using the router
The question that consumers often encounter is: where is the router better placed?
Ordinary consumers can download some mobile phone software that tests the strength of Wi-Fi signals to test the location of the router. In addition, the router should be placed in an open place as much as possible to improve the signal strength. Second, opening a good ventilation position is also conducive to heat dissipation, extending the life of the router.
Do not place the router on the ground, corners, or near metal barriers, such as drawers, set-top boxes, metal shelves, etc. Otherwise, the signal will be reduced or interfered. Second, we must also pay attention to the daily use of the process, in the event of thunderstorms, it is necessary to promptly unplug the router's power and lines.
Of course, the threat of Wi-Fi security should not be taken lightly. Consumers should be alert to strange wireless networks, be cautious when using public wireless networks, and do not log into online banking accounts or perform online transactions such as monetary transactions.
As for users who are afraid of radiation, especially if they have pregnant women in their homes, the reporter found that some routers in the market have also set up a “pregnant women model†specifically. Industry analyst Liang Zhenpeng said in an interview with a consumer report reporter: “There is no need to shut down the router at night. The radiation generated by the router is weaker than the radiation generated by the mobile phone.â€
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