Tenda's products are not in high demand on the Russian market. It is overshadowed by more well-known brands. However, in the Celestial Empire, this company occupies a leading position. The company owns production facilities, therefore it is an OEM assembler. Also under this brand are produced and their own developments. The main advantage of the product is the price. It is thanks to the low cost that Russian buyers began to pay attention to the products of this brand. In their reviews, the owners talk about the reliability of the devices, which undoubtedly increases the company's reputation.
In the model range there is a Tenda F300 WiFi router. It is intended for home use. Equipped with two antennas to ensure a stable signal. Operates on a 2.4 GHz band. The maximum data transfer rate is 300 Mbps. You can buy it for about 1500 rubles. This router is quite able to interest a certain category of buyers,therefore, its characteristics and features should be considered in more detail.
What's in the packaging?
Like most similar devices, the Tenda F300 router is packed in a regular cardboard box. It has small dimensions, which are literally a few millimeters larger than the dimensions of the router itself. The cardboard is dense, so during transportation, accidental damage to the device is completely excluded. Also, as an increase in protection, the manufacturer used a special substrate with compartments. The packaging design, although not very catchy, is not faceless. The colors chosen are white and orange. They are harmoniously combined, which adds to the attractiveness.
The front panel shows a close-up image of the router itself. The brand name is presented in the upper left corner. The manufacturer indicated in detail the characteristics of the device on the box. Without looking at the instructions, the buyer will be able to find out the types of connections that the device supports, information about compatibility and technologies. Initially, all the inscriptions on the packaging are made in English. However, the Russian buyer is offered a translation of the main characteristics.
In the box, in addition to the router, there is a CD-ROM on which proprietary software is installed, a UTP 5e cable and a power adapter. The buyer is provided with a complete package of documents, consisting of a manual, a certificate and a warranty card. Router warranty service is free for one year from the date of purchase.
Sizes, design, features
The Tenda F300 router is available only with a white plastic case. The surface on the front side is glossy, the rest is matte, the LED bulbs are green. Device weight - 200 g. Dimensions - 17.2×11.1×2.5 cm. There are special holes on the side faces through which air circulates, cooling electronic components.
The manufacturer's logo is printed in large letters on the front of the device. Ten indicators are displayed under it, each of which has its own designation. Thanks to a certain slope of the top cover, these bulbs are clearly visible.
Two antennas are attached to the back of the case. They are non-removable, but rotate 180°. The power of each is 5 dBi. Between the antennas there is a panel with LAN ports (4 pieces) and one WAN (provider cable connection). There is also a connector for a 220V cord and a reset button. The latter is also used to activate the WPS option.
There are four rubber feet on the underside. There are screws underneath. No holes for wall mounting.
Hardware "stuffing"
If you unwind the case of the Tenda F300 router, you can see a PCB board inside. The Broadcom BCM5357C0 chip is located in the center. It is based on the MIPS 74K architecture. Many budget routers are equipped with this processor. Its performance varies depending on the firmware. In this model, the clock frequency of the processoris 300 MHz.
The chip is equipped with a wireless radio module. It provides support for the 802.11n protocol. The module operates at a frequency of 2.4 GHz and a data transfer rate of up to 300 Mbps. The processor also has a controller for five Base-TX (10/100) Ethernet ports.
In order not to increase the cost of the router, the developers deliberately abandoned the passive cooling system, since the processor itself does not heat up much during operation. As mentioned above, the antennas are non-removable. They are fixed directly on the board.
Memory standard - DDR. Volume - 16 MB. Operates at a frequency of 200 MHz. Flash memory storage - 2 MB. Type - Winbond 25Q16BVSIG. Built-in memory is used to store firmware files.
Functionality
Tenda F300 supports all common connection types. We are talking about PPPoE, DHCP, L2TP, IP, PPTP. In addition to the relatively new 802.11n protocol, the device also works well with outdated 802.11b/g. The channel width is selected automatically, but if desired, the user can manually change the value by going to the router menu.
The factory setting for the 2.4 GHz band provides a combined mode of operation. To protect wired and wireless networks, the developers have provided a built-in firewall and encryption mode. The menu also has filtering by MAC addresses, thanks to which you can restrict access to the Internet to third-party devices.
In the reviews, the owners assure that this model is equipped with all the necessarysettings that are quite enough for the average user.
First connection
In order to connect the Tenda F300 (how to set up the device, we will tell you in detail a little later), you do not need to have any knowledge. Even a schoolboy can handle it. The first connection comes down to a few simple steps. First you need to connect all the cables (Internet provider, power and patch cord) to the appropriate ports. After that, directly plug the router adapter into a power outlet. Open any browser on your computer. In the address bar, enter the digital code (router address) - 192.168.0.1. If necessary, enter your username and password. Typically, the default is admin. After these manipulations, access to the wired network is opened. When activating the wireless, you will also need to enter a password. By default, the developers set the digital code - 12345678.
When you connect the device for the first time, a menu immediately opens, prompting you to select the basic parameters for accessing the Internet.
Recommendation
If the buyer purchased a Tenda F300 router with 2013 firmware (version V5.07.46), then it is advisable to immediately update the system. Thanks to this, the user will improve the software part. The firmware is changed only manually, this action does not occur automatically.
In the updated version, the interface is designed to be as convenient as possible. For example, in order to select L2TP and PPTP connections on the Tenda F300, you do not have to carry out complex manipulations, by the way, inwith outdated firmware, it was not so easy to do this.
In general, the setup is quite simple. The menu is intuitive, all information is translated into Russian. If there is a need to reset user settings, then just press the Reset / WPS button and hold it for about 10 seconds until the indicators turn off.
How to set up a Tenda F300 router?
Each owner is interested in how to set up a router. For this, there is no need to invite a qualified programmer. The manufacturer has developed the menu in such a way that the average user can easily cope with the settings. It has already been described above how to connect the device for the first time. By entering the menu, you can change all the parameters and create a wireless network. To do this, it is recommended to use the quick setup wizard. In this mode, only one page opens, on which the main items are displayed.
In order to access the Internet, you will need to select the type of connection. DHCP (Dynamic IP) is enabled by default. If the provider uses just this type, then the user can immediately go to the Security Key tab. It prompts you to set a password for your wireless network (Wi-Fi).
It's a little more difficult to set up a router if the provider uses a different type of connection. For example, the PPPoE protocol. First you need to select it in the list (item Internet Connection Type). After that, enter the login (Username) and password (Password) in the fields. This information is provided by the provider. The setup will complete the creation of a home Wi-Fi network. To do this, go to the Wireless Security Setup tab. Here you need to come up with a password and, if you wish, change the name, then confirm the action by clicking on "OK".
For example, if the user has entered into an agreement with Beeline, then he needs to select the L2TP connection type when setting up the router. After that, the hostname and login with the password are entered, which are specified in the contract.
Change password
When setting up Tenda F300, you may need to change the password set by the developers. As already mentioned, the default is admin. In order to set a user password to enter the interface, you need to go to the advanced settings. Here find the Advanced tab and enter it. Then go to the Tools section. In the menu that opens, click on the Change Password tab. The user opens a form to change the password. First you need to enter the old one, after that you can change the code. The new password must be typed twice. After confirming the action, restart the router.
Tenda F300 reviews
So, having considered the characteristics of this router model, let's summarize. The owners in their comments highlighted the main advantages and disadvantages. As for the latter, they include the lack of the ability to work in the 5 GHz band and support for the 802.11ac standard. However, these disadvantages cannot be called significant, since the device is sold at a relatively low price (about 1,500 rubles).
What are the usersattributed to merit?
- Design.
- Ability to work with any type of connection.
- Stable signal.
- The presence of two 5 dBi antennas.
- Simple interface and easy setup.
- Support 802.11n protocol.
- Price.
