Trendnet TEW-687GA 450Mbps Gaming Adapter

Trendnet’s 450Mbps TEW-687GA
gaming adapter is, in a word, fast.
And, in another word, simple.
The adapter—really a network bridge—
has a network port that allows you to add
one Ethernet-ready device to the wireless
network. The idea is that one uses an
Ethernet cable to connect the adapter to a
gaming console, computer, DVR, or other
Ethernet-enabled device; the adapter then
connects to your wireless network, bridging
the two networks.
Here’s the simple part: With WPS (Wi-Fi
Protected Setup), you don’t have to worry
about handshaking, sorting out security
protocols, and other tedium. (Nothing you
can’t handle, but who wants to spend 20
minutes setting it up?) It just works. Press
the WPS button on the router (in this case
a 450Mbps Trendnet TEW-691GR), and

Specs: Connectivity: Ethernet, wireless
2.412GHz to 2.472GHz with MIMO;
Security: WPA2; Wireless data rate: up to
450Mbps; Setup: WPS, with browser-based
management; LEDs: Power, LAN, wireless;
Dimensions: 5.3 x 2.4 x 4.6 inches (HxWxD);
Warranty: 3-year limited

then press the WPS button on the adapter.
In 30 seconds, everything is connected. And
it reconnected with no problem, even when
we unplugged the adapter, moved it around,
and attached it to different devices.
And here’s the fast part: When paired
with a compatible router, the TEW-
687GA consistently breaks the 150Mbps
barrier, even on a network with legacy
devices running on it. We regularly got
internal speeds of 200Mbps or more. And
regardless of the mode in which we were
running (n-only, b/g-only, mixed), we
essentially doubled the internal speed of
any device we connected to the adapter, as
long as it was paired with the compatible
router (which, at the time of this writing,
was the TEW-691GR).
If you can get your hands on a
compatible router, give the TEW-687GA
a shot. You’ll get speeds that are plenty
good enough for most gaming and video
streaming applications.