Today I will introduce you to Tenda AC5 router. I am sure that this device will surprise you not only with its performance and functionality, but also with its price. By tradition, first I will make a small overview of this router, and then I will show the process of connecting and configuring Tenda AC5. If you have already purchased this router and want to set it up faster, or if you have any difficulties with setting up, then skip to the second part of this article. And if you are just choosing a new router for yourself, then you can familiarize yourself with the characteristics, features and see a photo.
After setting up Tenda AC5 and a little testing of this router, I realized that the first thing I want to highlight is the convenience of configuration and management. Not only is the router's web interface itself made very convenient, and it is possible to change the language to English, Russian and Ukrainian, so Tenda has also developed a very convenient, simple and functional application "Tenda Wi-Fi". With which you can literally set up a new router in a few clicks and control its functions via your phone or tablet. We will return to the application later in this article.
As for the technical characteristics of Tenda AC5, I would single out a powerful processor. This model is powered by a Realtek processor with a frequency of 1 GHz. Believe me, this is very important. After all, the performance of the router depends on the processor. How well will it handle loads, will it cut speed when connecting a large number of devices, etc.
There is support for two ranges. This means that the router can distribute the network at 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. Supports 802.11ac Wave 2.0 and MU-MIMO technology. Due to this, the network bandwidth increases several times. The router can communicate with multiple devices at the same time. And not in turn, as on routers without MU-MIMO support. With Beamforming + technology, Tenda AC5 optimizes the wireless signal to maximize coverage.
Other characteristics and features:
- Wireless speed up to 1200 Mbps (therefore AC1200). Up to 300 Mbps for the 2.4 GHz band and up to 867 Mbps for the 5 GHz band.
- The speed of WAN and LAN ports is up to 100 Mbps.
- 4 external 5 dbi antennas.
- IPTV support.
- A separate button on the Tenda AC5 case to disable the Wi-Fi network.
- Auto clone PPPoE settings from your old router.
- Possibility to turn off LED indicators.
- Management via the "Tenda Wi-Fi" application. Not only locally, but also via the Internet.
- Different operating modes: router, repeater, access point.
The performance of the Tenda AC5 router should be enough for 10-15 active clients without any problems, for watching videos in 4k format, online games, downloading torrents and other heavy tasks. This means that it can be recommended not only for a private house or apartment, but also for small offices.
Tenda AC5 router review
The first thing I noticed was the very thin box. As for a router. Everything is packed very compactly. You can see the box in which Tenda AC5 is delivered in the photo at the beginning of the article.
In addition to the router itself, the kit includes a power adapter, a network cable and instructions. The entire router is made of black plastic. The antennas are also black, not removable. But they do fold, since the router can be hung on the wall. There are holes at the bottom. Notice the interesting texture of the bezel.
There are indicators on the front. They burn in blue. Let me remind you that you can turn them off if necessary.
All buttons and ports are located at the back. 1 WAN port, 3 LAN, WPS / Reset button (one press - activate WPS, long press for more than 8 seconds - reset settings) and Wi-Fi on / off button to turn off the wireless network. Well, the power connector.
The case is not glossy, so it is unlikely that any scratches or fingerprints will be visible on it. There are holes on the sides and bottom for cooling the device.
Setting up Internet connection and Wi-Fi network on Tenda AC5
Connect power to the router. Connect a cable from your ISP or modem to the WAN port.
If you will configure from a computer, then connect it to the router using a network cable.
Or connect via Wi-Fi network. The factory settings are network without a password. Its name (SSID) is indicated on the bottom of the router.
To reset the settings on Tenda AC5, you need to hold down the WPS / Reset button for 8 seconds. All indicators will turn on, turn off and the router will reboot.
Make a Reset if the router was previously configured, you have problems connecting, or entering the settings.
To open the web interface (settings page), you need to go to the address in the browsertendawifi.com, or 192.168.0.1... Read more in the article on how to enter the settings of the Tenda router. If the page with the settings does not open, then see the article: does not go into the settings of the router to 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1.
If all is well, then a page will appear where you need to click on the "Start" button.
And if the cable is connected to the WAN port, the router will prompt you to select the type of Internet connection. These are very important settings, you should know exactly what type of connection your ISP is using. And does it bind by MAC address. I have a "Dynamic IP", nothing needs to be configured there.
And if you have PPPoE, PPTP, L2TP, then you will need to specify at least a username and password there.
Automatic copying of PPPoE settings.
You can try copying all settings from your old router. Turn on both routers and connect them with a network cable. On the old cable in WAN port, and on the new one in LAN... And when the WAN and LAN indicators are on (not blinking) for 3 seconds, the settings are copied. Disconnect everything and connect the Internet to Tenda AC5.
An interesting and useful function, but it can only be used when replacing an old device with a new one.
Check all the parameters, if necessary, check them with the provider and only then continue the configuration.
At the next stage, you need to set (change) the name of our Wi-Fi network, set a password for Wi-Fi and a password that will protect the settings of the router.
The settings will start saving and a message should appear asking you to connect to the Wi-Fi network with a new name. The 5GHz Wi-Fi network will have the same name, only at the end with "_5G".
We reconnect (if we configure it via Wi-Fi) and check if the Internet is working. To re-enter the settings at tendawifi.com, you will need to enter the password we have set. Administrator password.
I have a simple password, but I recommend that you set a more complex one. Just write it down.
The control panel page with the connection status looks like this:
We have already completed the main settings, the Internet is working through the router, and we have configured the Wi-Fi network. I think there is no particular need to consider all the settings. Moreover, everything is well designed there, and it will not be difficult to find the desired function.
Configuration and control from a phone or smartphone via the "Tenda Wi-Fi" application
In principle, from the same phone or tablet, you can configure the settings through the browser. But it is much more convenient to do this through a proprietary application.
You can install the Tenda Wi-Fi application from the App Store, or Google Play.
We connect our mobile device to the Tenda AC5 Wi-Fi network and launch the application. If the router is not configured at the factory settings, then the quick setup process will begin immediately. It is necessary to specify the parameters of the Internet connection and the Wi-Fi network settings.
We reconnect to the Wi-Fi network (since we changed the name and password) and reopen the application. There should appear a device that we can control. We select it and enter the administrator password (possibly the same as the password of the Wi-Fi network).
The main page displays a list of connected devices.
I really liked the application. You can, for example, click on a certain device and limit the speed for it, block it, set up parental controls. And the "Tools" tab contains all the settings. WAN setup, Wi-Fi network, reboot, turn off indicators, Wi-Fi network schedule, blacklist, factory reset, Tenda AC5 firmware update and many other functions.
To control the router via the Internet, you need to click on the icon in the upper right corner, register, and log into your account.
Conclusions
Nice router. If you look at competitors in this price segment (about $ 30), then we will not see routers with such powerful hardware and functionality as Tenda AC5. Let's take the same Beamforming + function. I've only seen it in flagship models from other manufacturers. And the price for them is several times higher (some are almost 10 times more expensive).
Combined with a simple control panel and a cool mobile app, this is a great router option for your home. For many, it is very important that the device is easy to set up. At least with a native language interface.
Be sure to leave your feedback on Tenda AC5 in the comments.
