Tenda AC5 v3 5 GHz router review, is it worth it?

The Tenda AC5 v3 (AC5V3) router released in 2019. It is powered by Realtek RTL8197FH @ 1 GHz chipset, 32 MB of RAM and 8 MB of flash. The AC1200 router is compatible with IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac standards, and the maximum speed that you can get with AC5 v3 is 300 + 867 Mbps. The router has 1 x 10/100 Mbps WAN and 3 x 10/100 Mbps LAN ports.

The AC5 v3 is a popular router that offers an exceptional networking experience with its advanced features and cutting-edge technology. Tenda typically provides warranties for their products, offering peace of mind and protection against manufacturing defects.

Table of contents:

• Tenda AC5 v3 specifications
• Tenda AC5 v3 pictures

Tenda AC5 v3 (AC5V3) specifications

Body

If you plan to move or travel frequently and need to take your router with you, the dimensions become important for portability. Smaller and more compact routers are generally easier to transport, while larger routers with external antennas or multiple ports may be bulkier and less convenient to carry.

System

The Realtek RTL8197FH @ 1 GHz CPU provides processing power to handle various tasks and services within the AC5 v3 router. The 32 MB of RAM enables the router to handle multiple tasks and processes concurrently. It allows for the efficient switching and allocation of resources among different processes running on the router, facilitating multitasking and ensuring smooth operation. The flash memory in a Tenda router is different from the volatile memory (RAM) that is used for temporary storage of data while the router is powered on. Flash memory of the AC5 v3 retains its data even when the router is powered off, allowing the router to maintain its firmware and configuration settings across reboots.

To upgrade the firmware of the AC5 v3 router, you typically need to visit the manufacturer's website, locate the specific model of your router, and download the latest firmware version provided. The firmware upgrade process may vary depending on the router model, but it often involves accessing the router's web-based administration interface and uploading the downloaded firmware file. The Tenda packages the AC5 v3 router with 9 V / 1 A PSU. A good PSU is an essential component of a computer or electronic device that converts electrical power from an outlet into the appropriate voltage and current required to power the internal components of the device.

Network

Like many modern routers, the Tenda AC5 v3 supports a variety of features and technologies to enhance your network connectivity and security. The IPv4 uses 32-bit addresses, represented as four sets of numbers separated by periods (e.g. 192.168.0.1). The AC5 v3 router also supports IPv6 protocol, allowing you to utilize the latest version of the Internet Protocol. The LAN ports are physical connectors on a AC5 v3 router that allow you to connect devices to your local network using Ethernet cables.

WAN ports are used to connect the router to your internet service provider (ISP). They typically use Ethernet cables or fiber optic connections to establish a high-speed link between your local network and the wider internet. The AC5 v3 is equipped with Fast Ethernet WAN port, which have a maximum speed of 100 Mbps.

Wireless

The 4 x 6 dBi, fixed antennas of AC5 v3 influence the quality and stability of the Wi-Fi signal. A properly positioned and well-designed antenna can minimize interference and signal degradation, leading to a more reliable and stable connection. This router is 2.4 GHz capable. The 2.4GHz band refers to the portion of the radio spectrum between 2.400 and 2.4835 gigahertz. This frequency range is unlicensed and globally available for various wireless applications, including Wi-Fi.

This router is 5 GHz capable. The 5GHz band provides faster data transfer speeds compared to the 2.4GHz band. This is primarily because the 5GHz band has more available channels and less interference from other devices like microwaves or cordless phones. The AC5 v3 Wi-Fi router offers fast data transfer speeds, suitable for demanding applications like streaming HD or 4K video, online gaming, and large file transfers.

The AC1200 is a performance indicator that represents the router's theoretical maximum speed. The theoretical maximum speed (300 + 867 Mbps) represents the highest data transfer rate that the router is capable of achieving under ideal conditions. The TX power of AC5 v3 can be adjusted by the user or set automatically by the router firmware. Higher TX power values indicate stronger signal transmission, which can result in a larger coverage area.

The AC5 v3 router offers several security protocols: WEP, WPA, WPA2, WPS. The WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) was the first security protocol for Wi-Fi networks but is now considered weak and easily compromised. It uses a static encryption key and has known vulnerabilities, so it is no longer recommended for securing Wi-Fi networks. The WPA2 (Wi-Fi Protected Access 2) was introduced as an improvement over WEP and provides stronger security. If WPA3 is not available, WPA2-Personal with AES encryption is still considered secure.

The AC5 v3 router offers WPS. The WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) provides a simplified and convenient method for connecting devices to a Wi-Fi network. Instead of manually entering the Wi-Fi network name (SSID) and password, users can use the WPS feature to establish a connection with the push of a button or by entering a PIN. The Tenda AC5 v3 router is capable of creating a guest network. Guests connected to the guest network usually have limited access to network settings and configurations. They are typically restricted from accessing devices connected to the primary network, such as printers, network-attached storage (NAS), or other shared resources.

Connectivity

The AC5 v3 router doesn't have file-server or print-server functionality.

Administration

The default IP address of this router is 192.168.0.1. Explore the router's configuration interface to access more advanced settings such as port forwarding, DHCP settings, parental controls, firewall settings, and QoS (Quality of Service) settings. Regularly changing the password is a good security practice to protect your network and devices from unauthorized access. It is also recommended to use strong, unique passwords for other devices and online accounts connected to your network for enhanced security. By changing the default password, you improve the security of your router and reduce the risk of unauthorized individuals gaining control over your network. It helps prevent unauthorized access to your router's settings, network configurations, and sensitive information.

The specifications above are based on the official data published by the manufacturer, but we also take user reviews into consideration. If you found an error or something lacking in the specifications above for the Tenda AC5 v3, then don’t hesite and signal the problem to us.

Tenda AC5 v3 (AC5V3) pictures

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