Nowadays, everyone takes it for granted that the Internet is available everywhere – thanks to the increasingly generous mobile packages, this is not only valid in Hungary, but also in all EU countries. However, if you are traveling further afield, there is a good chance that you will have to buy a SIM card or rely on the hotel network, which means that only one device will have an Internet connection. In other words, the problem that needs to be overcome is typically that the Internet arriving on the mobile phone must be shared with the notebook and tablet as well as with the devices of family members. That’s why Cudy created a router that is directly adapted to the needs of travelers: with it, you can share both wired and wireless Internet connections with other devices, and of course you also have the option to create a local network.
Based on its function, the TR1200 is a full-fledged router, but due to its structure, it has a huge advantage, namely that it is also mobile. You can use it even in the soft lap of nature or in a car or train. What is needed in the case of a router in order for the product to be easily portable? Small size, low weight and, of course, the fact that the router does not receive the power it needs to operate from a mains charger, but via a USB connector. The Cudy TR1200 perfectly meets these criteria, as its footprint is smaller than a smartphone (80×118 mm), and its power supply is provided by a standard USB-C port – the connected power source, be it a notebook, power supply or battery, has a current of at least 2 amperes at a voltage of 5 volts must submit.
The orange cover of the router is not only spectacular, but also has an important function: if you use it in nature, it stands out in all kinds of environments, so it is harder to leave it or forget it somewhere. Considering the target audience, the gadget is primarily for wireless connection, but it also has an Ethernet and a WAN port. Their speed is 100 Mbps, which is a perfectly understandable compromise. What’s interesting is that there is also a USB port on the device, which allows you to connect USB storage devices – we’ll get to why this is very useful later. An interesting feature has also reached the left side, namely a physical switch that can be used to turn the VPN service on and off. A V-shaped LED on the front panel shows the current status, the white color indicates proper operation, but if the LED lights up red, there is a setting problem. The WiFi signal strength and quality are guaranteed by two antennas, the position of which can be freely adjusted.
During use
We have had several Cudy routers in the past, so the steps for setting up the router and the user interface did not cause any particular surprises. After starting the router, it automatically creates a 2.4 and a 5 GHz network, you have to connect to it first, or you can also use the Ethernet connection. During the initial settings, among other things, you can choose whether you want to use the TR1200 as a router, access point, WISP router, extender or client, and you can also change the password. Cudy’s previous routers could not yet be controlled with a mobile app, but this shortcoming was rectified, so the TR1200 can even be adjusted from a phone – even remotely thanks to the cloud-based connection. In our case, this also required a firmware update. Updating the firmware is also a good idea, because from now on the online update also works. It is also important to know that the cloud is only an option, if you do not want to use this service, it can be turned off.
We already mentioned above that the router is dual-band; the maximum available speed is 300 MBps on the 2.4 GHz band and 867 MBps on the 5 GHz band. If, on the other hand, the router is powered by a mobile battery or a notebook that you cannot charge at the moment, it is worth considering using only the 2.4 GHz band, as this can reduce consumption.
The gadget is equipped with 128 GB of RAM, so in theory it can serve up to 128 devices in parallel, which is much more than what may be needed in practice – we tested the router with two dozen clients, the 5 GHz network easily coped with the load, On the other hand, at 2.4 GHz, it was already a problem if we watched a YouTube video on 6 devices at the same time. Based on our own measurements, the highest available speed on 5 GHz is around 400 Mbps, while the 2.4 GHz band was capable of 190 Mbps. Of course, the speed strongly depends on the parameters of the connecting client and the distance to the router. At the edge of the maximum range of 150 meters, the bits are understandably trickling down.
Extra services tailored for mobile use
The router has been equipped with several extra functions that will be useful in public networks: the security of our data is protected, for example, by a built-in VPN client, which is compatible with more than fifty service providers. In addition, with ZeroTier, VPN can be used even if the router does not get a public IP address – this is a common problem with hotel internet, for example. The VPN can be activated with the side switch without having to open the user interface, but the latter allows for more detailed settings, among other things, you can even specify which of the connected clients use the VPN connection and which do not. (The side connector can also be disabled by software, but it can also be set to switch on the LED instead of the VPN).
An external data carrier can be inserted into the USB connector, the contents of which can be shared by the router as a basic NAS. This has two meanings. One is that several people can watch movies or listen to music from the USB storage device at the same time, but at least as important is the fact that this makeshift NAS is also perfect for backing up photos and videos taken on vacation.
The router also has full-fledged services in other respects, so you can set up, for example, a guest network, there is QoS, UPnP, USB file sharing can be protected with a password, there is also a firewall, MAC filtering, and even TR069 remote management, but thanks to Mesh, the gadget can also be used to expand the home network. The user interface has also learned Hungarian.
Summary
The Cudy TR1200 is a full-fledged router that, while not a performance champion, doesn’t want to be; instead, it focuses on the fact that if you connect to a public network away from the apartment or to mobile WiFi via a mobile phone, you can share the internet connection with your other devices or create your own local network for them. Protection is guaranteed by a VPN.
Source: geeks.hu
