TRENDnet Logo

Pei Huang and Peggy Huang founded TRENDnet in Torrance, California, in 1990. At the time, corporate suppliers such as Cisco largely controlled business networking equipment, with high prices and complex installation. The founders focused on affordable networking devices for small businesses and home users, with setups that didn’t require certified IT staff.

In the 1990s, the company sold network adapters, hubs, and cabling under the TRENDware name. For fifteen years, the company marketed its products under the registered TRENDnet trademark, keeping its logo unchanged. In October 2005, management announced a unified identity. On November 1, 2005, the company officially became TRENDnet Inc., with an updated logo and brand communication.

During the 2000s, TRENDnet expanded as mass internet use grew. Its range moved from wired switches to 802.11b and 802.11g wireless routers, media converters, KVM switches, and print servers. The company positioned its products as an accessible alternative to D-Link and Netgear in the consumer and SMB markets. In 2011, the founders received the Torrance Chamber of Commerce’s Distinguished Business Achievement Award.

A major test came from the SecurView IP camera line. Since at least April 2010, the cameras had a software flaw that allowed live video access via IP address without a password. In January 2012, the issue became public when links to nearly 700 camera feeds appeared online. On September 4, 2013, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission settled with TRENDnet, its first IoT enforcement action. The final order of February 7, 2014, required a security program, independent audits every two years for twenty years, customer notice, and two years of free technical support.