D-Link DI-704P 4-port 10BaseT/100BaseTX Broadband Gateway with Print Server

by D-Link

Product Details

Product Manual [4.40mb PDF]

• Item Weight: 10.6 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B000062X36
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: March 5, 2002

Product Description

The DI-704P broadband router is a cost effective solution giving you the privilege of sharing your printer on the network without the need to purchase another print server. The router has a built-in 4-port switch plus a parallel port to share a printer. It has MAC filtering to allow you to allow or deny computers on the network access to the Internet. The router also serves as a firewall along with Network Address Translation which allows you to share a single IP address to protect you from outside intruders gaining access to your private network. The DI-704P includes a new, easy-to-use web based graphical user interface to easily configure the router the way you want it to be.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good router & print server for cable modem., November 9, 2002

By 

"acdc36" (Redfield, SD United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: D-Link DI-704P 4-port 10BaseT/100BaseTX Broadband Gateway with Print Server (Personal Computers)

I purchased a refurbished model for around [$$$] and everything was in perfect order. The old admin password had already been removed so there was no problem accessing configuration.

The D-Link DI-704P is very easy to hook up. I especially like the idea of having all the wiring in back and the LED's in front. As far as documentation; it is all included on the cd in pdf format. I suppose this keeps the cost down.

Getting things up and running took about half an hour, mostly because of one small undocumented glitch. It just would not connect. The problem was easily solved after reviewing the FAQ's on D-Link's web site. All I had to do was run winipcfg and release the current settings, then renew. After that just power down everything (computer, router, cablemodem). Then power the cablemodem back up and let it cycle through its procedures; power on the router; then the computer. All works perfect.

One of the main reason for choosing this unit was the print server feature. The software installed flawlessly, and reconfiguring my printer to direct it towards the D-Link print server was easy (HP DeskJet 420). Printing functions normally, so now my computer does not have to be on 24/7 to act as the print server.

I rate this product 5 stars for value and performance, but minus one star because the faq answer should have been included in the original documentation. So maybe a 4 1/2 star rating is more appropriate.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nice Router for Cable/DSL ... needs improved documenation, March 25, 2002

By 

Daniel Boulais (Texas United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: D-Link DI-704P 4-port 10BaseT/100BaseTX Broadband Gateway with Print Server (Personal Computers)

I compared the Linksys, Netgear and D-Link products ... and bought the D-Link 704-P because it had the lowest price. Given my experience ... I would do the same again. I might tell a non-technical person to stay away from this but from what I've heard the other products that compete with this one are not that much better in terms of their documentation and ease of use. I'm a Computer Consultant, very familiar with networking, securiy, TCP/IP, etc. Overall I've been happy ... however there are some areas that need improvement, mostly around documentation.

DOCUMENTATION/SUPPORT - The Quick Reference Guide (the only written documentation) needs some work. It is not very intuitive and I think difficult to understand for a non-technical person. The User Guide (on the CD or Website) goes one step further ... but still leaves me starving for more technical details. Their support web site doesn't help much more than the User Guide to answer my questions. I haven't tried to call their tech support yet as my router is working fine and I only have questions to satisfy my curiosity at this point.

ROUTER/SWITCH - This works fine. I basically plugged it in to my cable modem (AOL Cable Service provided by Road Runner) and it worked fine. I didn't have to clone the MAC address although that functionality is available if needed. DSL (PPPoE) compatibility is also available. The 10/100 LED for each port, shows if you have a 10mbit or a 100mbit connection (if it's lit you have 100mbit, if it's not lit you have a 10mbit). I haven't found this documented anywhere clearly, but verified after experimenting.

PRINT SERVER - My multifunction printer is not compatible .. no big deal for me. Check the compatibility list (on their website) before buying if this is important to you.

SECURITY - No security system is 100% fool-proof, however that is no excuse for not having security. If you have Cablemodem/DSL and no other security, get a Router with NAT or at least some firewall software to protect your PC. The NAT feature on this router requires no configuration ... most people don't even need to understand it. It provides a good base level of security although I recommend using something like Zone Alarm (free download off web) as well. The combination of those two things should provide sufficient security for most people, assuming you have a clean system to start (i.e. no viruses or trojan horses). It would be nice if this router had some logging capability both to provide auditability (for better security) and also to aid troubleshooting those applications that require complex TCP/IP connections. What I really wanted was a Router with NAT, Stateful Inspection and Intrusion Detection .. but I couldn't justify spending another $100 for that.

RELIABILITY - No problems (keep in mind this is my only experience with D-Link and I've only had the device for about 1 month).

DESIGN - Nice design, aesthetically pleasing. No moving parts, just keep it away from heat and any interference.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good Customer Service; Print Server feature is not useful, March 20, 2002

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: D-Link DI-704P 4-port 10BaseT/100BaseTX Broadband Gateway with Print Server (Personal Computers)

We bought this router because it was well rated on other sites, and one of the few in this price range with an integral print server. Network installation & configuration was fairly easy, but only because Tech Support is now available 24/7. The manual left out a key step, but Tech walked us through it. Neither of our printers would work through the print server... a major disappointment. Tech Support said they are not on their "Compatible" list, and although there are going to be firmware updates, they will not address these incompatabilities. One of our printers is an HP DeskJet 970... how can such a popular printer be incompatible? ADVICE: Call first to check if yours is compatible: 1-800-758-5489