Per another customer, here's the differences in the Extremes:
The following will likely save you a couple of hours of research...
The DIR-655 is single-band (2.4GHz).
The DGL-4500 is dual-band (2.4GHz and 5GHz), however it only uses one band at a time. You choose which band, manually, in the configuration. It doesn't choose the best band in real-time, or anything like that.
The DIR-855 is dual-band (2.4GHz and 5GHz) and uses both bands at the same time.
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This review is from: D-Link DIR-855 Xtreme N Duo Dual Band Draft 802.11n Media Router (Electronics)
The DLINK DIR-855 router is the best router I have purchased to date. I originally thought I was going to have problems with weak signals and the like, but I found that it was the older hardware that I had trying to connect to it that was the problem. Some of the older technology was having a hard time staying connected if it even saw the router at all.
The router is somewhat easy to configure with the included configuration wizard on the CD. I did this using a Vista PC and did not have any problems. For the more advanced configurations, DLink provides the standard and easy to configure web-based browser access configuration screen.
What is odd is that everything I read touts using the 5Ghz range if you can, but that signal is weaker overall even with newer hardware connecting to it. It is a good 10% less. Regardless, my laptop connected easily enough and reports a full 300MB of throughput. Like I said, I did have some older DLink bridges that I was using to connect to my DGL-4300. At the exact same distance with the DIR-855, one bridge could see the router with a 15% signal and the other couldn't see it at all. I replaced those with the DAP-1522's and all is well now.
For those who want to know, this router does not support WDS which is a dissapointment if you want to use older DLink routers to bridge to this. They state in their forumns that they do not intend to add WDS later.
I work at home and need the bandwidth, so if you do as well, this is a great product and very much recommended.
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This review is from: D-Link DIR-855 Xtreme N Duo Dual Band Draft 802.11n Media Router (Electronics)
This router is awesome. It is faster than anything I have ever used. I have Comcast cable internet service. The setup was a little tricky (using both Vista and XP computers), but I managed to hook it all up. The range is incredible. This replaced a Linksys WRT54GS router with HGA7T antennae, WRE54G range expander, and WPS54G print server. The price is high but it certainly does everything I need it to do, and more.
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This review is from: D-Link DIR-855 Xtreme N Duo Dual Band Draft 802.11n Media Router (Electronics)
If you don't have advanced routing requirements, this will work great for you. The range and speed have been great; no stability issues, etc.
In my case, I needed to add a route to allow local machines to reach another subnet on the internal network. On the router this replaced, it was trivial to create a route on the LAN interface. This router only supports adding static routes on the WAN interface.
This is just silly -- this is one of the most trivial functions a router should be able to do. I contacted D-Link support, and apparently the feature has been removed, and they are trying to find out why.
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This review is from: D-Link DIR-855 Xtreme N Duo Dual Band Draft 802.11n Media Router (Electronics)
I've been through nearly a dozen routers in the last 8 years. Sometimes the updates were for technology changes, but most of the time they were to get away from problems with the previous router. Most recently, I nearly lost my mind with a Netgear Rangemax than constantly dropped connectivity. Since I hooked upthis router, I have been in heaven. With 3 laptops, 1 desktop, a printer, an xbox 360, and a PS3 all hooked up at the same time, I've experienced no loss of connectivity AND, in most cases, no drop in speed. The router IS expensive, but it is DEFINITELY worth it.
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This review is from: D-Link DIR-855 Xtreme N Duo Dual Band Draft 802.11n Media Router (Electronics)
Since the 1.21 firmware release, this router has hung every few days and required a power cycle to reset. Maybe it would be OK if you hook it up to a timer such as Indoor Electronic Programmable Plug-In Timer with Front LCD (High Wattage) that power cycles it daily when you're not using it. I would recommend reading the forum comments on dlink's own web site.
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This review is from: D-Link DIR-855 Xtreme N Duo Dual Band Draft 802.11n Media Router (Electronics)
So I just set up my new router yesterday. We recently got fiber optic internet here locally and this router works AMAZING. In the past I've had Netgear, then a Linksys (which I absolutely hated), then another Netgear, and now a D-Link. I have two routers set up in my home because we have a detached 4 seasons room and one router wont cover that entire area. So I have the Netgear WNDR3300 on the main floor to cover part of that and the 4 seasons room and then the D-Link upstairs on the opposite side of the house. The Netgear is dual band but the N doesnt reach far at all. You can be quite a ways away and still get G but no N. With the D-Link I think I dont think I have ever lost N signal. It has absolutely amazing range. I think if I really wanted to I could have the D-Link centrally located and be able to reach outside without a problem.
I was a little apprehensive at first because it was $270 (I could have bought two more Netgear WNDR3300's for less than that and had the same range) but the D-Link had the USB port so I opted to spend the extra cash so I could have a networked hard drive. I did have an issue with my computer freezing up (running 64 bit Vista Ultimate) when I was trying to install the driver to access the USB. I never got the problem fixed but I plan on calling D-Link tomorrow to see whats going on. That is the only problem I have had. Actually I can safely say that my computer illiterate grandpa could have set up my network yesterday. The installation disc tells you exactly what to do and shows you a picture. So basically if you have no clue what you are doing, you will still probably be just fine hooking this up yourself.
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This review is from: D-Link DIR-855 Xtreme N Duo Dual Band Draft 802.11n Media Router (Electronics)
I recently set up my home wireless system upgrading from a Belkin G to a Netgear Rangemax dual band and it was a complete disaster. Rangemax has known firmware issues that will not allow multiple machines to connect without re-booting and disconnecting every five minutes - customer support for Rangemax was Horrific.
I now set up this DIR-855 and absolutely love it~! At any one point in our network we will have up to three laptops, four desktops and two X-box machines running at the same time and have not experienced any lag or drop in signal using both the N and G channels at the same time.
The boys X-box live experience has improved incredibly. I was worried about trying to find the DMZ or NAT settings on this new unit and have not had to look for them once since the initial set up.
Easy to install, fast and maintains a solid connection.
The only drawback that I can find in this system is that the N channel is weaker than I had expected. One desktop machine is through two walls and about 50ft from the router and the best I can pull is a "fair" connection at about the same speed I can link to the G channel. Machines that are less than 30ft and have only one wall to go through seem to consistently receive 80mbs according to the network connection status on the machines.
For X-Box Live Gaming this router is excellent and feel very good about spending the additional money for a quality piece of equipment.
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This review is from: D-Link DIR-855 Xtreme N Duo Dual Band Draft 802.11n Media Router (Electronics)
Nice unit. Easy to install. Not sure the 5Ghz is that useable. I have 7 computers hooking up to the unit around the house. I use the D-Link dual band USB device on two of them. All computers work better on the 2.4GHz band. The signl shows up stronger.
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This review is from: D-Link DIR-855 Xtreme N Duo Dual Band Draft 802.11n Media Router (Electronics)
I had been using this router for about a year and it was a total stud. Great speed, range and reliability ... 2 weeks ago installed the "new" firmware and this router has turned to crap! Poor wireless output, below average speeds and drops at least 3 times an hour. Since my router is part of a home office setup, I have had to junk the 855 and go with an apple time machine. You have been warned!
P.S. I also tried the beta release of the firmware ... crap!
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