Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I like this product because of the following ..., September 4, 2003
1) 256-bit WEP with other D-Link adapter cards. (The other brands have 128-bit as the highest encryption). Plus enabling this level of WEP doesn't effect speed performance like other brands do.2) MAC Filtering. I can restrict which actual adapters can connect to my network, wired or wireless. The advantage is clear for wireless, but the advantage for wired is in case someone brings a laptop with a wired adapter. They can't just sit down and plug in, they need permission first. 3) Setup/Configuration is a snap. You just login with your web browser and click on what you want. It is very clearly laid out and easy to navigate. 4) You can disable SSID broadcast, you have been able to for a long time. You can also turn off the wireless portion of this router so that when you aren't using it, or say are going on vacation you know you are safe from those pesky wardrivers. (eventhough the MAC filtering and 256-bit WEP should be enough) 5) The 802.11b+ speeds. a.k.a. 22Mbps - plus 4x mode. With these enabled and with your D-Link wireless adapter card (DWL-650+ and other + products) I can get 10Mbps raw data transfer speeds. Most 802.11b networks can only achieve 5Mbps if they are performing optimally. 6) The range on this router/AP is plenty adequate. In my 1500 sq ft home I get almost full coverage with my AP in a central location away from most electronic devices. There are only certain places where I don't get signal, but lets just say I get the signal where I need it. I can be outside on the porch, in the bathroom, in any of the bedrooms, kitchen, parts of the den, and so on. 7) The combination of this firewall, smart downloading, and windows updates keeps me virus free. Overall I feel very safe, very comfortable and very free to roam the house with my laptop. Plus my other PCs are safe and work fine. I've had this router for about a year with no problems and upgrading is always fun since D-Link is either fixing bugs, adding more speed, or more features with every upgrade. Only you can decide for yourself which router you get, but for this price and you get all this I'd say your search is over.
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26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Router 4 stars, documentation 2 stars, December 3, 2002
I purchased the D-Link AirPlus DI-614+ based on rebates from Dlink and my need for a wireless connection. I found setup to be a breeze from the router's side, but the wireless PCI NIC was much more work. Out of the box, both worked, but my speeds were low and I knew I had no security. On to configuration as wireless is inherently insecure. I played with the settings and read the manual to try and make sure 3 things happened: I wanted encrypted data, connection speeds of 22 Mbps and I do not want my neighbors piggybacking on my connection or into my LAN. I achieved all, but with some work and technical knowledge. The problem is that many manufacturer have moved to manuals with simple definitions of features, not detailed information about configuration. I suppose they know we rarely read them. I network Windows 2K daily, but I think others might have some difficulty configuring the advanced (necessary) features of this device. Many may not even think about security issues since it will work out of the box more or less, which will leave them open. DLink does not stress the need for security and does not explain clearly how to implement it. There is another reviewer who previously said you cannot keep your neighbor out of your LAN. This is not true as you can keep you SSID from being broadcast or use encryption to only allow your computers to connect. I tested this and verified with D-Link tech support (replied by email overnight!). He was right that they do not implement it in the same way they use to or how he wants it, but the capability is there. It again is just not done in a straightforward manner. This router also has four ports for wired access as well, so I also hooked up my other PC. Now that everything is set up, I love it. The problem I find with this and other home NAT routers is that the manufacturers put many features in the routers, but supply poor assistance and explanation in configuration. The web interface for this device is not as clear or as well organized as others and the manual is mostly definitions. This means a less technical person will spend a good deal of time setting security and may not get the 22 Mbps promised. Since this sells in Best Buy and here at Amazon.com for the standard user, more step by step instructions would help on the setups that require multiple field configurations. Overall, this is a very good product that I found works great once configured. I am not sure you will get much better in other brands. I have used Linksys, Siemans and Belkin routers and they all have some level of limited documentation and funky interfaces. PCWorld verified the 22 Mbps speed of this device and with 256 bit encryption the D-Link AirPlus DI-614+ begins to stand out among the rest.
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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
VPN, Gaming, File Sharing, XP, 22Mbps, they all work!, December 3, 2002
I have had minor hang-ups since I bought this router. I bought it to be able to handle my VPN connections, my kids' gaming habits, file sharing programs, and all on wired OR wireless. These have all been working great for me. It is hard to believe that others are having so much trouble. Everything I've thrown at this thing it can handle.My wireless connection is great, right now we only have one laptop that can take advantage of the wireless but when a buddy comes over, or when we get more laptops I will be ready. The 22Mbps only works with other D-Link products of course, but you can buy them in a bundle. I have a DWL-650+ in my laptop and it gets constant 6-7Mbps when I am on the same floor as the DI-614+. When I am upstairs I get about 3-4Mbps. This is perfect because our ISP only gives us 1.5Mbps speeds. Setting everything up was fairly simple since all the features are right there in this one box. We all run Windows XP and which only made setting this up even easier. From within the web based configuration I was able to open specific ports to allow certain PC games and file sharing programs to work properly. There are even preset firewall rules that allow you to play MSN Game Zone and more, all you have to do is enable them. Another plus is that I can set up "Parental Controls" to disallow certain websites from showing up on my kids' computers. I can do this by entering in keywords I find inappropriate into the parental control area. This router continues to work flawlessly to this day.
Our family isn't exactly novices when it comes to utilizing a router for all its uses but we sure are taking advantage of what this router can do. I am very impressed and somewhat proud that I can get this one product to do so much for us and at such a low price. This is definitely a great value.
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