I ordered this router from Amazon because two WRT160N's from Linksys both locked up within 10-12 hours of use, in spite of directed cooling fans.
This is a very preliminary review that attempts to help solve some problems that might face anyone converting from the popular Linksys routers to this fine piece of equipment from D-Link.
First of all, I never use install software for routers. I configure them manually via the web page. This is where I encountered my first problem (although the included software install utility fell victim to the same issue).
I had my existing machines configured with static IPs. I could not connect to the router from any of them. It turns out the D-Links expect an IP address to be in the range 192.168.0.xxx and not 192.168.1.xxx, during configuration. Until I discovered this little "anomaly", I could not connect to the router's web page. The simple cure to start was to take the computer I was attempting to do the configuration of the router with and let it get its IP address from the router. Immediately I could connect and begin configuring the router. Setup was very easy (Manual). I understand enough networking stuff to configure a router in just a few minutes, and the internal web page layout is intuitive and well described, including excellent help screens, if needed.
For all my machines configured with Static IPs, I had to edit each one from 192.168.1.xxx to 192.168.0.xxx, or none of them would connect. Of course, I could have just let the router assign IPs, but I prefer my own network topology.
If you have other networked devices like Network Drives, etc., be sure to set them to DHCP before changing routers, or you won't be able to access them easily. I had them set for static IPs, and had to spend two hours finding out how to get access to them, because again, they were in the 192.168.1.xxx range. (I had to discover how to reset them to DHCP with special utilities and/or special button presses on a MyBook World 1 TB and Buffalo Pro Duo 1 TB)
Once configured for the service provider's static IP, etc., assignments to me, I was on the net.
Throughput was an issue. I was only seeing about 15 to 20 percent of maximum throughput on G (2.4 gig), and had not tested N (5 gig) yet. Some poking around and I found that QOS was turned on to "Shape" WAN traffic by default. This provides priority to gaming activities (which I have no interest in). By default "Shaping" is on. Doing internet speed testing, I was getting 70 KB/sec downloads and only 9 to 12 KB/sec uploads. I disabled "Shaping" and instantly the speeds were up to snuff. So, a word to the wise...you may want to turn off "Shaping" to start with. The setting is in the Advanced > QOS section in the Web Page setup.
The router's default http address is different from the Linksys. The D-Link uses 192.168.0.1, while the Linksys uses the more familiar 192.168.1.1. Don't forget if you have static IPs on your machine to change them to match the "0" ...leaving them at "1" would not work for me.
Overall setup is a dream. G range is very good. N range and performance have not been evaluated yet. I was especially fond of how easy and intuitive it was to set up port forwarding, and band/performance parameters. Everything made sense, and nothing left me "guessing". I'm using a Netgear USB G adapter and a WGA600N dual band adapter (when I get to the N section). No compatibility problems so far.)
They warn not to configure the router using a wireless connection. Once configured and rebooted, I have found I can go into the router web page any time I like and make edits using a wireless machine.
If N lives up to G, I'll be a very happy camper. I'll submit another review after I do my N evaluation. I'm waiting for a firmware update of another device to be able to test HD Television streaming from an HD Satellite DVR to another sat box. This is a very demanding environment and should be a good test.
Initial Throughput Assessment:
G (2.4 gig) = 2.5 megabytes per second
N (5 gig) = 10.0 megabytes per second
High Definition TV Streaming: N band performance is EXCELLENT at about 30' away, through one wall/window. No halting or other video/audio anomalies. Signal levels near 100% on both N and G.
Throughput measurements done with Linksys WUSB600N Dual Band Wireless N USB Adapter
It is now 2013 and the router continues to work perfectly. I'm sure they don't make it any longer, but I'm not replacing it until if fails. It has been solid as a rock and stable. I can't recall the last time I lost a wireless connection and serving two laptops and four desktops has been no problem for it. It is also connected to two 8 port switches (gigabit)]
Very, very pleased.
There is a newer model of this item:
Customers also search
Page 1 of 1Page 1 of 1
Compare with similar items
 | TP-Link AC1750 Smart WiFi Router (Archer A7) -Dual Band Gigabit Wireless Internet Router for Home, Works with Alexa, VPN Server, Parental Control, QoS | D-Link WiFi Router AC1900 Mesh Internet Network, Smart Home MU-MIMO Dual Band Gigabit Gaming Wireless High Speed (DIR-1950-US) Black | TP-Link AX1500 Smart WiFi 6 Router (Archer AX10) – 802.11ax Router, 4 Gigabit LAN Ports, Dual Band AX Router,Beamforming,OFDMA, MU-MIMO, Parental Controls, Works with Alexa | D-Link WiFi 6 Router, AX1500 Ai Series 802.11AX Smart Home Wireless Internet Gigabit Dual Band Network System (R15) | D-Link WiFi Router AC1200 High Power Gigabit Ethernet Dual Band Mesh Wireless Internet for Home Gaming Parental Control Wi-Fi (DIR-1260) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Customer Rating | (463) | (68555) | (1089) | (7425) | (150) | (159) |
| Price | $32.84 | $53.99 | $43.95 | $39.99 | $49.99 | $49.99 |
| Sold By | NetBetShop | Amazon.com | The Factory Depot | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | JMBO Sales (Fast shipping) |
| Connectivity Technology | Wired, Wireless | Wi-Fi | Ethernet, Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi, Ethernet | Wi-Fi, Ethernet | Ethernet, Wi-Fi |
| Data Transfer Rate | 1 Gb per second | 1750 Mb per second | 1900 Mb per second | 1500 Mb per second | 1500 Mb per second | 867.0 Mb per second |
| Frequency Bands Supported | Dual-Band | Dual-Band | 5 GHz | 5 GHz | — | 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz |
| Item Dimensions | 7.6 x 4.6 x 1.2 inches | 9.59 x 6.32 x 1.29 inches | 7 x 8.5 x 1.75 inches | 10.24 x 4.96 x 1.3 inches | 6.25 x 9.12 x 2.25 inches | 5.39 x 8.07 x 1.81 inches |
| Item Weight | 2.04 lbs | 0.93 lbs | 0.92 lbs | 0.84 lbs | 0.60 lbs | 0.71 lbs |
| Total Ethernet Ports | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 |
| Wireless Communication Standard | 802.11a/b/g/n | 802.11ac, 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n | 802.11ac, 802.11g, 802.11b, 802.11n | 802.11ac, 802.11ax, 802.11n, 802.11b, 802.11g | 802.11ac, 802.11n, 802.11g, 802.11ax | 802.11ac, 802.11b, 802.11n, 802.11g |
Videos
Page 1 of 1Start OverPage 1 of 1
Videos for related products
2:11
Click to play video
D-Link Systems HD Media Router 3000 (DIR-857)
Merchant Video
Videos for related products
0:45
Click to play video
D-Link Wireless AC1900 Dual Band WiFi Gigabit Router (DIR-880L)
Merchant Video
Videos for related products
9:28
Click to play video
Best Wireless Internet Router - TP-Link AC1750 REVIEW
Engineer Tested by Robert Veach!
Videos for related products
2:09
Click to play video
D-Link Systems HD Media Router 2000 (DIR-827)
Merchant Video
Videos for related products
0:56
Click to play video
EAGLE PRO AI D-Link R15 WiFi 6 Router AX1500
D-Link Systems, Inc
Videos for related products
5:23
Click to play video
Top 3 WiFi 6 Routers: Netgear vs TP-Link vs D-Link
Techno Panda Picks
Videos for related products
1:19
Click to play video
TP Link Router- Honest Review
Ponte Family Reviews
Videos for related products
1:49
Click to play video
HD Fuel Video
Merchant Video
Customer reviews
This is just a brief overview of the D-Link DIR-825. It arrived about 48 hrs ago. I had no setup problems what so ever using the setup CD. QoS system works great and greatly improved my Netflix experience on my Xbox 360.I will repost again in a month or so to update.***Many months later without a single power reboot, router working fine at top speed of my ISP (10 Mbps). I've never owned a more reliable router besides my old Linksys WRT54G. Since then I've added a Linksys Wirelss N Dual bridge and a switch at my home entertainment center and has an attached 360, PS3 and Sony Blu Ray player.
Images in this review
