D-Link Xtreme N Gigabit Router

Housed in an attractive white case, the D-Link Xtreme N Gigabit Router offers numerous features and substantial performance benefits over my 802.11g control router. The design of the D-Link router is sharp but somewhat unassuming. I liked the setup routine for the most part. The setup was probably the most elegant and inviting that I saw, and I liked that it asked me if I was upgrading as opposed to installing into an environment where there had not previously been a router. However, the router lost points when the setup process stalled when the wizard could not recognize the router strange, as the setup CD came in the same box with that router. In any case, because I had advanced most of the way through the setup, I went directly into the administrative user interface and completed the setup fairly easily.

Using the administrative UI is probably the best way to go anyway, because the UI is not only very sharplooking but also the fastest that I’ve seen. I liked the client utility, as well.

The D-Link scored decent performance results, finishing behind the Linksys but far ahead of the control router and outperforming the MIMO routers in general. Its performance compared to the Netgear router was a little closer than I expected, but this was not a totally surprising result. Like the Linksys router, the Xtreme N Gigabit Router offers Gigabit Ethernet connections as well as a USB port.

In terms of overall score, the D-Link was the top router. It’s loaded with nice features, including the USB connection and the Quality of Service technology that you should expect in draft-n routers, as well as other useful features and good security. As the second most expensive router-card combination, the DLink didn’t win a single category on its own, but it did well enough in each category in turn that it gets the highest score. It’s a good choice for those who can’t wait to go to draft-n.

Features:
The D-Link Xtreme N™ Gigabit Router (DIR-655) is a draft 802.11n compliant device that delivers up to 14x faster speeds* and 6x farther range than 802.11g while staying backward compatible with 802.11g and 802.11b devices. Connect the Xtreme N Gigabit Router to a cable or DSL modem and provide high-speed Internet access to multiple computers, game consoles, and media players. Create a secure wireless network to share photos, files, music, videos, printers, and network storage.

Powered by Xtreme N™ technology and equipped with three external antennas, this router provides superior wireless coverage for larger homes and offices, or for users running bandwidth-intensive applications. The DIR-655 also includes a 4-port 10/100/1000 Gigabit switch that connects Gigabit wired devices for enjoying lag-free network gaming and faster file transfers.

Watch episode on Xtreme N network family delivering faster speeds & farther range for superior home networking. WHY INTELLIGENT QoS IS BETTER With some routers, all wired and wireless traffic, including VoIP, Video Streaming, Online Gaming, and Web browsing are mixed together into a single data stream. By handling data this way, applications like video streaming could pause or delay. With D-Link?s Intelligent QoS Technology, wired and wireless traffic is analyzed and separated into multiple data streams. These streams are then categorized by sensitivity to delay, so applications like VoIP, Video Streaming, and Online Gaming are given priority over Web browsing. This enables multiple applications to stream smoothly to your TV or PC. Watch episode on easy steps to securing your home network

ADVANCED NETWORK SECURITY
The Xtreme N Gigabit Router supports the latest wireless security features to help prevent unauthorized access, be it from over a wireless network or from the Internet. Support for WEP™, WPA™, and WPA2™ standards ensure that you will be able to use the best possible encryption regardless of your client devices. In addition, this Xtreme N router utilizes Dual Active Firewalls (SPI and NAT) to prevent potential attacks from across the Internet. See how the DIR-655 compare with competitors Delivering best-in-class performance, network security, and coverage, the Xtreme N Gigabit Router (DIR-655) is the ideal centerpiece for your wireless network in the home or office.