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CNET editors' rating:
3.0 stars
Good
Detailed editors' rating - Average user rating: 2.5 stars out of 5 reviews
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Product summary
The good: The D-Link N 650 router is easy to set up and offers a huge range of configuration options, and it beat the competition in both mixed mode and long range throughput.
The bad: The router fell short on maximum throughput, and its warranty pales in comparison to those of Linksys and Belkin.
The bottom line: Though inconsistent, the D-Link N 650 router performed admirably overall compared to its Draft N competition. Still, we are unimpressed with how it measures up to the promise of 802.11n. Pass on this for now; in fact, pass on all Draft N routers until the spec is finalized.
CNET editors' review
- Reviewed on: 07/20/2006
Design-wise, the D-Link N 650 router is fairly standard. D-Link uses a three-antenna configuration, mounted on a black-and-silver box. All three antennas can be bent or pivoted to maximize signal strength. The back of the router offers up the standard ports: four LAN ports for hardwired connections; a USB port; a WAN port for connecting the router to a modem; and a power jack, as well as a pinhole reset button. The front edge houses the standard LEDs to indicate power and network activity, but after experiencing the user-friendly display on the Belkin N1 router, the status quo feels sorely lacking. On the upside, the D-Link router does come with a stand for orienting the router on one of its narrow edges, as well as a wall-mounting kit, which can help you both better utilize your space and maximize your router's signal.
Setting up the D-Link N 650 router is straightforward. As with all currently available routers, newbies should first run the included CD, which will walk you through all the steps, from plugging in the cables to powering on and configuring network settings. Old hands can simply connect the cords, power up, and point their browser to the provided default IP address to access the router's configuration utility. For additional assistance, a 90-page electronic manual (on the CD) walks you through every step of the setup-and-configuration process and even talks about using Windows' ZeroConfig utility instead of D-Link's proprietary utility.
As far as security goes, D-Link has done away with the WEP option altogether, offering only WPA and WPA2 security. (As far as we know, the D-Link Draft N router is the only one without WEP support.) If you have an older adapter that doesn't support WPA encryption, you'll have to download a driver and perhaps firmware, as well, for the adapter in order to use it with the D-Link router (or buy a new adapter). One of the nice touches in D-Link's configuration utility is that it translates techspeak into plain English. For example, instead of just giving you the option to turn off SSID broadcasting, it explains what SSID broadcasting is so that you know why you're doing it. Other options include access controls (based on date/time, sites, or applications); a policy wizard that lets you dictate who can access what and when; port-forwarding rules; an SPI firewall; MAC filtering; and DMZ support, among others.
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- Average user rating: 2.5 stars out of 5 reviews
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