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Dlink

Wireless networking vendors turn Wireless-N up a notch

Before I begin, let me say this one more time: The 802.11n wireless specification (or Wireless-N, which is currently still in draft state and therefore is also known as Draft N) is a wireless networking standard that offers speeds up to 300Mbps. That is a lot faster than the previous and popular specification 802.11g (or Wireless-G) that caps out at 54Mbps. Wireless-N is backward compatible with Wireless-G devices, meaning they can be connected to Wireless-N networks at 802.11g speed.

Now that, though confusing, is all common knowledge. What's not commonly known is that wireless vendors are … Read more

D-Link DIR-685: When wireless routing is just part of the job

During 2008, I complained about all of D-Link's wireless routers, such as the DIR-825 or the DIR-855 because of their common, old-school, bulky designs. Thursday, however, I was more than impressed by the all-new Xtreme N Storage DIR-685 wireless router.

It's possibly the first router that really offers a lot more than just routing.

First off, the DIR-685 is the first router from D-Link I know of that features the internal antenna design, which is not new, as Linksys and Netgear have done this for a long time. Nevertheless, the DIR-685 is now much more compact and eye-catching … Read more

D-Link announces surveillance-centric NAS servers

The first NAS server I've run into that features a surveillance system is the Synology DS107+, and I was very impressed. Thursday, D-Link announced two NAS servers that work more like Internet-based surveillance products--or network video recorders (NVRs)--than storage devices. They are the DNS-722-4 and the DNS-726-4.

Both products are based on D-Link's two-bay network-attached storage (NAS) device technology, such as that used in the DNS-323. The DNS-726-4 NVR Pro version works with D-Link, as well as Axis, Sony, and Panasonic network cameras, while the DNS-722-4 NVR works only with D-Link network cameras.

There's one more … Read more

D-Link debuts USB-powered monitor

It's been just two days at CES, and I am already very tired of Alt-Tabbing and looking at my Dell XPS 1330's little screen. I sorely miss my Dell 30-inch UltraSharp LCD at home. Bragging aside, it's really hard to work with multiple little windows on a little screen, especially when I need to look at more than one of them at a time.

For this reason, I was psyched to run into D-Link's newest invention: the SideStage.

Basically, it's a 7-inch LCD monitor that you can plug into your computer via a USB port. … Read more

Unisys to take care of D-Link customers

I've reviewed multiple wireless routers from D-Link. Part of the reviewing process involves "trying out" the support service of the vendor, and so far, I've been happy with D-Link's customer support, which just got a boost.

The company on Monday announced a partnership with Unisys Corporation to power its D-Link Care Support Packages--a flexible set of hardware maintenance services.

Unisys--a global information technology services and solutions company--will provide service logistics and maintenance services for D-Link network device customers in North America. The support packages start at $49.99 and offers end-to-end networking and equipment … Read more

D-Link takes wireless-n access points to work

D-Link is going to the office. The company announced on Monday its first wireless-n access points for small to medium businesses. The APs offer a much larger coverage area, as well as better bandwidth, than those designed for home users.

The new APs include the AirPremier N Dual Band Access Point DAP-2590 and the Dual Band Access Point DAP-2553. They support 5GHz and 2.4GHz frequencies, as well as multiple wireless standards (a, n, and g). They also have Power over Ethernet (PoE) capability.

PoE lets the device draw power directly from the network cable and therefore be mounted where … Read more

D-Link networks routers' USB ports

I reviewed D-Link's DIR-855 wireless router recently, and complained that it didn't offer NAS or print-serving capability. On Wednesday, the company fixed that by introducing the Xtreme N Dual Band Gigabit DIR-825.

Like the DIR-855, the DIR-825 is a true dual-band gigabit router, meaning it can spontaneously offer Wireless-N signals in both 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequencies. The DIR-825, however, comes with SharePort technology, which allows for turning the USB port of the router into a virtual-network USB port that supports external hard drives for NAS functionality and other USB devices, such as printers.

The new router also … Read more

D-Link thinks green for new wireless routers

D-Link claimed today to be the first company to offer green Wi-Fi home networking. While the "first" notion of the claim is debatable--I've seen routers from other vendors with an eco-friendly design--the green aspect is more than welcome.

The company said its green initiative that adds eco-friendly features to the Xtreme NT line of wireless routers could reduce the devices' power consumption by 40 percent without sacrificing performance.

These new features cut down the power usage by automatically detecting link status and network cable length then adjusting the power accordingly. The new routers also feature Wi-Fi … Read more