D-Link AirPlus DI-614+

No guarantees
D-Link's service and support package for the AirPlus DI-614+ is better than most. It includes an impressive three-year warranty--with two caveats. First, you must register within 90 days of purchase to activate it. More disappointing, the coverage ignores the all-important AC adapter and cooling fan. If you do encounter problems, the company offers toll-free, 24/7 phone support for the life of the product, as well as manuals, FAQs, and a series of useful training guides via its Web site.

All told, the D-Link AirPlus DI-614+ offers an innovative design, airtight security, features galore, and excellent performance. It'd be a shoo-in for both home and office use if its range and warranty didn't fall short; but if you can tolerate or work around these flaws, it's otherwise a strong product.

--By Brian Nadel

Throughput tests Measured in Mbps (longer bars indicate better performance) Chariot Ethernet    Chariot 802.11b    22Mbps mode

D-Link AirPlus DI-614+ router 91.5  4.8  6.3  SMC Barricade wireless broadband router 88.3  4.9  Netgear MR314 cable/DSL wireless router 88.3  4.9  Belkin wireless cable/DSL gateway router 79.5  4.9

 

Response time Measured in milliseconds (shorter bars indicate better performance)

Belkin wireless cable/DSL gateway router 4.0  Netgear MR314 cable/DSL wireless router 4.0  SMC Barricade wireless broadband router 4.0  Orinoco BG-2000 broadband gateway 3.0  D-Link AirPlus DI-614+ router 2.0

 

How we tested For practical-throughput tests, CNET Labs uses NetIQ's Chariot software as its benchmark. For wireless testing, the clients and access points are set up to transmit at short ranges and at maximum signal strength. CNET Labs' response-time tests are also run with Chariot software using the TCP protocol. Response time measures how long it takes to send a request and receive a response over a network connection. Throughput and response time are probably the two most important indicators of user experience over a network.