D-Link DIR-655 Extreme-N Gigabit Wireless Router
by D-Link Systems, Inc.
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List Price: Our Price: $73.99 You Save: $51.00 (41%) Availability: Usually ships in 2-3 business days Buy Used: from $44.90 (click here) Category: CE See more product details |
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of D-Link DIR-655 Extreme-N Gigabit Wireless Router
Customer Review: D-Link DIR-655 Extreme N Gigabit Wireless Router
Summary: 5 Stars
When my last router died after less than a year and after everything I went through to install it and its predecessors, I was not looking forward to having to install yet another wireless router. My last router was NOT a D-Link, but the one before this last one was, and they both were a nightmare to install. I'm no computer genius, but I'm not a computer idiot either. I consider myself somewhat above average when it comes to computer and networking knowledge, but still thanks to the experience of the previous two routers, I was not looking forward to having to install yet another one. I imagined hours and hours of cursing, screaming, throwing things, and even more cursing before I came anywhere close to my goal of a stable wireless network in my home. Imagine my surprise, then, when I sat down with my laptop and a cup of coffee in the office, popped in the installation disk, followed the instructions, and BAM! my new network was up and running before my coffee had even cooled enough to do more than sip it. It really was that simple. I think it took me longer to configure the two Windoze 7 computers to the new network than it did to install it (and that was only because it took me a few minutes to figure out that Windoze 7 does not treat hitting "enter" the same as clicking the "okay" button). The range and strength within that range is even better than my previous NetGear router, my DSi and Wii seem to play nicer with the D-Link than they did with the NetGear, and all 4 household computers, with OS's ranging from XP to Vista to Windoze 7, get along quite nicely with the D-Link and subsequently with each other. I can't comment on lifespan as I've only had it a few weeks, but in all other respects, I am very happy with the D-Link. If this one looks like its going to last longer than a year, I might just have to buy a spare to have on hand in case of emergency.Customer Review: easy set-up
Summary: 5 Stars
Being a networking professional and dealing with routers/switches/firwalls/IPS's all day, the last thing I want to do when I get home from work is.... work on another network - even my own.
I had the linksys wrt54GS sitting behind a pix 501 firwall. The linksys was a real pain to set up, with some of the functional descriptions not making a lot of sense to me. I spent several hours very patiently working with someone that does not use English as a native language, and in going through a couple of their technical support people that gave up, I was finally able to get this router to talk to the pix. Linksys may be a cisco company, but it does not integrate well with cisco equipment.
About a year later, the radio in the router developed a problem necessitating a replacement of the router. With 802.11N being close completion, I decided to try one, the reviews for the linksys product looked good but I didn't like the heat issue and didn't want to have to replace it again in the near future. Since my wife works out of our home, it is imperative she have a solid network connection. I tried the D-link 655 and found it a delight to work with. Everything made sense as I worked through the setups (I quickly abandoned the wizards, they are useful if the 655 is connected directly to a broadband modem). Getting it to talk to the pix was dead simple and very straightforward. After reading through the documentation and attempting/abandoning the wizard, I used the manual setups and had a wireless connection to the internet in less than 10 minutes. I will soon be removing the linksys wireless adapter card in my home pc (g model) and trying the d-link n adapter but have confidence it will be an easy install. The only remaining question is how long will this new router last - only time will tell. I will certainly buy a new one if this one fails.
Customer Review: Read this and you're done
Summary: 5 Stars
Why am I writing this, my first product review ever, about a router of all things? Simply because I just was amazed that although I reviewed virtually every single one of the 670 reviews of this product (and plenty of others about other routers), at the end of this process my decision to go with the DIR-655 ended up being a (happily successful) leap of faith.
Here's the bottom line: My computer skills are at the level of comfortably replacing a hard drive or installing a PC card with moderate effort - but I am no expert by any means. After reading the negative reviews of this product (and even worse reviews for others) I was seriously intimidated as I prepared to remove the shrink wrap to attempt to install the DIR-655 - especially because there was a specific review cautioning against using this device with an AT&T modem (which I am currently using).
I'll cut to the chase: it took less than 15 minutes from opening the box to using the device with my Dell netbook, and half that time was spent undoing the "bridge mode" that AT&T told me I had configure before installing the router (this is wrong; placing the modem in bridge mode actually prevents the installation disc from completing the installation process!). Once I was back to on-line mode with my modem, the installation disc did the job FAST and CORRECTLY. The range in my 2-story home is fantastic and I can even use it in my backyard with no hiccups.
Since I paid $79 for the DIR-655 yesterday, spent less than 15 minutes setting it up, and am typing this review from my backyard right now using my new router, I give this device 5 stars. I hope that this review will help others to avoid the 6+ hours of research that I did prior to deciding to try this product. Just go ahead and buy it with confidence right now - it's great.
Customer Review: Easy, Fast and Reliable
Summary: 5 Stars
We are very pleased with this router. The setup was straight forward and took about 20 minutes to configure. It gives a strong connection throughout the house.
We use it to link both a MacBook Pro and a PC (1) to the Internet, (2) to a wireless printer, and (3) to each other through Network Magic. The router is about 18 paces from the MacBook and the printer, and 15 paces from the PC. The MacBook and PC are about 30 paces from each other. All the connections are strong and fast. I do not sense any difference between a wired and a wireless connection.
The instructions were easy to follow. My only hesitation is that it does not seem to support SecureEasySetup (TM) for which my printer instructions gave an option. Nonetheless, I was able to configure my printer using the information that I had recorded when installing the router.
When I visited my parents a month ago, I took the router with me and hooked it directly to my father's modem which gave us wireless access throughout the house. No configuration was necessary for it to work with his modem. I also used it that way in one of the hotels where we stayed on the way.
I bought this router after returning a Netgear router. My MacBook could not run the Netgear setup CD, inspite of instructions saying that it could. And the PC could not properly configure it either. After three hours and many attempts to run the Netgear configuration CD, I returned it to the store where I bought it and ordered this D-Link router. As I said, when the D-Link router arrived, I was able to configure it in 20 minutes and have had no need to look back. It is barely warm to the touch, and by no means hot. It measures about 7.5 x 4.5 x 1.25 inches. Having used it for two months, I can recommend it. It is easy to install, fast and reliable.
Customer Review: great router, easy install
Summary: 5 Stars
i had been frustrated with a badly wired house (100's of feet of network cable all through the attic) and a poor wireless router and not to mention a poor wireless usb adapter too. but this dlink router has made a great difference.
i just got this router last night and was able to set it up and supersede my old wireless belkin router in about 20 minutes. the quick setup install disk was very helpful and intuitive with visual instructions of what to do step by step.
after it was set up and my pc's were online it did take me a few minutes to figure how to forward TCP and UDP ports for my eMule application, but after maybe 10 minutes of trial and error eMule was up and running.
the range seems to be very good for our rental house of 2100 square feet. both the computers that are linked to it are behind walls and doors and one is on the other side of the house. btw, it helps to have good wireless USB adapters on your pc's.
the security options seem to be pretty good as i've scrolled from page to page of the advanced options when i was doing some additional manual configurations. i also like the "guest" feature and have already set it up. it can use the security key you already have set up or it can use a separate key (or it doesn't have to use a key at all). i frequently have guests over while i teach guitar lessons to their kids and some of the parents bring work laptops, so i needed a wireless router with a guest feature.
apparently it can also route to wireless printers but we don't have a wireless printer yet (next home network purchase) so i'd have to reserve comment on that feature.
i bought this along with 2 Media Link USB adapters (the black wireless N adapter) and my wireless home network is now back to amazing!