| D-Link DIR-655 Extreme N Wireless Router |
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Model: DIR-655
Brand: D-Link
Manufacturer: D-Link
Average Rating: 
(submit your review here)
Total Reviews: 305
Form factor: External
Hardware platform: PC
Data link protocol: Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet, IEEE 802.11n (draft), IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g
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| Features: |
Delivers up to 14x faster speeds* and 6x farther range* than 802.11g means Greater Coverage for Your Entire Home or Office
Ideal for streaming HD video or streaming multiple applications simultaneously
Intelligent QoS technology prioritizes both wired and wireless Internet traffic to enable enhanced gaming and phone calling (VoIP) experience
Gigabit Ports for Incredible Wired Network Speeds
Dual active firewall protection (SPI & NAT) helps block malicious attacks on networks from the Internet. |
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| Description: |
Create a wireless network to share high-speed Internet access with computers, game consoles, or media players from greater distances in your home or office. Using D-Link Xteme-N wireless products makes it really easy!
The D-Link DIR-655 Xtreme N Gigabit Router 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.
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. Delivering best-in-class performance, network security, and coverage, this router is the ideal centerpiece for your wireless network in the home or office. Backward compatible with 802.11g and 802.11b devices including game consoles and digital media players |
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| User Reviews (305 total): |
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Best wireless router on the market., November 6, 2007
By user (USA)
I first bought the Netgear RangeMax NEXT. Waste of money. I was getting 50% signal strength on my laptop from 10 feet away, with no intervening walls. With the D-Link, I get 99% signal under the same test.
I have the router in an upstairs room, with several desktops in another upstairs room - plus a laptop, Xbox 360, and Wii connecting from downstairs. All get great signal strength. It never drops below 45%, and is enough to maintain a 54Mbps data rate using 802.11g cards. It's all about the signal strength, and the D-Link delivers.
One slight downside is the admin console. It's fine for basic tasks, but things like assigning hostnames to MAC addresses could be more intuitive. I used to do this with a Linksys router, but with the D-Link the best I could manage was to assign fixed IP addresses to MAC addresses, and hostnames to the IP addresses. Still gets the job done, just not as cleanly.
I highly recommend this product. Don't buy any other wireless router.
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A stable, performing router, November 3, 2007
By user
I was forced to do some immediate research after frustration levels with my other router had finally peaked. So far this router has outperformed technologically beyond my expectations.
I wholeheartedly recommend this product. It is very easy to use for the novice, and gives a lot of good information for the expert. The menu system is intuitive and gives the user a lot of control over their firewall should they need to modify any of the settings.
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Just awful, November 3, 2007
By user (Boston, MA)
D Link has the worst customer support you will ever experience. The product does not get along with my WLAN provider and very frustrating experience even trying to get my computer back up and running after it crashed it.
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D-Link DIR 655, October 30, 2007
By user (Safety Harbor, FL USA)
This router, although a "draft n", has decent speed and range. I gave it 4 stars since it was marginally difficult to configure. There are two ways to set it up...a provided CD or by accessing their web site. I have seen from other reviews that their web site is the better choice. In any event, I eventually had to contact D-Link for assistance. They established the connection, but the person giving the technical assistance, although competent, did not know what customer service is about, since he did not have a clue as to the proper way to communicate with customers. During our telephone call, he was talking very low volume and was very difficult to hear him. I asked him if he could turn up the volume or speak a little louder...he said there is no way to do that! It would be wrong to label all their support as this way, so it is probable that this may not happen to you. So far, I've had the router for approximately one month, it has operated exceptionally well.
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no drops!, October 27, 2007
By user (Missouri)
with two laptops, a network printer, and a networked external hard drive, we needed a router upgrade. This wasnt as simple to set up as it claimed, but once it got going, its been great. NO DROPS!!
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Amazing Wireless Router, October 27, 2007
By user (Fargo, ND USA)
I first tried the DIR-625 coupled with the D-Link DWA-142. That worked fine, but the DIR-625 had issues with my laptop, which was running a B/G wireless adapter. So I upgraded to the DIR-655 and couldn't be happier.
Setup is very easy. It works amazing with the USB adapter (the 142)--I have two of those now. With Vista, I had to go online to get updated drivers, but other than that it was pain free.
This is a very impressive wireless-N router. I suggest opting for this model if you are on the fence with buying the cheaper D-Link wireless N routers.
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"....Not the worst router I ever had......", October 26, 2007
By user
Just wanted to share thoughts on my recent experience with the DLink Xtreme-N Gigabit wireless router.
This is the sixth router I have had to deal with at home the past few years, so I have had experience primarily with Netgear and Linksys wireless router products. Netgear was ok as far as user friendliness for set-up and performance; however, they seem to "burn-out" after 1.5 to 2 years. Linksys was more complex to set-up and seem to be prone to dropping connections; therefore, everyday performance was consistently unreliable.
Reason I bought the DLink DIR-655 was because...
1. Different vendor, different product features,
2. pre-N claims of more powerful and further distance,
3. my research gave me the feeling that DLink had somewhat better performance, support, reliability, and....
4. their marketing claims were matched by somewhat positive feedback and reviews by consumers.
My experiences...
1. Typical wireless set-up where I got confused by myriad of optional settings and configurations. Documentation was ok...but not easy for a home user to understand. Give it a "B-" for this initial step.
2. I got the installation to a point and needed to call DLink support. I must say the support person that helped was perfect. He spoke good english, had a good sense of humor, and guide me through the remaining installation/configuration process. Note: There was no way I could of gotten my DLink network up without the support person. Give it a "A" for this next step on my path to establish wifi in the house again.
3. DLink supplied "free trial" Network Magic software......forget it. It crashed both my sony Vaio laptops. They get a "F" for failure.
4. Maintenance. Because of the initial set-up issues, I am afraid to perform any maintenance as a firmware upgrade, enable other features, etc. DLink support told me not to upgrade firmware unless I have real problems. Huh? They just released version 1.10 firmware on 10/25/07 and my router is on 1.02. There is most likely benefits to upgrading; however, I am uncomfortable with tackling this at this time. Also don't want to agitate my wife! DLink gets a "C" for maintenance options.
5. Performance. I had a clunky Linysys router that I got free when I tried Vonage internet phone service. Quite honestly, it had drop outs, but at least the performance was consistent to all areas of our home. The DLink DIR-655 is all over the map performance wise. Some days I get two bars of strengh, sometimes four, but never five bars of performance. I even use the DLink Xtreme-N PCMCIA card adapter and still less than steller performance. Dlink gets a "C" for speed, distance, and overall performance.
All in all, I think I want to try a Belkin router next. Hope this helps everyone. DLink DIR-655 is a so-so.
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I've had problems with this router, but the speed and features are nice, October 24, 2007
By user (Chandler, AZ USA)
I've had the most problems with this router over any other one I've owned (and I've owned a lot of them), but it's available features and speed is nice. As far as I've read, it's one of the most reliable Wireless N routers out there, but is plagued with issues - most of which I hope will be fixed in upcoming firmware releases by D-Link. Just be aware that if you get this router and have bandwidth issues, make sure to check your QoS settings - traffic shaping, uplink speed, WISH, etc - I've turned all these off and the router seems to work best that way.
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Very good router, October 23, 2007
By user
This is the 4th router I've owned (2 Linksys & 2 D-Link) and am very pleased with it. It is extremely customizable with the ability to fine tune the firewall very carefully.
What impressed me the most was the improvement in wireless signal strength over my previous D-link DI-624 router, at least a two bar improvement in all areas of my home.
The included setup disk is helpful especially for people who've never setup a router before.
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D-Link DIR-655 Exteme N Wireless Router, October 22, 2007
By user (New York)
This has been a very good router. It was easy to install and get running without MAC address control or encryption. However, the interface to change these settings is different from my last 802.11G router, and I have not yet been able to enable these security settings. This router does seem to stay up more than my 802.11G router.
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Easy Breezy, October 19, 2007
By user (Queens, NY United States)
I bought this router after doing a ton of research. It took me only minutes to get setup and secured. Now I can go in any room in my apartment and have an "Excellent" wireless signal with no interference. The setup was guided with illustrations and Viola! you have wireless. Very happy with my purchase of this router.
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Have ATandT/yahoo DSL? DO NOT BUY THIS!, October 18, 2007
By user (Detroit)
This company in their infinite wisdom gave this unit the SAME address as the common ATandT yahoo modem. To correct this problem hook up the modem with the router and sign on to the internet, but wait...they dont work together because of the conflict. You therefore cant sign on with them hooked up to correct the problem. Does this sound circular? There is a customer support line for you to call LONG DISTANCE and be on hold for half an hour or better at YOUR expense. There you get someone that has learned a years worth of ENGLISH from a book so cant understand what you are saying. After several minutes of them not being able to understand your questions, they drop connection. You can either get BACK in the customer support line...on hold...long distance at YOUR expense, or throw the item in the trash. Please dont waste your money. Before you buy ANY router, please go to its support page. See if your DSL provider is listed there with NUMEROUS complaints. Though to be fair, I can understand how small the company AT and T is and therefore why THIS company hasnt bothered to put out a product that does not conflict. Also be aware that their web site has BLATENTLY written "We give NO refunds for ANY reason". Now if this unit were NOT such a problem why would they NEED to write that! Please ignore the GLOWING reviews written by employees of this company and go see their web page for yourself. BEWARE! The company doesnt give refunds so Im essentially throwing over a hundred bucks in the trash. Wanna join me or you wanna pass this by?
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Great Router., October 16, 2007
By user
I've had this router for quite sometime now and I have had no problems since it has been set up. I initially had some issues with setup but that was more my doing than the router having problems. I have my PS3 in my bedroom connected wirelessly and it doesn't suffer from lag or slow dl speed. I love the invisibility option for wireless settings. This might be a staple for routers, but this was my first router so I appreciate being able to keep my network private. In the end it's a great product.
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Fast Enough for HD-DVD Playback, 120-240v, October 12, 2007
By user (CHI PAR PHX SYD PDX CLD NKC)
Very satisfied. Smaller than expected. Fast enough to play HD-DVDs wirelessly to my notebook (Dell Inspiron E1505, 802.11BGN, 945GM, Core Duo (2) 2GHz, Vista Premium, Arcsoft Digital Theater, D-Link DNS-323 NAS). Great speed and coverage. 120 to 240 volts. Also handles HDTV perfectly via HDHomeRun device.
Don't forget to upgrade firmware.
Update 11-Nov-2007: This router may be my biggest gadget surprise this year. It continues to perform better than expected, completely solving all past wireless issues and handling all tasks such as streaming HD-DVD.
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Hotter than the sidewalk in Phoenix in July, October 8, 2007
By user (Rochester Hills, MI United States)
First off, the really tough thing about wireless routers is that your performance can vary dramatically from someone elses. Whether its your hardware, your software, spyware, configuration of your house, your ISP, what type of cordless phone you use, or a myriad of other things, your experience may be entirely different from your best friend's. So, this isn't so much a review of the router as it is a review of my experience with it.
The Good
This router has all of the bells and whistles with the exception of dual band broadcasting. QoS, WISH, VPN, Port Forwarding, all levels of security, etc. It has Gigabit wired ports. You cannot get anything more elsewhere without doubling the price. It is all packaged within an attractive set up that provides hope that this will be your last router for quite some time. Set up is easy and straight forward. And, most importantly, you literally cannot get a faster router when within 30 feet.
The Bad
I really wanted to keep this router but I couldn't. My main problem was heat. After a few hours of use (just being on at all), this router was almost too hot to touch. I actually exchanged it figuring it must be a bad router but the new one was the same way. And, more importantly, when it got hot, I got intermittent lag via my wire machine on my internet traffic. Games that played flawlessly on my old Buffalo router started lagging; video started stuttering; downloads started pausing. Diagnosed it with my ISP as being on my side of their modem. When my old router was plugged in, all problems went away. D-Link tried to help me but there was a language barrier and no matter what we did with QoS and WISH, it didn't go away. I had to return the router.
The Ugly
FYI: Blue lights are pretty but REALLY bright. Seriously, you could read by them.
Like I said, I really wanted to keep it but I had to replace it instead. Your experience may vary so I would encourage you to try it because it is a very feature-rich router. Just keep your old one handy just in case.
P.S. Owned it for three weeks before returning it.
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Works Great, October 5, 2007
By user (ROANOKE, VA United States)
Installed with no problem. I added a linksys 5 port switch, added a Dlink Print Server. Everything seems to be working fine. Very happy.
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Nice Router, October 5, 2007
By user (Garden Grove, CA United States)
This router runs warm so don't have down on the desk or puter. It also has very bright, blinking blue lights so that it can be used as a night light! Overall, very pleased with it though. No problems.
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Nice router, October 1, 2007
By user (Omaha, NE)
This is a nice unit. Easy to setup, enough options to satisfy everyone. Improvements over previous D-Link units include better user interface, better support for peer-to-peer networking. I have two wired Macs, two wireless PC's, one wireless Mac, an airport express, a Brother laser printer on the network and they all play well with this unit and with each other. Gigabit switch is fast, mixed N and G wireless works well.
A lot of router for the price. Good buy.
The blue LED's are wicked bright - you are going to want to put this in a closet or wherever it won't give you a seizure or keep you up at night.
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Works well with MacBook, October 1, 2007
By user (Westchester County, NY)
I replaced my old LinkSys wireless router with this one. Compared to the LinkSys, D-Link has a much better management menu and online support. It was simple to set up. As a Mac user, I had read several comments in Apple's discussion forum advising NOT to use the Setup Wizard CD that it comes with... so I didn't. I had also reviewed just about all of the 80211n wireless routers, and found this one to be the best value for Mac. Upgrading the firmware can be tricky and kind of a pain -- be sure you use a WIRED connection (not wireless) when you install firmware, and DON'T use any saved configurations. The signal very rarely pops out on me. The signal strength isn't always perfect, but that's probably because I set up the system inside a TV console -- not the most open area. The icons for the various settings are small and hard to see. I had to use an online reference. Also, I had read that the all-blue lights drove some users crazy, and they are bright. But I just turned the device so the lights don't face out and it's fine. It looks kinda cool too.
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Great features, fast connections but unstable firmware., September 27, 2007
By user (Chicago, IL)
This feature has a solid build, *fast* connection but it is not very stable. Mine with firmware 1.05, restarts at least once a day, drops and reconnects the DSL connection multiple times a day. Hopefully later versions of the firmware will make it more stable.
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