Dual-band Wi-Fi router D-Link DIR-825: tuning, features, reviews

In the race for the speed of data transfer in Wi-Fi networks, many router manufacturers forget about supporting old technologies. And for owners of laptops and mobile equipment, produced 5-6 years ago, this is a lot of problems. The focus of this article is the DIR-825 router from the well-known manufacturer D-Link, which supports simultaneous operation in two bands, and, accordingly, is able to provide communication both with new devices and morally obsolete. Overview, customization, characteristics, feedback from owners and recommendations of experts will help the reader to get acquainted with an interesting product.

First meeting

The leader in the production of network equipment once again proved that its products are completed at the highest level. Router D-Link DIR-825 has an informative packaging, which not only indicates the basic characteristics of the device, but also provides a detailed description of the additional functionality. The box itself is cardboard, with a glossy finish.

Inside the user will discover: a router, a power supply to it (impulse), a patch cord, two removable antennas and an instruction manual. Also in the box there is a large volume of promotional brochures that do not cause the owners, judging by their feedback, no interest. The bundle is normal, nothing superfluous, but the cable patch cord length is embarrassing - only one meter. To configure the router is enough, but this can not be used if the router is installed away from the personal computer.

Appearance and build quality

The router, whose price does not exceed 4,000 rubles on the domestic market, has a high-quality assembly. As a result of the review, no owner could detect any flaws in the device. The plastic is durable and high-quality. All panels are perfectly matched to each other, and ports and interfaces are perfectly centered. On the case of the router there are holes for mounting on the wall, and there are also rubber feet that allow the router to be placed on smooth surfaces.

The amplification antennas are made in a strict style and have a rubberized base. But the buttons on the case of the DIR-825 / AC are small, but they are easy to press and do not warp. As for the LED indicators, they are quite large, visible even in bright sunlight and have signatures. True, in the dark, their brightness a little annoying if the router is installed near the workplace. Users prefer to cover them with a piece of paper.

Cooling system

Quite contradictory for the router D-Link DIR-825 reviews regarding continuous operation. Users have the prerequisites that the device is capable of overheating, and accordingly, and to hang. However, tests conducted by enthusiasts show that there are no problems with passive ventilation. The manufacturer placed the cooling system openings not only on the bottom of the router, but also ensured their presence on the side faces. Produced measurements show that the heating of the Wi-Fi-controller does not exceed the room temperature by more than 2-3 degrees Celsius.

As for the hang, a problem many experts found in the work of the chip responsible for data transfer in 802.11n networks - the maximum load of a wireless channel at a speed of more than 150 megabits per second leads to a spontaneous disconnection of the Wi-Fi module. After 20-30 seconds the problem is eliminated. Eliminate it with a hardware "shape" - reducing the bandwidth of the wireless line to 140 megabits per second.

Interfaces and connectors

Standard for all devices D-Link four-port hub can work with gigabit networks. All owners of this network equipment are happy about this, judging by their feedback. Basically, such a functional has a router, the price of which exceeds 5,000 rubles. The only drawback that some users have noticed is the lack of coloring of the LAN ports themselves. However, there is nothing wrong with this, because the WAN interface for connecting the provider's cable is yellow. It is impossible to confuse ports.

The customers will also like the USB interface present in the network equipment. The router is able to work with 3G-modems, USB flash drives, portable hard drives and NAS systems, and also supports a "print server". Accordingly, this extensive functionality is useful not only for home use, but it will cope with the organization of the network in a small office.

Wireless interfaces

The DIR-825 A / D1A router supports simultaneous operation of two wireless access points due to the presence of a pair of controllers that operate in different frequency bands. So, for the support of the old standard, the RTL8812AR chip, which operates at 5 GHz, provides data transmission up to 800 megabits per second. The RTL8192ER operates at 2.4 GHz and provides up to 300 Mb / s performance at the new 802.11n interface.

At the hardware level, the network device supports WPS technology, allowing you to connect mobile devices without authorization to wireless networks. In the settings, the user can specify which controller will be used for this technology.

Router control panel

For many users who prefer the DIR-825, setting up wireless networks can be difficult. The fact is that the manufacturer in the instruction manual described only the algorithm of connecting the router to the computer and the authorization process for accessing the control menu. Experts in the field of network equipment recommend that owners do not rush to conclusions and download a detailed guide for the router from the official website of the manufacturer.

It is worth noting that the DIR-825 on the domestic market is very popular, and accordingly, it got the list of recommended products of many providers due to its huge functionality. Before proceeding to manual settings, users need to visit the official website of their provider and find on it a ready firmware for the router. The process of firmware is described in the complete user manual.

Without a master you can not do without

Network equipment D-Link DIR-825, like other manufacturer's routers, has a built-in control panel intelligent system that helps users quickly configure the device. The helper is really convenient - it acts sequentially, as described in the complete manual, and also provides a detailed description of the customizable functionality.

If the user has a desire to get acquainted with the settings of the wireless device, it is better to start working with the wizard. Step by step studying the connection process and reading the description of the functional, knowing the operation of the router will be very easy. Experts recommend that the owners of the router not be afraid of the process, because the device can always be reset to the factory settings and begin the procedure of learning again. It is also possible to save the settings file to a local computer or to removable media. This solution is convenient when using a router with different providers.

More about multimedia

Many users are dissatisfied with the work of the torrent-client Transmission, however, the DIR-825 router is equipped with a fairly stable version of this software. The client works independently, perfectly "friends" with all media connected to the network device via USB. The complaints about the work of the torrent from the owners do not, judging by their reviews in the media.

The manufacturer also announced support for HD IPTV. It is interesting that the router is able to work with Smart-TV and DLNA. This versatility offers many possibilities in terms of multimedia to the user. Virtually all mobile devices of the owner will be able to communicate without interference.

Fans of network toys may need a port forwarding function , because very often the provider closes the necessary ports. This functionality is described in great detail not only in the complete user manual - there are also convenient explanations with examples on the official website of the manufacturer in the section "Help".

Data Security

The fact that the DIR-825 / AC supports a secure IPv6 protocol is good. That's just the manufacturer forgot to mention that this functional only works with a new network interface. The router is able to connect to all existing types of networks, including private virtual networks. Wireless interfaces have a standard encryption system (WEP, WPA / WPA2) with a 256-bit key. In addition, at the hardware level, the device is equipped with a firewall that protects the user's local network from intruders.

Confuses only the built-in content filtering service "Yandex-DNS". It is logical to assume that all the traffic of the provider is routed by the DIR-825 router through a well-known Russian host, and this can reduce the speed of the Internet to the user if he lives a long distance from Moscow. Here the owner decides what is more important for him: speed or security (do not forget about the network screens of the provider).

Finally

Quite an interesting product was obtained from the company D-Link. In fact, according to the functionality of the DIR-825 router there are no competitors in the budget price class. Two Wi-Fi access points, USB-interface, gigabit ports, IPTV, torrent client - what else does an ordinary user need? For 4 000 rubles - by the criterion of "price-quality" - even the most demanding buyer of the best router in the market simply can not be found.