D-Link AC1200 Dual Band Gigabit Wireless Wi-Fi Router (DIR-842)

I had a Netgear D3600 rrp around £160 and my connection was dropping left, right and center... by this point I had had enough and I started looking at D-Link as a close friend recommended them.Pros:The router looks very nice and minimal, with the two lights on the front for at a glance information. I'ts currently sitting in the garage and its just running... doing its job and doing it well. I have around 20 - 25 devices connected to the router at one time and it doesn't have any issues running them. I also have a Seagate 1TB USB drive plugged into the USB Port and I can get read and right speeds on Ethernet of around 12/mbps. The wireless speeds are very nice. With my MacBook connected over AC streaming movies is seamless and not to mention the 2.4ghz isn't slacking either. Possibly one of the best I have tested for wireless. Range for me was Average for a router of this class. Over average for most other routers in a lower price range. It can push content to my smart TVs using DLNA from the connected Hard drive and it works a treat. The router also works fine with Apple TV's and Sonos systems.Cons:The worst part for me was the first day. Got the router set up and getting internet very easily. But in the first day the connection dropped much like the last router around once every two hours. This cleared up after the first day and the connection has now been live for days. The web UI could do with an upgrade but its not bad. The first time I tried to AirPlay Mirror my MacBook Pro to my Apple TV it froze the network... but after a restart now it works fine. Same with the Sonos. First time I tried to set up the Sonos it froze the router, but after restarting it works fine and has been for days... its been flawless. I would put these down just to teething problems as everything is spot on now hence the 5 stars. My connection gets 10ping, 20mbps down and 11mbps up quite consistantly. I have a WISP.If you have any questions please feel free to message me! ~Alex

Easy to install but the signal is bit weak I am just a room away and the signal is already poor.

I bought this router because it looked different to the others available and also because the specs were very good. It was easy to install, although it would have been nice if the power cable was longer, and I set it up using my Sony Android tablet. It was quick and easy to connect all the other devices, ipad, PC, phones, wifi printer etc, the only exception being the Sky box, but a new ip address and a reboot sorted that.I ran a few tests using an Android app to measure the signal strength around the house and the signal was definitely improved. I just need to install the new wifi card in my PC and see how much that improves my PC signal strength and throughput.Update.I installed the new Asus card and the signal improved from 4 to 5 bars. It displays a 5G symbol and none of the local wifi connections that used to appear (about 15 or them) now appear, only the 2.4 and 5 Ghz connections from my router.Update 2.I have now used this router for 10 months and have only had to reboot it once. I'm still getting 77Mbps on my PC, which is one floor above the router (which is next to a large fridge, not the best place).

This router is well reviewed in the technical press regarding speeds and technical capability, so there are no concerns on that score. My personal experience matches this - good speed and long ranges. But these facts leave you with a decent range of routers to choose from. So why this one?I chose this because it is a good price compared to most dual-band AC1750 routers (the fastest current standard) and the Amazon picture made it look like it would not be an eyesore in the corner of my living room. And it really isn't an eyesore. About the height of a Pringles can but slightly fatter, this is not going to look out of place on public display and is not going to draw the eye. It is by miles the neatest, tidiest looking router I have ever owned. If your router is likewise out in the open, I think you'll be very pleased with this model.I will say the web interface could be better and clearer but the basics of connecting are easy to set up. However, though one could wish it would be better, it's probably no worse than any other brand of router I've used.The one black mark, for which I have deducted a star, is that the router as supplied is not passworded. This is a very major security weakness for home users who rarely appreciate the importance of password protecting their router and is something increasingly being targetted by the bad guys. Again, D-Link are far from the only company to be this irresponsible about router security. If you buy this router, please add a strong admin password. Do this after initial setup however, or it messes with the setup wizard.