D Link Dir 842 Ac1200 Wi Fi Router Technical Review

With the proliferation of connected domicile products, having a router that can handle network traffic among multiple devices is more important than e'er. That said, not everyone needs the kind of networking power that you get from a $200-to-$300 router, and not everyone tin afford one. With the $59.99 D-Link AC1200 Wi-Fi Router (DIR-842), you lot become dual-ring Wi-Fi, relatively skillful throughput, and loads of management settings, including parental controls, invitee networking, and Quality of Service (QoS) prioritization, all for well nether $100. It's our top pick for upkeep Wi-Fi routers.

Design and Features
The DIR-842($85.00 at Amazon) is smaller than well-nigh of the latest midrange and high-end models, such as the Linksys EA7500 Max-Stream AC1900 MU-MIMO Gigabit Router ($85.00 at Amazon) and the Asus RT-AC88U Dual-Band Router ($85.00 at Amazon) . The glossy-black enclosure measures 1.25 past 8.9 by half dozen inches (HWD) and has four external antennas. The antennas are non removable, which means you tin can't supplant them if one breaks, or if you want more than powerful antennas.

You Can Trust Our Reviews

Since 1982, PCMag has tested and rated thousands of products to help you lot make amend buying decisions. (See how we exam.)

There are eight LED status indicators on the summit of the router for Ability, Cyberspace activity, Wi-Fi activity, WPS activity, and wired-port action (i for each port). Around dorsum are four Gigabit LAN ports, a WAN (Cyberspace) port, a WPS button, and a Power button. There's a Reset push on the bottom of the router. Under the hood are 2.4GHz and 5GHz radios that offer theoretical throughput speeds of upward to 300Mbps (ii.4GHz) and 867Mbps (5GHz), and a 660MHz processor.

Like Products

You tin can alter the DIR-842's settings using the Web-based management console or download the iOS or Android app and manage things using your telephone or tablet. The management console offers numerous bones and advanced settings and is easy to navigate. The Domicile screen displays a simple network map of continued clients and the router's IP Address, Subnet Mask, and Default Gateway. At that place's an intuitive Setup Wizard, too equally Wireless, Net, and Network settings. Basic Wireless settings let you enable or disable each band, name your SSID's, and change passwords. Avant-garde Wireless settings include Security mode settings (WEP and WPA-Personal), 802.11 Way settings, Wi-Fi Channel selection, Channel Width, and Transmission Power settings. Here, you can as well prepare upwards access schedules and guest networks.

Advanced settings include D-Link'due south QoS Engine, which uses an easy elevate-and-driblet method of assigning network priority to various clients, IPv4 and IPv6 Firewall settings, Port Forwarding and Website Filter settings, and Static Route settings. The Management screen offers System Logs, Firmware Upgrades, Network Statistics (traffic monitoring), and Password Administration settings.

Installation and Functioning
Once you connect the DIR-842 to a PC and an Internet source, the router automatically launches the Spider web-based Setup Sorcerer, which helps you configure your network and Wi-Fi settings and set a router password. The entire process takes less than v minutes and is very user friendly.

For a budget router, DIR-842 tested quite well. Its score of 75Mbps on our ii.4GHz close-proximity (same-room) test was much faster than the Amped Wireless Loftier Power Wireless-N 600mW Gigabit Router (R10000G)($85.00 at Amazon) (59.2Mbps) and the Tenda F3 N300 Wireless Router ($85.00 at Amazon) (48.5Mbps), some other top pick, and just a hair faster than the Netgear AC1200 Smart Wi-Fi Router (R6220)($85.00 at Amazon) (74.1Mbps). It received 41.5Mbps on the 30-foot exam, barely edging by the Tenda F3 (40.6Mbps) and the Amped Wireless R10000G (38.6Mbps), merely slightly backside the Netgear R6220 (48.3Mbps).

On our 5GHz tests, the DIR-842 and the Netgear R6220 were neck and cervix. The DIR-842 scored 332Mbps on the close-proximity test and 111Mbps on the xxx-foot test, while the Netgear R6220 scored 331Mbps (close proximity) and 104Mbps (30 anxiety). To put these scores in perspective, our Editors' Choice midrange router, the $200 Linksys MaxStream EA7500, received 495Mbps and 298Mbps, respectively, and our Editors' Choice loftier-end router, the $300 Asus RT-AC88U, got 537Mbps and 302Mbps.

Conclusion
With the D-Link AC1200 Wi-Fi Router (DIR-842), you don't have to spend a lot to comprehend your habitation with effective dual-ring wireless networking. The router is a snap to install, and delivers fast throughput for the money, especially on the 5GHz ring, only information technology lacks USB connectivity. Granted, it's non as affordable equally the Tenda F3 N300 Wireless Router, simply for an extra $30 you get 802.11ac engineering science, an extra LAN port, and speedy 5GHz performance. Equally such, the DIR-842 is our Editors' Choice for budget wireless routers.

D-Link AC1200 Wi-Fi Router (DIR-842)

Cons

The Bottom Line

The D-Link DIR-842 is a $60 dual-band router that delivers solid throughput, has iv wired LAN ports, enough of management settings, and is a breeze to install.

Like What You lot're Reading?

Sign upward for Lab Report to get the latest reviews and top production communication delivered right to your inbox.

This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Utilise and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any fourth dimension.

flannaganspleace.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/d-link-ac1200-wi-fi-router-dir-842

Share this post