Wireless technology has come a long way over the years. 802.11b
enabled us to run a wireless network in a small local area, 802.11g helped
expand that network throughout the majority of a
small house or office, and then
we have 802.11n which expands the range of 802.11g by up to 6 times
while boasting speeds of up to 14x faster. Obviously, 802.11n is
currently the way to go if you are ready to go wireless or thinking
about upgrading, but is 802.11n worth the extra bucks? To find out we
obtained some Xtreme N gear from D-Link in the form of an Xtreme N
Gigabit Router (DIR-655) and the Xtreme N Desktop Adapter (DWA-552).
D-Link Xtreme N
Gigabit Router (DIR-655)
The D-Link Xtreme N
wireless networking line isn't your standard Mom & Pops off the
shelf brand X networking gear. Not even close... D-Link has done
something special here and it's not the cool name and it's not the
cool looks, it's all about what's inside... To be more specific, its
all about the processor inside. The D-Link DIR-655 contains Ubicom's
StreamEngine ® processor.
StreamEngine technology delivers an
enhanced online experience by employing powerful quality of service
(QoS) mechanisms. The key to making this useable for a home or small
office is “Intelligent Stream Handling”, an algorithm which
automatically manages the flow of traffic going to the Internet,
without the need for user configuration. As a result, real-time
interactive traffic, such as gaming, VoIP, instant messaging and
video conferencing, are automatically given the appropriate priority
when other users and applications use the network. In addition,
Intelligent Stream Handling minimizes the impact of large-packet,
lower-priority traffic on latency-sensitive traffic and eliminates
delays caused by DSL or cable modem connections. StreamEngine
effectively eliminates the lag and breakup problem in online gaming
and other voice/video applications.
For more detailed information about StreamEngine, please go to the
Ubicom website.
Specifications
Standards
| • |
IEEE 802.11n (draft 2.0) |
| • |
IEEE 802.11g |
| • |
IEEE 802.11b |
| • |
IEEE 802.3 |
| • |
IEEE 802.3u |
Interface Type
| • |
4 Gigabit LAN Ports |
| • |
1 Gigabit WAN Ports |
| • |
USB Port (for Windows®
Connect Now) |
Antenna Type
Security
| • |
64/128-bit WEP™ |
| • |
WPA™ & WPA2™
(Wi-Fi Protected Access) |
Advanced Firewall Features
| • |
Network Address Translation
(NAT) |
| • |
Stateful Packet Inspection
(SPI) |
| • |
VPN Pass-through /
Multi-sessions PPTP / L2TP / IPSec |
Device Management
| • |
Internet
Explorer® v6 or Later; Mozilla® Firefox® v1.5 or Later; or
other Java-enabled Browsers |
LEDs
| • |
Power |
| • |
Status |
| • |
WAN |
| • |
WLAN (Wireless Connection) |
| • |
LAN (10/100/1000) |
| • |
USB |
Certifications
| • |
FCC Class B |
| • |
CE |
| • |
Wi-Fi® |
Dimensions
| • |
Item (WxDxH):
4.6" x 7.6" x 1.2" |
| • |
Packaging (WxDxH):
8.1" x 10.9" x 2.6" |
Weight
| • |
Item: 0.7 lbs |
| • |
Packaging: 2.0 lbs |
Warranty
Recommended System Requirements
| • |
For Optimal
Wireless Performance:
Use with Xtreme N Adapters (DWA-552, DWA-556, DWA-643, or
DWA-652) |
Minimum System Requirements
| • |
Computer with:
| • |
Windows Vista™**,
Windows® XP SP2** or Mac OS® X (v10.4)*** |
| • |
Internet Explorer® v6 or Mozilla® Firefox® v1.5 |
| • |
CD-ROM Drive |
| • |
Network Interface
Card |
|
| • |
For Internet Access:
| • |
Cable or DSL Modem |
| • |
Subscription with
an Internet Service Provider (ISP) |
|
Package Contents
| • |
Xtreme N™ Gigabit Router |
| • |
3 Detachable Antennas |
| • |
CAT5 Ethernet Cable |
| • |
Power Adapter |
| • |
CD-ROM**** with:
| • |
Installation Wizard |
| • |
Product
Documentation |
|
* 1-Year Warranty available only in the
U.S.A and Canada.
** Computer must adhere to Microsoft's recommended System
Requirements.
*** The software included with this product is not Mac-compatible.
**** Latest software and documentation are available at
http://support.dlink.com.
This product is based on draft IEEE 802.11n
specifications and is not guaranteed to be forward compatible with
future versions of the IEEE 802.11n specifications. Compatibility
with draft 802.11n devices from other manufacturers is not
guaranteed. All references to speed are for comparison purposes
only. Product specifications, size and shape are subject to change
without notice, and actual product appearance may differ from that
depicted herein.
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