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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2416 in Consumer Electronics
• Brand: D-Link
• Model: DIR-655
• Released on: 2007-05-14
• Dimensions: .70 pounds

Manufacturer's Description

Wireless N Gigabit Router
The D-Link DIR-655 Wireless N Gigabit Router is an 802.11n (Draft) compliant device designed for use in bigger homes and for users that demand higher performance networking. Featuring a 3x3 antenna design, the DIR-655 router provides superior whole home coverage whilst eliminating dead spots. It is also faster than 100Mbps wired Ethernet1. By connecting the DIR-655 router to a cable or DSL modem, users will be able to share their high-speed Internet access with everyone on the network. By adding a Wireless N notebook or desktop adapter, they will also stay connected from virtually anywhere in their home.

High Performance
The D-Link DIR-655 features the fastest processor in the D-Link Wireless N range, achieving ever higher throughput results between WAN and LAN networks. It includes four Gigabit Ethernet switch ports for highest transfer speeds to other Gigabit capable devices such as a network attached storage. For the first time, Gigabit connectivity is introduced on the WAN side as well, a unique feature ahead of its time in many countries.

In addition, the router integrates the acclaimed QoS StreamEngine, which provides a better Internet experience by keeping Internet phone calls and online gaming smooth and responsive.

Wireless LAN Intelligent Stream Handling (WISH) Technology
The D-Link DIR-655 router includes Quality of Service (QoS), wirelessly as well as to and from the Internet (StreamEngine). It features WISH, which enhances the consumer's experience for gaming, HDTV and other media applications over a wireless connection by minimising the disruptive effects of competing traffic on the wireless network. It automatically detects if audio, video or gaming content is being used on the wireless network and gives these applications priority over less time-sensitive traffic such as email or file transfers. It then adjusts priorities to ensure media content is transmitted without jitter or lag.

The router even enforces a "good neighbour" policy, ensuring that it will not create interference for neighbouring networks. This is achieved by reducing the amount of radio spectrum used when detecting legacy 802.11g/b networks in the vicinity.

Simplified Wireless Security
The router supports the Wi-Fi Alliance's standard for wireless security at the touch of a button. With Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS), the wireless network name (SSID) and encryption keys are automatically generated and broadcast to the client devices. Users do not have to memorise complicated passwords and key them in several times. This considerably simplifies the process of setting up security on the wireless network.

Compatible with Windows Vista
The D-Link DIR-655 was one of the first routers to pass rigorous testing to achieve Microsoft Windows Vista approval. With this router, users will be able to take full advantage of the Network Explorer and Network Map features in Windows Vista. With Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) / Windows Connect Now (WCN) Configuration 2.0, they will be able to set up simple and secure-by-default Wi-Fi networks. The router also includes Xbox Live service compatibility.

Box Contents

Wireless N Gigabit Router

3 detachable antennae

CAT5 Ethernet cable

power adapter

CD ROM with installation wizard and product documentation.

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Customer Reviews

Sooooo FAST
Set up: Its simply a case of plugging it in and running the setup CD. Even with my forgetting to turn the modem off and on again the whole thing was up and running in no more than 5 minutes.

Ease of use: I've yet to explore the settings in full but suffice to say they are what you would expect from a £100 router. I was quite happy to find this is the first router ive ever used that didnt require some kind of tweaking to open any ports to use with bitorrent.

Performance: This is the DIR655's trump card. I bought it because CNET and Tom's Hardware reckoned it to be the fastest 802.11n router they'd ever tested and it supports more multiple connections than any other home router too [i.e it wont overheat/crash if you use torrents]. So far i have been seeing wireless download speeds between 5 and 10 times faster than my old Belkin 54g could muster. Coupled with a Netgear WN311T PCI adapter it sits happily connected at between 250mb and 300mb with about 20m and 2 walls to pass through, and will easily match wired transfer speeds on my 20mb cable connection.

Dont be alarmed by the reviewer's poor rating below me. This is a wireless router, NOT a wireless modem router and it says nowhere in its description that it is. So long as you understand what you are getting you wont be disappointed.

EDIT: i was browsing my profile and saw this review and thought id provide a small update. I bought it over 6 months ago now and to date it has never once needed a reset or done anything other than sit quietly in the corner purring away to itself. I wont be bothering with Netgear, Belkin, Linksys or any of the other brands ive had in the past again.

Great for BT Broadband
After becoming increasingly frustrated by the poor performance of my old D-Link ADSL broadband wireless router, I opted to investigate the current range of routers. Being on the BT broadband ADSL service should have ruled out this D-Link router, but coupled with the LinkSys AM200 ADSL/Ethernet modem, the DIR-655 has proven to be a star performer that has outstripped the old router's performance in leaps and bounds. The DIR-655 is highly configurable and has many very advanced options, making it a suitable candidate for installation in small office/home office situations. It also boasts Gigabit Ethernet support on all LAN ports and the latest WiFi standards. It even does Dynamic DNS registration with all the major offerings on the Internet. All in all a superb choice.

The average BT Broadband user might well disregard this router as it has no built-in ADSL modem, but don't let that deter you. If you're comfortable with a two-unit solution, then this is definitely for you. Simply configure the ADSL modem to perform RFC 1483 bridging and let the router do PPPoE to authenticate with the ISP. It took a few minutes to setup and performs outstandingly with no line drops.

A point worth mentioning is that the installation CD that comes with the router is fine for the novice user, but be aware that on autoplay it automatically changes the IP configuration of your Windows installation to use DHCP, removing any static IP configuration. If you want to configure the router and you are experienced, simply point your browser to the router IP address of 192.168.0.1 and ignore the setup utility.

Highly recommended!

Why pay this much?
I had happily been using an old Belkin wireless router at home for many years to share my internet connection between three desktops and a laptop. It had performed perfectly well, and never let me down.

Similarly, at work, I had used many Netgear 834G wireless routers; it's a solid performer, and I believe that it is now available for about £40.

So why did I pay over £100 for this new-fangled D-Link 655?

It's all Virgin's fault. Stephen Kemp describes it well in his review below. I have been with ntl cable internet for years, without any problems using my old Belkin wireless router. When I upgraded to Virgin's 20Mbps download offering my old router just could not share it quickly enough! It is all to do with the WAN-side capability, and what they term the WAN to LAN throughput.

Plainly, even Virgin's 20Mbps downlink speed is way below the current widely available networking capability of 100Meg, but, most routers cannot pass-through and share from WAN (the internet) to LAN (your computers on your home network) at a sufficient rate to realise the benefits of Virgin's 20Mbps.

NB by sharing I do not mean to infer that the problem is due to multiple users all accessing the web at once, that is not the problem. If you imagine that three PC users in your home are all using the router to access the internet at once, it is very unlikely that they will all repeatedly call page downloads at the same time. We all spend more time looking at pages than calling them; this diversity factor means that sharing the downlink is not the cause of the problem. The problem might more effectively be thought of as the internals of the router acting like a bottleneck in the pass-through rate from the web to your PC.

I checked the reviews on the web and found several raving about this router's ability to do so.

The Gigabit networking is a nice bonus, and a further sweetener for the high purchase price, but it'll be a while before you'll be receiving downlink speeds above 100Meg, so if you just want the benefit of Gigabit linking home PCs than buy a £25 Netgear Gigabit switch and keep your current router (just connect the switch to one of your router's ports, and all your PCs to the switch).

I use wireless to a laptop and one desktop. Both are currently still using Belkin 54g cards. I get about 7Mbps wireless internet connection (compared to about twice that with a wired connection to the router) - yes, I know, less than Virgin's 20Mbps offer, but that's a whole other story!

I will in due course purchase N-wireless cards, but I'm hoping that they'll come down in price a bit soon - currently about £40 for a D-Link pre-N USB adapter.

Range is not a problem, good signals all over the house - my router is high up in the house - sits out of sight on top of a wardrobe on the first floor. I can use my laptop in my garage which is 30m separate from my house. NB I always could, even with my old Belkin wireless router! That is why I say you need to consider why you are paying a premium price for this product.

The sole killer application that it delivered for me is the WAN/LAN throughput, which I only needed because of the availability of Virgin's 20Mbps downlink (50Mbps is now being tested by them in a nearby town!).

If you just want Gigabit networking, buy a cheap Gigabit switch.

If you want greater wireless range, look to RangeMax or better aerial products.

If you want to share a fast internet connection - buy this.