D link dir 842 ac1200 review

Today I will be reviewing the D-Link DIR-842, also known as the D-Link Wireless AC1200 Dual band Gigabit router. This model caught my interest due to its affordable pricing of €55 ($65), it made wonder whether my much more expensive Netgear R7000 was really worth it. So let’s put that to the test!

D-Link’s new lineup

Most of D-Links currently available models were released in 2013. The D-Link DIR-842 AC1200 is part of the latest lineup that was released on November 2015. It is positioned between two other new models; the AC750 DIR-809 and AC1750 DIR-859.

The AC750 is a budget model that does not have Gigabit Ethernet ports and lacks a Guest Network.

D-Link attempts to explain the differences between the three new models on the box.

According to the box only the more expensive AC1750 can stream HD media to multiple clients and is the only model to support Smart Beam and Parental Controls.

D-Link DIR-842 Technical Specifications

D-Link does not provide a lot of information about this Wi-Fi router, at least not on the Dutch website. Their Dutch website mentions 3 aspects; It has fast speeds up to 1200 Mbps, it has Dual band and it is easy to install. Luckily I can expand a bit on the functionality of this model based on the US website, the box and my own testing.

Wireless

According to D-Link Wi-Fi can reach speeds up to 1200 Mbps. Obviously these are not real speeds. This number is achieved by combining the theoretical maximum bandwidth of 300 Mbps for 2.4 Ghz with the 876 Mbps of 5 Ghz. Based on these statistics we can conclude that the 5 Ghz radio works with separate 2 radios. This test will also cover results of the more expensive Netgear R7000 (AC1900) that comes with 3 radios; one for each Antenna.

Gigabit Ethernet

This model comes with gigabit Ethernet ports (1 Gbps), which makes sense given the speeds promised.

High-Gain antenna’s

This model is equipped with cool looking rectangular antenna’s. According to D-Link “High-gain antennas will give you exceptional coverage in and around your home.”. We test to see if that is true later on in the review.

Dual band

Luckily this model is a Dual band router. Meaning that 2.4 Ghz and 5 Ghz work independently. Therefore you can optimize your speed by making sure slow devices (e.g. Whatsapp) use 2.4 Ghz whilst you reserve 5 Ghz for your streaming media (e.g. watching Netflix).

No Dynamic Frequency Selection (no DFS)

This model does not support DFS. This means it is limited to the first four of the twelve 5 Ghz channels; 36, 40, 44 and 48. Models that do support DFS have access to eight additional channels.

I have asked D-Link about a the lack of DFS “This is a decision that our product planners made when designing the product. Whether we will open more channels for use in the future is not anything we can say or guarantee.”

Is this a bad thing? Well it does not affect speed as long as you only have only one of these Wi-Fi 5 Ghz routers. Even if there is a competing router it does not have to be problematic. After all if the other router does support DFS then it will switch to a higher channel (e.g. 64 or even 112). Combine this with the fact that the 5 Ghz signal is notoriously bad on penetrating walls, the four channel limitation does not seem to be problematic. It’s something I can forgive given the price point of this router.

Technical summary

At first glance there is nothing wrong with the D-Link DIR-842. It has four high-gain antenna’s, two 5 Ghz radio’s and Gigabit Ethernet. Meaning they did not really cut cost on the Wi-Fi part of this router.

They did save cost by not providing an USB port. Also the chipset speed is unadvertised. However given that this model does not come with an USB port and lacks complex features it probably won’t matter. More expensive models also come with additional 5 Ghz radio’s. For example the Netgear R7000 has three. Then again that model is 300% more expensive.

The D-Link came in third place, just behind the TP-Link Archer and the NetGear AC1200 routers. With our Best Buy Award, the TP-Link has shown to be an excellent choice for anyone buying on a low budget. The D-Link costs around $20 less than the Archer; nevertheless, we strongly advise saving your money and investing just a little bit more for the Archer because the performance gain is pretty considerable.

In addition to being a new inexpensive Wireless AC1200 router from D-Link, it appears that they have abandoned their cylindrical shape in favor of a more normal router design. D-Link DIR-842 The router now has four antennas, two of which will be devoted to the 2.4GHz band and two more for the 5GHz band. This is the cheapest Wireless AC1200 MU-MIMO router with costs under $50 at the time of writing this article. We’ll have to wait and see how well this router performs in practice.

In this photo, you can see every single port that comes with the D-Link DIR-842. One thing you’ll notice is the lack of a USB connection, which is understandable considering how inexpensive this wireless router is, and the fact that USB performance on lower range routers is often poor and not really helpful in most situations. However, the fact that it comes with a Gigabit Ethernet connector means that the speed of LAN file transmission should be enough.

Check Out: Best Wifi Router | Best WiFi Extender

Specifications

Product DescriptionAC1200 Wi-Fi Gigabit RouterD-FendN/AD-Link Wi-FiN/AMulticast SupportYesmydlink Lite (iOS/Android)N/AUSB 2.0/3.0N/AVoice Control Support (Amazon Alexa / Google Assistant)N/AWi-Fi MeshN/AWireless Speed1200Mbps (2.4G + 5G)SDRAM128MBFlash16MBAntenna TypeExternal Fixed antenna (2×2+2×2)MU-MIMOYesD-Link QRS MobileYesWAN1(10/100/1000)LAN4 (10/100/1000)Static IPYesDynamic IP (DHCP)YesPPPoEYesL2TPYesPPTPYesStatic IPv6YesPPPoE (IPv6 over PPPoE)YesWPS (Wi-Fi Protect Setup)Yes (PIN/Button)WPA2-PSK (Personal)YesWPA-PSK (Personal)YesGuest ZoneYes

Because of its slick black casing and impressive-looking aerials, you’d never believe it was so primitive, even if it is small and light in weight.

You may either place it on a table or hang it on a wall.. It should be noted that it is merely a router. It is necessary to connect the DIR-842 to the Ethernet port on the modem if you presently have a router and a separate modem unit. If you’re utilizing a combination ADSL/VDSL modem-router, you’ll need to configure the DIR-842, which may need consulting the instructions.

In addition to lacking a USB connector for connecting a shared printer, it is incompatible with You View services such as BT Sport (a common limitation). However, the DIR-842 is a reliable 802.11ac router that can create two networks, one for the old 2.4GHz frequency and another for the new 5GHz band. You may also create a guest network on each band, which will prevent you from sharing your personal password with others.

The setup is straightforward, and choices are selected through the use of a web browser. Basic functions such as DHCP allocation, port forwarding, and dynamic DNS are included. Web filtering may be configured, however, it is a time-consuming process. If you do decide to attempt to block undesirable content.

Conclusions

In terms of value for money, the D-Link DIR-842 is excellent. At a price of less than $60, it is directly competing with the Asus RT-C1200G and the TP-Link Archer C1200. Only the D-Link router, out of the three routers with identical characteristics, offers MU-MIMO capabilities. According to our tests, the wireless performance of the D-Link DIR-842 is actually quicker than the performance of both of the rival routers. The DIR-842, on the other hand, does not have a USB port, but both the Asus and the TP-Link feature a USB port for file sharing and printer sharing, respectively.

It is entirely up to personal choice. If you are seeking an economical and high-performing router that does not require a USB port, look no further. The DIR-842 is a respectable option. The software is straightforward and straightforward to configure, and D-Link is pleased enough to give a three-year guarantee with this wireless router.

Is D

The AC1200 router is blazing fast on my 100 mbps plan. With an ac Wi-fi connection, I see nearly 93 mbps on my cell phone and 110 over wire. It is fast enough for a quality 4K HDR stream on my TV even while sharing with multiple active devices.

Is AC1200 good wi

Despite its affordable price, it offers a few features found on more expensive routers, such as support for MU-MIMO data streaming and four gigabit LAN ports. That said, while its 5GHz performance is solid, it leaves a bit to be desired on the 2.4GHz band.

How fast is the dir 842?

Lightning-fast Wi-Fi speeds of up to 1200 Mbps (867 Mbps on the 5 GHz frequency band and 300 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz frequency band) so you can meet the ever-greater demand from multimedia applications.

Why is my D

Ensure the router is in a well ventilated area. If the router does not get adequate airflow, it could overheat and cause performance degradation. Ensure the firmware is up to date. Firmware is the "brain" of the router, it is the programming that tells it how to work.