Strengths: Dashboard, signal strength, configurability, autochannel selection, Wireless QOS, Built in Help (support). Niccccccce!

Weaknesses: Only because I feel bad about not saying anything: Tiny LED labels, Price.

Summary: I had recently been assigned the task of searching for a potentially scalable (upgradable to full N) small business router for my companies satellite offices. Having already purchased the Belkin N1, NETGEAR WNR854T, and the Linksys WRT350N I recently stumbled upon DLink's announcement of the DIR-655. Before I get to the qualities of the DLink I will share my findings of its predecessors. The Belkin N1 still amazes me with its range despite only having mixed mode. The dashboard is nice and simple and presents you with a rudimentary breakdown of your LAN without having to log in. It's LED display is the Bee's knees - way to go! This is a nice choice for your fundamental home user. The Linksys WRT350N looks cool but once you get into it everything seems to be the same ol, same ol. The neat-o USB feature is slow and unstable at best - perhaps a future firmware update will resolve this but I pretty much gave up on that the first night. As the following is just a rant I will (attempt) to keep it brief. When we were looking at G routers we reviewed and selected the WRT54G, however, our satisfaction was short-lived. After having tested the WRT54G we purchased literally MULTIPLE HUNDREDS of them - ours came with fancy Cisco labels to boot. One thing we failed to do was determine the difference between the v4(s) we tested and the v5(s) we purchased and deployed - oops. The NETGEAR WNR854T is as well equipped with 10/100/1000 which is great, however seems to be focused strictly on the home user - so what I said about the Belkin being great for the home user should be repeated here with the exception of price - this is a bit more cheese for the gigabit feature - so if you're looking at strictly wireless then buy the Belkin. Finally on to the DLink DIR-655!! So it's not as pretty as the rest, nor is it equipped with the large print Reader's Digest LED(s), BUT, it is by far the most comprehensive home/small business router (b, g, or n) that I have had the privilege of testing. The dashboard can be logged onto as an Admin OR as a User (read-only) - nice. It will email you your log files based on a schedule or when the log is full. Hell, it will email you to let you know a newer firmware version is available - nicce! One can actively monitor http sessions, delegate wireless bandwidth, assign IP Addresses based on MAC, and then some. My environment is dominantly 54G so I would not anticipate much / any of a performance increase with the exception of range.... but I got it. With 6 concurrent wireless connections and 2 wired (each having a VPN established to an external server) each PC was able to zip, copy, and verify 60+ MB of data simultaneously over the LAN/WLAN without dropping even one VPN connection - nicccce. This process took 3.4 minutes (average) whereas with the WRT54G it averaged 9.2 minutes and dropped all but the 2 wired VPN sessions. I only pray this performance remains consistant and DLink doesn't make a major OS (or otherwise) change without first notifying the consumer.

Strengths: Increadible speed and reach, fast fast fast, easy to set up, great interface

Weaknesses: none that I can think of

Summary: This is an amazing wireless router, I just replaced my aging Dlink wired router (worked great for 4 years) and my Linksys 54g access point ( what a nightmare!!!) with this unit. I have a desktop, a network printer, Dlink - Vonage adapter with 2 phonelines, Dlink HD media Center and 3 laptops connected to my network at all times and this router handles them like a dream. My VOIP is clear and fast, my Media streams at lighning speed to my home theater, my laptops VPN to work without a hickup and my dowloads continue to be as fast as always. amazing!

Strengths: Solid signal strength and speed, tremendous amount of customization available

Weaknesses: Setup disk didn't work for me

Summary: First the setup program on the supplied CD would not detect the router. So I did a manual setup. Just connected the modem to router and router to computer then powered them up in sequence. Then the setup found the router no problem. I did a basic setup manually after that by typing the router IP address into my browser and setting up the WPA2 encryption. The notebook client card was a bit more difficult primarily because the Windows wireless net manager tried to butt in. Once I eliminated that the rest was a breeze. Everything seemed fine until I did some file transfer tests this AM. The D-Link connection utility would report a speed of 120-240 Kbps but as soon as the file transfer started the connection speed plummeted to 12 Kbps. I repeated this test over and over. It was taking like 40 minutes to send a 1G file to my NAS!! That was no better than what my 6 year old Siemens B router did. D-Link India tech support didn't help. Anyway, I went in and manually selected a channel as far from other local nets (all G) as I could and performance is MUCH better. During transfer I am maintaining a solid 80-160 Mbps. These are "reported" rates not exact transfer rates but not bad at all. But I still don't understand why the reported connection speed drops from 240 to about half once the file transfer begins and returns to 240 immediately after. It's almost like the router interferes with itself! Maybe one of you guys can explain?? Bottom line is that it is a quantum leap from my 6 year old B gear and will let me relocate my desktop upstairs once I get the PCI adapter installed and get VOIP. Hopefully those installs won't be too difficult and transfer rates will remain good. So just 3 stars for now. Oh, one other small issue.... After the initial setup I can no longer access the router interface from my desktop that is plugged into a wired port on the router. I tried the manual's (online only!) troubleshooting to no avail. Luckily I am still able to access the interface from my laptop wirelessly.

Strengths: Very easy to install. Backwardly compatible. Extends range, and, when used with the proper adapters, increases speed.

Weaknesses: Haven't seen any yet.

Summary: I chose this router because I wanted to upgrade my network. I have always been a fan of D-Link because of their products and service. This router continues in that fine tradition. I would recommend it to any serious home or small business networker.

Strengths: D-link name, wireless N, Excellent range

Weaknesses: pricey

Summary: I bought this router to replace a Belkin wireless "pre N" router that was dropping IP addresses. I had purchased an updated Belkin router and returned it when the signal strength at my downstairs system was lower than with the old router. The D-Link router was easily installed with the set up software and easily configurable using the manual interface as well. I was pleased to find the range was so good that I no longer needed my d link range extender which I had used with the older Belkin router. Hopefully it will serve my needs for the foreseeable future. The cost has come down somewhat to around $130, and it seems better than the competition at present.

Strengths: Gigabit connections for wired devices, excellent wirless connections

Weaknesses: Price could be a little lower.

Summary: I bought this router to replace my aging Linksys router which was starting to have problems. I am very pleased with it. Because it has gigabit ethernet connections for the wired devices, it made a huge improvement for moving large files across my local network. Between 2 computers that have gigabit cards the performance was over twice as fast as with the 100 MB router. I moved a 3 GB file in 2 minutes with this router, the old one took almost 6 minutes to move the same file. Both computers reported a gigabit connection, I didn't even try to tweak anything. Also, the wireless connection was better than my previous router just using a 802.11g (not N) connection. No drop-outs and I get a good or excellent connection anywhere in the house. I haven't tried the 'N' connection yet since I don't have anything that uses that yet. But, it's nice to know it's there when I upgrade the laptop someday. I don't think there is anything else I could want in a router. I'm very happy with it.

Strengths: Wireless "N" capability, 3 antennas, blue LED's.

Weaknesses: A bit in the expensive side

Summary: This is my third D-link wireless router within the last 5 years. It replaces my supper-G (108G MIMO) which replaced my enhanced-b(22mbs). Although my previous two routers are still fully functional I decided to get the "N" to be able to download larger files faster. The wireless range appears to be greater than the my 108G MIMO, and when connected via Ethernet files download about time and half faster as well. If you are considering upgrading to cat-6 or cat-6e Ethernet cables, this router should handle the extra bandwidth just fine. Overall a nice future-proof investment.

Strengths: Good looking design. Appears to have good signal strength. Good build quality.

Weaknesses: Setup disk did not work in my system. Is not compatible with b devices in mixed n, b, g mode. Customer support has very limited knowledge and goes through a typical script for resolution.

Summary: Bought this router for a great price and installed it with a little bit of difficulty. The setup disk did not recognize the router as a D-Link router so had to call customer support to get going. Router was installed upstairs and a desktop with a g card is downstairs. Signal strength was good and but was only getting 1 Mbps until I installed an updated driver for the g card. Was then able to operate at speeds ranging from 48-54 Mbps (previous Netgear router that had failed maxed at 36 Mbps). Noticed that my Palm Tx (with b capability) had intermittent connection and sometimes did not even see the router. After spending over an hour with customer support, they told me that there is a known issue with this router's compatibility with b devices in mixed n, b, g mode. Works fine in mixed b, g mode though. They are working on a solution but have no timetable for a resolution and do not know if the solution will be a hardware or firmware fix or even if one will be found. I am not even sure if this is a generic problem with all n routers. Had bought an n adapter to test out capability but need the router to work with my Palm as well so I returned both the router and adapter (unopened). This router may work very well for those who do not need b compatibility. I liked it enough that I would consider buying it in the future if the issue is resolved.

Strengths: Excellent throughput and Gigabit Ports.

Weaknesses: QOS as implemented can slow download speeds.

Summary: Bought this at Circuit City as a result of seeing the review on SmallNetBuilders. It has a very user friendly setup menu and the processor in it is extremely fast. I haven't tried out the Wireless portion yet. I did notice that when checking download speeds, they were about 20% less when QOS was enabled.

Strengths: Latest SOHO wireless router technology

Weaknesses: None Found

Summary: This device uses the latest DraftN and Intelligent QoS technology. It is competitively priced and so far has proved to be absolutely stable. It is easy to configure and the web user interface is very similar to other earlier generation Ubicom based products such as the DLink DGL-4300, Zyxell X-550 and Trendnet TEW611BRP. I am using it to route a Verizon 3m/768k dry loop DSL circuit to a 3 PC, 1 VOIP wired network and 2 802.11g wireless devices. If you are considering a DGL-4300, this device is priced similarly and is next generation.

Strengths: Cheap! Gigabit switch! And Draft N including wireless G and B!

Weaknesses: None really. Still haven't figured out how to use the USB to a NAS USB HDD storage. Not sure if it really does

Summary: A great product. Other products that are similar are almost $200. I got this for only $109. Great deal. Works well. I had a Wireless G router and the wireless signal on this router works even better than my old one (signal strength and distance). I love the Gigabit ports too! A must have!

Strengths: Secure Router.Stable.Range is great.Singal strength is great.Excellent customer support.

Weaknesses: Installation is a pain.

Summary: I am computer expert (medium level) Always networking is a pain. Tried installing on my own. Would not work - Connection to internet was never made. Called customer support. The guy was extremely knowledgebale. Made the modem in bridge mode. Then on flawlessly connected to the internet. Great product.

Strengths: Has just about everything you would need for a SOHO or personal router

Weaknesses: Not to be too picky but the LED's are annoying. Also, there is a button on the side which is not documented, but seemed to 'clear' my initial problems.

Summary: I have 3 PC's on the Ports and 2 portable wireless connected. Bought for $118(total cost) on Amazon. Replaced my previous DI624 which I had for 3 years and was flawless. I just went VoIP so I was looking for a router that allowed QOS setup. I have SunRocket and two phone lines and therefore two gizmos. I stumbled in the beginning setting up the wireless and the QOS. It kept resetting the connection every 2-3 min. It appeared to go away when I 'properly' setup the QOS (I should read directions first) Only grip (Minor) is there is an undocumented button on the side. Had a label over it called "Reserved" There is no mention in the manual nor the DLink web site. I googled and cannot find information on what it does. When I first played with it, It appeard to be very slow when I used UltraVNC for remote access... Not sure, but when I pushed that button, is seemed to fix the problem. Since then, I am very happy with the product. - Lights are very (too) bright in my bedroom, and the Icons are too small, I would prefer large text instead of the tiny Icon but hey, it does look cool... All in all you will be satisfied. Oh Yeah, cannot tell if the QOS helped my VoIP connection because I only setup QOS to add insurance to my VoIP because I have a small business, but it does appear to work properly.UPDATEI contacted Dlink support on the "RESERVED" buttonHere is their response...."The button is reserved for use in later firmware than the shipping firmware (1.00). In firmware 1.03 the WiFi Protected Setup was added that uses that button. The button is used to automatically configure your network for wireless access and security"... this makes sense because I was using 1.03 when I saw the improvements... so all is well... I suggest DLink make notes in the 1.03 download about this button and save everyone allot of time....

Strengths: Many features, High Speed wired/wireless connections work well. Cost is low. Firmware updates are frequent. Maintains Draft N compatibility.

Weaknesses: D-Link Documentation, support poor. No D-Link knowledgebase entry. Firmware updates not documented.

Summary: I am a computer desktop support professional. I planned upgrade from ancient 801.11B Linksys router because I wanted Gb wired, fastest wireless standard, and latest encryption (WPA2). I read many posts before deciding on D-Link DIR-655. Reviewers were complimentary, so I made the plunge.Firstly, Draft N wireless is cutting edge: heed all the warnings before you upgrade. WPA2 encryption is relatively new , too, and if the intent is to use it with Windows XP, go to Microsoft and get the latest upgrade for wireless config for WPA2 -- not well published. Ensure you are using Draft N adaptors with the latest drivers.I had problems getting the router to work draft N with its published compatible DWA-652 adaptor, and with older DWA-130 -- would never authenticate faster than G. D-Link doesn't document this, but you must use WPA encryption to get draft N speeds. I found this in posts after struggling with it. At the time, no documentation existed. That may be part of Draft N standards which I didn't read.At the time of the upgrade, I could not find Draft N wireless print servers, so I settled on Netgear WGPS606 which is not compatible with WPA2. It does work with WPA encryption, so the router is set in dual WPA/WPA2 encryption mode. Works well. Forced WPA2 encrypted connections work fine.Problems exist through upgrade to 1.03 firmware and 1.04 firmware with intermittent resetting of the router. Posts for 1.04 upgrade notes bugs that it has with resetting, saved config settings from older versions incompatible with 1.04, and SPI firewall disablement. Expectation is 1.05 upgrade will solve this, as DLink frequent firmware upgrades are intended to maintain Draft N status, I suppose. The problem is, they don't publish any details. The best/only help available for this router?s settings are the Help link within the interface, and other users' posts. DLink is apparently silent.As for the 24/7 helpdesk. In a word: Fageddaboudit! Asian helpdesk hosed me in 15 minutes when I called them, and I had to tell him what to do to fix it. He referred me to 2nd level support with an incident number for Day hours M-F ONLY. The return call was helpful, but I solved my own problem (WPA2 encryption to get Draft N speed) before the guy called me a few days later. I was given his direct 2nd level support phone number, but he didn't return my calls after his initial call to me. Bottom line: YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN with support. If you don't like doing these upgrades get a subscription rate from GeekSquad or build a good relationship with that geek brother-in-law. I'll probably try another company's hardware when I do another upgrade (3 years or so from now). I like having some documentation to go with equipment.Satisfactory rating is due to fact that Draft N is just that: Draft. I'm on the edge of rating this lower, but I'll give DLink the benefit of that doubt.Most thorough review to date is at XBIT LABS: http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/other/display/dlink-dir655.html#sect0

Strengths: NA

Weaknesses: Couldn't get it to work with my system.

Summary: I have a Mac OS 10. and a PC laptop and a skype phone trying to network them all together. The Install Wizard CD didn't work on my Mac and then I worked with support who tried to make me update the firmware and do a couple resets, which never worked. They were convinced that it was a dud and to get a duplicate of the device. The duplicate had the exact same problems...so then we tried with support to load the software onto the pc laptop and it was the same story. I never got a great explanation why it didn't work for me, but it was a real waste of my time. I say good luck to you.