Table of Contents
amazon D-Link DAP-1650 reviews
If you are experiencing weak signal areas in your home or office, have a D-Link AC1200 Dual-Band Gigabit Range Extender DAP-1650 ($89.99) handy. The DAP-1650 does more than simply extend the range-it can also be set up as an access point or as a multimedia bridge, helping to provide great 5GHz coverage and transfer speeds. Compared to our top pick for range extenders, Netgear Nighthawk AC1900 Wi-Fi Range Extender (EX7000), its price is very reasonable; however, it falls short of the Nighthawk in performance and feature set.
Design and Features
With a cylindrical shape, the DAP-1650 does not have the usual look of a range extender. Measuring 5.76 x 3.7 x 4.6 inches (HWD), it has a semi-gloss black finish with a thin red circle on top for decoration. Power and Internet status lights adorn the front of the unit, while along the rear are four gigabit Ethernet ports, a Reset button, a WPS button, a Power button, and a USB port. The USB port could allow a USB drive to be connected for file sharing; however, this is a USB 2.0 port versus USB 3.0. There are four internal antennas-two for each band-and support is for 802.11a/b/g/n/ac network protocols.
The DAP-1650 is Web-managed utility that has Wi-Fi Connection Setup Wizard and some manual settings along with a useful tip for each setting. SSID can be edited, network mode can be switched, baud rate can be specified, and channel width for each wireless band can be selected. Network settings include IPv4 connection types (DHCP or Static) and IPv6 connection types (Link-Local, AutoConfig, or Static). The Media Server Setup allows you to configure the DAP-1650 as a DLNA server as well as an iTunes server, sharing music files, photos, and videos on a network. WPA, WPA2, and WPS security settings, QoS, MAC address filtering, and guest zone features are included in the device.
Settings and Performance
Installing the DAP-160 is very easy. I used the Wi-Fi Connection Setup Wizard and selected the Extender as the wireless mode. Next, I set both bands’ SSID names and passwords and let the extender scan for available networks. Within 10 seconds, it found my network and showed signal strength (100%). I tap Connect, enter my Wi-Fi password, and enter the password for the Extender. After 60 seconds or so, the device will reboot and be ready to go.
The DAP-1650 delivered impressive results in our 5GHz transfer rate tests. In the close-up (same room) test, its 63.6Mbps average transfer rate surpassed the 700mW Amped High Power Dual-Band AC Wi-Fi Range Extender (REA20) (50Mbps) and the High Power Dual-Band AC Wi-Fi Range Extender (REA20) (50Mbps). D-Link Wi-Fi dual-band extension (DAP-1520) (34Mbps), but it falls short of the Netgear EX7000 (179Mbps). At 50 feet away, DAP-1650 measured a transfer rate of 45.8Mbps, once again surpassing the Amped REA20 (44Mbps) and D-Link DAP-1520 (32Mbps) and behind the Netgear EX7000 (105Mbps). Again huge profits. The DAP-1650’s transfer rate of 39.5Mbps at 75 feet is the highest we’ve seen to date, surpassing the Netgear EX7000 (31.1Mbps).
Performance on the 2.4GHz band in the test was relatively good at close range but faltered as I moved further away. It measured 39.2Mbps on the short-distance test and 18Mbps at 50 feet but couldn’t sustain the signal at the 75-foot mark. The D-Link Wireless N300 Range Extender DAP-1320 hit 35Mbps in the close-range test and 19Mbps at 50 feet, but it also had trouble at 75 feet (0.2Mbps). The Netgear EX7000 measured 50 Mbps in the short-range test, 28.6 Mbps at 50 feet, and 26.9 Mbps at 75 feet.
Many features; mediocre performance
With a D-Link DAP-1650, wireless connectivity can be extended beyond the limits of your Wi-Fi Router without much expense. The 2.4GHz performance is not so bad; this extender provides much better transfer speeds and range on the 5GHz band. You can use it as a bridge for multimedia content sharing or as an access point, depending on what you choose to do with your network. Its elder sibling, the D-Link DAP-1520, has only two Ethernet ports. This one has four gigabit Ethernet ports to offer wired connectivity to the station. It is, however, way behind in terms of transfer speed and features from our wireless range extender, the Netgear Nighthawk AC1900 Wi-Fi Range Extender EX7000.
where can you get a D-Link DAP-1650 online
D-Link WiFi Range Extender Gigabit Ethernet Port AC1200 Dual Band Wireless MediaBridge and Access Point (DAP-1650): Buy it now