D-Link DAP-1650

amazon D-Link DAP-1650 reviews

If you’re having trouble maintaining a strong wireless signal in parts of your home or office, the D-Link AC1200 Dual-Band Gigabit Range Extender DAP-1650 ($89.99) can help. More than just a range extender, the DAP-1650 can be used as an access point or a multimedia bridge, and it offers solid 5GHz range and transfer speeds. Compared to our top pick for range extenders, the Netgear Nighthawk AC1900 Wi-Fi Range Extender (EX7000), its price tag is quite reasonable, but it can’t match the performance or feature set Nighthawk.

Design and Features

With its cylindrical shape, the DAP-1650 doesn’t look like a typical range extender. It measures 5.76 x 3.7 x 4.6 inches (HWD) and is black, semi-gloss with a red decorative circle on top. The device’s front has power and Internet status lights, and around the back are four gigabit Ethernet ports, a Reset button, a Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) button, a Power button, and a USB port. The USB port can be used to connect a USB drive for file sharing, but it’s USB 2.0 instead of the faster USB 3.0. There are four internal antennas (two for each band), and the device supports 802.11a/b/g/n/ac network protocols.

The DAP-1650 uses a Web-based management console that includes a Wi-Fi Connection Setup Wizard and some manual settings, with helpful tips for each setting. Here, you can change the SSID, switch the network mode, specify the baud rate, and choose the channel width for each wireless band. Network settings include IPv4 connection types (DHCP or Static) and IPv6 (Link-Local, AutoConfig, or Static). The Media Server Setup allows you to configure the DAP-1650 as both a Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) server and an iTunes server, allowing you to share music, photos, and videos over the network. The device provides WPA, WPA2, WPS security settings, Quality of Service (QoS), MAC address filtering, and guest zone features.

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.

Lots of features, average performance

With the D-Link DAP-1650, you can bring wireless connectivity to areas beyond the reach of your Wi-Fi Router without spending a bundle. While its 2.4GHz performance is decent, it offers much better transfer speeds and range on the 5GHz band, and you can use it as a multimedia bridge or an access point, depending on your needs. Depends on your network needs. Unlike its predecessor, the D-Link DAP-1520, it offers four gigabit Ethernet ports for wired connectivity. That said, it can’t match the blazing-fast transfer speeds and generous feature set of 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