The D-Link DSL-2870B is one of the latest routers from D-Link. It has an extremely minimal design and this is something that I really like about it. Most routers are absolutely ugly and look incredibly cheap and nasty but this is something that D-Link have shyed away from with the 2870B. It’s got an extremely plain, white shell which puts focus on the LED lights which is exactly what you want from a router. It allows you to easily see what functions you have turned on and which ethernet ports you have connected.
Included in the box is the modem/router, documentation, easy install guide, a metre-long Ethernet cable, ADSL2+ splitter phone cable and the obvious AC adaptor.
The DSL-2870B features dual band 2.4GHz and 5GHz. For those that aren’t aware, a 5 GHz signal that has low interference can carry up to 450mbps whilst a 2.4 GHz connection can carry up to 300mbps but at a much larger range. It’s a well known fact that 5GHz works well when the device is in clear range of the router, but does not pass well through solid objects. D-Link give you the option to run both alongside each other or you’re able to turn them on and off individually from the back.
Setting up the router was incredibly easy. I was able to do this wirelessly from my computer but was also able to set the router up and also update it from an One-Touch iPhone app without the need for any computer. This was extremely beneficial to me as I don’t have any computers with ethernet ports.
I’ve been using this router with the NBN and i’m glad to report that it was extremely easy to set it up to be able to work with the NBN. Obviously the modem/router is more than capable with ADSL2+ but getting connected with the NBN required me to plug my ethernet cable into one of the ethernet ports and set it as a WAN port.
Speeds were much better than the standard modem/router that Telstra provided. The performance of the D-Link was also much more reliable. Range seemed to reach a lot longer and speeds were much more constant in a range of situations.
D-Link have also recently released a few other iPhone apps for their users. The mydlink Lite app allows you to connect monitor your network remotely as well as check current internet speeds. The D-Link SmartPlay app allows you to play videos off a connected USB or hard drive. Both apps work well without doing anything too extraordinary.
The most important thing for me to check was that the router worked well with all gaming consoles. My previous NBN enabled Telstra modem/router was blocking certain points that Nintendo’s servers needed to access in order to work online. Thankfully I can report that this was not the case with the D-Link DSL-2870B. Gaming was a complete breeze with this router and it provided the reliability and speeds that online gaming requires.
The D-Link DSL-2870B is a no frills router that I’d recommend to just about anyone. It’s design is sleek and modern and will appeal to those who want their router to blend in to their household. It’s extremely reliable in terms of speed and range and works well with the NBN set up.
