D-Link DIR-615 Wireless N Router
Manufacturer: D-Link Systems Inc. Part number: DIR-615
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- At a very affordable price, the D-Link Wireless N Router DIR-615 makes a great entry-level Wireless-N router and would satisfy most situations where a wireless network is needed.
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CNET editors' review
D-Link DIR-615 Wireless N Router price range: $34.99 - $61.95
- Reviewed by: Dong Ngo
- Reviewed on: 08/13/2009
The good: D-Link Wireless N Router DIR-615 offers decent Wireless-N performance at a very affordable price. It also has a responsive and intuitive Web interface.
The bad: D-Link Wireless N Router DIR-615 lacks Gigabit Ethernet, USB ports, and its throughput speed and range could be better.
The bottom line: At a very affordable price, the D-Link Wireless N Router DIR-615 makes a great entry-level Wireless-N router and would satisfy most situations where a wireless network is needed.
The D-Link Wireless N Router DIR-615 eliminates any excuse you might have to not move to Wireless-N (300Mbps speed cap). With a price of about $40, the router is cheaper than even some Wireless-G routers--which cap at 54mbps--such as the Linksys WRT110. And you'll get a lot for the price. While the DIR-615 lacks Gigabit Ethernet and USB ports, it has everything else you'd want from a Wireless-N router. It has decent wireless throughput speed and range and comes with an easy-to-use Web interface and a generous set of networking features. If you are looking to upgrade your network to Wireless-N and don't need any fancy features, look no further than the no-frills DIR-615. It's a great entry-level Wireless-N router that gives you possibly the biggest bang for your buck among wireless routers.
Design and ease of use
The DIR-615 has a traditional wireless router design, with its rectangular shape measuring 4.6 inches by 7.6 inches by 1.2 inches. Its two antennae and ports are located on the back. Generally, we prefer to see these antennae on the sides of the router, away from the ports, for easy access.
All of the router's ports--including four LAN and one WAN port--are regular 10/100 Ethernet. Meaning, if you want to use the router for wired connections, you can't take advantage of the higher Gigabit Ethernet (up to 1000Mbps) found in other Wireless-N routers.
It was easy for us to get the DIR-615 up and running. The router comes with Quick Router Setup software on an included CD that walks you through the setup via a few simple steps, including illustrations on how to set up the hardware. The manual is also contained on the CD.
Alternatively, plugging the router in launches its Web interface by pointing a computer's Web browser to the 192.168.0.1 IP address. The Web interface, which is shared with that of other D-Link routers, is one of the most intuitive and responsive on the market. It allows for accessing and managing the router's networking features.
Features
The DIR-615, as expected from the price, doesn't have a lot of wireless features found in high-end D-Link routers, such as Dual-Band, GuestZone (which enables you to make a separate wireless network for guests), or SharePort (which allows for use with USB devices). It does have a long list of networking features and a very responsive and intuitive Web interface.
Starting with the DIR-685, D-Link incorporates a Capcha with the log-in of the Web interface. This provides more security, but if you hate having to read the distorted text, which is how the Capcha determines that the input is not generated by a computer, this could be a nuisance. The DIR-615 offers numerous network features found in other Wireless-N routers from D-Link. You can then set up manual port forwarding--where you map information coming to a certain port to another computer in the network--or use the router's preset settings for different applications and services such as instant messengers, BitTorrent, IP phone software, virtual servers, and so on. It also offers a comprehensive set of parental control tools including Network Filter, Access Control, Web site Filter, and Inbound Control. These tools allow you to control the network and limit access to the Internet by specific criteria, such as setting a computer to only allow access to instant-messenger services during a certain period of time. The router also lets you customize its firewall to allow some services, but not others.
For security, the router features virtually all encryption standards found in wireless routers including all the variations of WEP and WPA. It also supports Wi-Fi Protected Setup, a feature that allows for quickly adding wireless clients to the network without having to manually type in the encryption key.
Performance
The DIR-615 didn't blow us away with its performance but more than met our expectations, considering how much it costs.
Among Wireless-N routers we've reviewed this year, the DIR-615 is by far the most affordable; however, its performance is in no way the slowest. In CNET Labs' throughput test, where the router was set up to offer its best performance, the DIR-615 scored 33.2Mbps, slightly faster than the Apple Time Capsule. At this speed, the DIR-615 can finish transmitting 500MB of data in about 2 minutes.
On CNET Labs range test, the DIR-615 did slightly better by being faster than both the Time Capsule and Apple's new Airport Extreme Base Station, at 21.7Mbps.
The DIR-615 also successfully passed our mixed mode test, where it was set to work with both Wireless-N and legacy wireless clients at the same time. The router achieved 25.8Mbps, which is about 5.8Mbps faster than the Apple Time Capsule.
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Mixed Mode | |
Range | |
Throughput |
Overall, the DIR-615 performed well in our tests. The router could hold up a stable connection up to 230 feet away in our testing environment. It also passed our 48-hour stress test, in which the router is set to perform continuous heavy data transfer between clients, without any hiccup.
Service and support
As with all of its new routers, D-Link backs the DIR-615 with a one-year warranty, which is standard for wireless routers these days. You'll find a wealth of support information including firmware, manual downloads, FAQs, and a searchable knowledgebase at the company's Web site. You can also seek help through the company's toll-free technical support phone line, which is available 24-7.
User reviews
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Worst Router Ever Made
by manduke2 on May 20, 2008
Pros: Teaches you to distrust d-link
Cons: Where do I begin....
Summary: Like another reviewer, I too registered with cnet just to warn you about this piece of crap. I have the latest firmware installed. I have also twice waited forever on ...
Summary: Like another reviewer, I too registered with cnet just to warn you about this piece of crap. I have the latest firmware installed. I have also twice waited forever on hold with D-link for some dummy to suggest unplugging/plugging in the power adaptor as a way to fix the problem.
The problem is that I lose Internet constantly. So does any other computer at my home that tries to use this router. I don't lose a signal, but my Internet access goes down. I have no problems if my computer is connected straight to the cable modem, so I know it's the router.
Curiously, connecting via Ethernet cable directly to the d-link router doesn't help matters any. The Internet access still goes down. This thing even fails as a wired router.
But don't take my word for it. Google "dir-15 +sucks" and you will find many others that share my opinion. So, if you want to live on the wild side and risk your money for something widely recognized as sucking, buy this product.
As for the positive reviews on this site --"spectacular," "excellent," "best router I've ever owned, and the slightly arrogant "awesome product for educated users," etc. -- come on. Really? Can't say I've ever been so moved by a router to rush online and write such glowing reviews.
Maybe this router is a form of Internet Russian roulette, and I bought the bullet. Don't buy the bullet, folks. Don't buy this d-link.Updated
google "dir-615 +sucks"9 out of 10 users found this user opinion helpful.
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very good router
by bplr69 on March 18, 2008
Pros: easy to use, and setup
Cons: loses connection occasionaly
Summary: I personally like this router, I work around routers and networking equipment all day. This works very well for the price which was one of the reasons that I bought ...
Summary: I personally like this router, I work around routers and networking equipment all day. This works very well for the price which was one of the reasons that I bought this item. If you are looking for a reasonably priced router that works good then buy this one.
6 out of 6 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Enjoy your 30 minutes of Wireless-N
by leathej1 on August 3, 2007
Pros: Works beautifully when it works
Cons: Loses DNS cache every half hour or more; Network Magic brought down my local network
Summary: Oh my lord, I think I'm going to lose it if I have to unplug/replug this router one more time just to get it to reload its DNS ...
Summary: Oh my lord, I think I'm going to lose it if I have to unplug/replug this router one more time just to get it to reload its DNS cache. The worst part is that there are no error messages which tell you that. Only the lack of error messages tell you that.
Network magic - hmm, what can I say. This tasty little 3rd party offering that comes like a secret toy suprise in your D-Link box is a real gem. It took me and the Cox repair man half the morning to figure out why my packet drop rate was 30%-50%. Well, whaddya know - uninstall Network Effin' Magic, and the problem miraculously corrects itself!4 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
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What's wrong with all the haters?
by cleverrick on March 14, 2008
Pros: Easy set up. Got it running in about 10 minutes. Works great with online gaming.
Cons: I can't find anything wrong with this router.
Summary: Great product.
Summary: Great product.
5 out of 7 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Awesome Product for Educated Users.
by staggered6 on December 14, 2007
Pros: Quick to setup, attractive, clean, comes with mounting screws, comes with verticle stand, attractive configuration page, easy firmware updates
Cons: I don't know what the button on top does! I just blinks when you push it!?!
Summary: I read the bad reviews and found them to be inaccurate. The setup is a snap, if you have some experience with manually configuring a router. Even still, the software ...
Summary: I read the bad reviews and found them to be inaccurate. The setup is a snap, if you have some experience with manually configuring a router. Even still, the software that comes with it is easy to use.
Firmware updates are a MUST! Any router you buy should be running on the latest firmware! Don't be fooled by some of the other reviews, they were running the older versions. The kinks have been worked out.
Basically in a nutshell -
The D-Link DIR-615 is a easy to use networking device. There was no problem setting it up, even a monkey could do it.
Make sure you do a little research into wireless routing before you go setting up a network. It will make it much easier on you.4 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
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I registered just to warn you about this piece of junk.
by s2k_fun on August 16, 2007
Pros: Didn't burst into flames.
Cons: Nearly useless as a wireless router.
Summary: Right now I'm using my sprint card to write this. The setup software was moronic, requiring you to hardwire your computer to internet before you could plug in router ...
Summary: Right now I'm using my sprint card to write this. The setup software was moronic, requiring you to hardwire your computer to internet before you could plug in router and wade through it's setup.
Buy this router and look forward a long time on hold for support.
I updated the firmware (so don't expect that to save you) and still it loses the users. If I make ANY changes which require it to save, it counts down for 20 seconds then dies (died = no computer can now see the router)...
Support's answer to dying ? "Unplug it for a full two minutes.". Then reconnect and try again.
Set WEP, dies, Lock IP, dies, enable a port, dies, sitting there quietly, dies.
Don't be surprised if the guy who owned it one day doesn't post a follow-up,
there is a good chance he can't get back on the net... You were warned.3 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Excellent Router / Terrible Router
by MENDOBOB on November 22, 2008
Pros: The 3rd revision of this router is a great deal. It is an 802.11n with good speed and range, good security and easy setup.
Cons: The 1st version of this router was a huge disappointment. It would not connect to the user's satellite adapter (modem) and had to be returned.
Summary: I was looking for an inexpensive 802.11n router for a client's home. The D-Link DIR-615 had very mixed reviews, people either hated it or loved it. and at $...
Summary: I was looking for an inexpensive 802.11n router for a client's home. The D-Link DIR-615 had very mixed reviews, people either hated it or loved it. and at $40 from Tiger Direct it seemed too cheap. I ordered one from TD and was delighted by it. The setup had very good animations of where everything plugged in and I set it up in under 5 minutes. It had good range for both 802.11n and 802,11g. We tested it with a hard wired desktop, an 80211g ThinkPad and an 812.11n IdeaPad. The client was very happy with the speed, range and reliability.
Friends of mine were looking for their first wireless router and I recommended the DIR-615, without hesitation. The day it arrived, they tried to install it and couldn't, so they called me. Curiously the setup program was not the same one I had used earlier. No matter what I tried, I could not get the router to recognize the signal from the satellite adapter. I swapped cables, computers and even tried it using my ISP. D-Link Tech Support had us run down the usual list of tests and concluded that it was "defective" and should be returned to TD.
I noticed that the DIR-615 I had installed the first time was Hardware version C1 Firmware version 3.00 and the router TD had sent my friends was H/W version A1 F/W version 1.00. I am guessing that the first version is a piece of crap, but by the 3rd revision they got it right. Why TD would ship the latest revision one time and a week later ship an older version is puzzling.My friends are returning it to TD, and have sworn off TD and D-Link and are getting a Linksys router from a big box store. Which is unfortunate because I have had good experiences with Tiger Direct and D-Link
The bottom line is that this is a great router, but make sure that you get the later revision. Since most online merchants don't give the version number, this could be challenging.2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Cheap and fast but pain in the b** on first time configuration
by jef1013 on August 22, 2007
Pros: Great speed, you get for what you paid, and great response
Cons: Real pain when doing a first time configuration.
Summary: This router is not that bad, after you get through the first configuration it actually works fine. I read about the dns problems and updated the firmware 1.10. But ...
Summary: This router is not that bad, after you get through the first configuration it actually works fine. I read about the dns problems and updated the firmware 1.10. But after all it is a cheap router but after all the troubles it does the job good. If you are a technician and have no problem on having patience when it comes to configurations and want solid stability (after upgrade of firmware) this is the router to look for, but if you are a first timer on networking, please STAY AWAY !!!!
2 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Great Router
by mdwhaley on April 4, 2009
Pros: Fast, secure, reliable, always connected, cheap
Cons: The quick setup instructions. Wireless N only does not cut it which from what I read is normal for N draft 2.0?
Summary: I think all the haters are used to popping in a cd and letting the application do the rest. The use of the cd should only be to read the ...
Summary: I think all the haters are used to popping in a cd and letting the application do the rest. The use of the cd should only be to read the pdf documentation that applies to your setup. The setup cd did not work for me so I read the instructions; 1) shut down power to everything (computer, router, cable modem) 2) hook everything up 3) turn on cable modem and wait 30 seconds 4) turn on router and wait 30 seconds 5) start computer and you are on the internet 6) type in the router ip address (which is given in the instructions) 7) enter desired password 8) set up wireless connections (protocol, security etc all explained nicely). My old router started having problems when we got a new laptop. It would take forever to connect etc. This one seems like the laptop is connected even when it is in sleep mode, since we open it and bam Internet. There is a noticeable speed difference on the Internet as well for us. The only thing I can say is in setup if you set it up to do wireless N only it probably won't work right for you. Mine is in mixed mode and is super duper fast so I see no reason to use N only. Don't be a hater and read the setup instructions and set it up manually and securely. Who wants automatic setup anyway when manual only takes a few minutes?
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Does the job flawlessly!
by ssorgs on February 17, 2009
Pros: I followed advice of others' here and set up manually. Didn't take that long and once running I don't think I've had to re-start but maybe once in 2 months! It's faster than my old Netgear 54G and doesn't crash -- what more do you need.
Cons: Seems to require manual set-up.
Summary: Cheap and it works.
Summary: Cheap and it works.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: D-Link Systems Inc.
- Part number: DIR-615
- Description: With the latest firmware installed, you will be able to turn off the router's wireless signal altogether at certain times of the day, to save energy. The DIR-615 Wireless N Home Router connects to any modem or ISP box to provide Internet access for computers and other network equipment. Wireless N technology offers more speed, extended coverage and virtually no dead spots while still compatible with previous network standards. This router transfers data at speeds of up to 300 Mbps. Setting the router up is easy even for non-technically minded people, with D-Link Click'n Connect: run directly from the product CD-ROM, this wizard takes you through an interactive step-by-step guide that will get you on-line in a matter of minutes. It also includes a simplified method of setting up wireless encryption, the Wi-Fi Wireless Protect Setup (WPS), which works at the touch of a button. A powerful dual firewall (SPI and NAT) prevents Denial of Service (DoS) attacks and attempts to breach your network from the Internet. You can also define a list of allowed sites to restrict web access during certain periods.
General
- Device Type Wireless router
- Form Factor External
- Width 4.6 in
- Depth 7.6 in
- Height 1.2 in
- Weight 11.2 oz
Networking
- Connectivity Technology Wired, Wireless
- Integrated Switch 4-port switch
- Frequency Band 2.4 GHz
- Data Link Protocol Ethernet, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, Fast Ethernet, IEEE 802.11n (draft 2.0)
- Switching Protocol Ethernet
- Network / Transport Protocol NTP, DHCP, L2TP, PPTP, IPSec, PPPoE, TCP/IP
- Remote Management Protocol HTTP
- Status Indicators Power, Status, Link OK, Link activity
- Features NAT support, VPN passthrough, Parental control, Content filtering, Firewall protection, Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS), Auto-uplink (auto MDI/MDI-X), Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI)
- Compliant Standards IEEE 802.3, IEEE 802.3u, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, Wi-Fi CERTIFIED, Wi-Fi Protected Setup, IEEE 802.11n (draft 2.0)
Antenna
- Antenna External detachable
- Antenna Qty 2
Communications
- Type None
Expansion / Connectivity
- Expansion Slots Total (Free) None
- Interfaces 1 x Network - Ethernet 10Base-T/100Base-TX - RJ-45 ( WAN ), 4 x Network - Ethernet 10Base-T/100Base-TX - RJ-45
- Compatible Slots None
Miscellaneous
- Cables (Details) 1 x Network cable
- Encryption Algorithm WPA, WPA2, 64-bit WEP, 128-bit WEP
- Authentication Method RADIUS, Radio Service Set ID (SSID), Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP)
- Microsoft Certifications Compatible with Windows 7
- Compliant Standards CE, IC, FCC Class B certified
Power
- Power Device Power adapter - External
Environmental Standards
- EPA Energy Star Compliant Yes
Software / System Requirements
- Software Included Drivers & Utilities
- OS Required Apple MacOS X 10.4, Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows XP SP2, Microsoft Windows 2000 SP4
- Peripheral / Interface Devices CD-ROM
Environmental Parameters
- Min Operating Temperature 32 °F
- Max Operating Temperature 104 °F
- Humidity Range Operating 10 - 90%
Manufacturer info
- D-Link Systems Inc.
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse D-Link Systems Inc. products on Shopper.com
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- Website: http://www.dlink.com/
- Address:
17595 Mt. Herrmann, Fountain Valley, CA 92708 - Phone: 1.877.453.5465
- Email: tech@dlink.com
