The D-Link came in third place, just behind the TP-Link Archer and the NetGear AC1200 routers. With our Best Buy Award, the TP-Link has shown to be an excellent choice for anyone buying on a low budget. The D-Link costs around $20 less than the Archer; nevertheless, we strongly advise saving your money and investing just a little bit more for the Archer because the performance gain is pretty considerable.
In addition to being a new inexpensive Wireless AC1200 router from D-Link, it appears that they have abandoned their cylindrical shape in favor of a more normal router design. D-Link DIR-842 The router now has four antennas, two of which will be devoted to the 2.4GHz band and two more for the 5GHz band. This is the cheapest Wireless AC1200 MU-MIMO router with costs under $50 at the time of writing this article. We’ll have to wait and see how well this router performs in practice.
In this photo, you can see every single port that comes with the D-Link DIR-842. One thing you’ll notice is the lack of a USB connection, which is understandable considering how inexpensive this wireless router is, and the fact that USB performance on lower range routers is often poor and not really helpful in most situations. However, the fact that it comes with a Gigabit Ethernet connector means that the speed of LAN file transmission should be enough.
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Specifications
Product Description | AC1200 Wi-Fi Gigabit Router |
---|---|
D-Fend | N/A |
D-Link Wi-Fi | N/A |
Multicast Support | Yes |
mydlink Lite (iOS/Android) | N/A |
USB 2.0/3.0 | N/A |
Voice Control Support (Amazon Alexa / Google Assistant) | N/A |
Wi-Fi Mesh | N/A |
Wireless Speed | 1200Mbps (2.4G + 5G) |
SDRAM | 128MB |
Flash | 16MB |
Antenna Type | External Fixed antenna (2×2+2×2) |
MU-MIMO | Yes |
D-Link QRS Mobile | Yes |
WAN | 1(10/100/1000) |
LAN | 4 (10/100/1000) |
Static IP | Yes |
Dynamic IP (DHCP) | Yes |
PPPoE | Yes |
L2TP | Yes |
PPTP | Yes |
Static IPv6 | Yes |
PPPoE (IPv6 over PPPoE) | Yes |
WPS (Wi-Fi Protect Setup) | Yes (PIN/Button) |
WPA2-PSK (Personal) | Yes |
WPA-PSK (Personal) | Yes |
Guest Zone | Yes |
Because of its slick black casing and impressive-looking aerials, you’d never believe it was so primitive, even if it is small and light in weight.
You may either place it on a table or hang it on a wall.. It should be noted that it is merely a router. It is necessary to connect the DIR-842 to the Ethernet port on the modem if you presently have a router and a separate modem unit. If you’re utilizing a combination ADSL/VDSL modem-router, you’ll need to configure the DIR-842, which may need consulting the instructions.
In addition to lacking a USB connector for connecting a shared printer, it is incompatible with You View services such as BT Sport (a common limitation). However, the DIR-842 is a reliable 802.11ac router that can create two networks, one for the old 2.4GHz frequency and another for the new 5GHz band. You may also create a guest network on each band, which will prevent you from sharing your personal password with others.
The setup is straightforward, and choices are selected through the use of a web browser. Basic functions such as DHCP allocation, port forwarding, and dynamic DNS are included. Web filtering may be configured, however, it is a time-consuming process. If you do decide to attempt to block undesirable content.
Conclusions
In terms of value for money, the D-Link DIR-842 is excellent. At a price of less than $60, it is directly competing with the Asus RT-C1200G and the TP-Link Archer C1200. Only the D-Link router, out of the three routers with identical characteristics, offers MU-MIMO capabilities. According to our tests, the wireless performance of the D-Link DIR-842 is actually quicker than the performance of both of the rival routers. The DIR-842, on the other hand, does not have a USB port, but both the Asus and the TP-Link feature a USB port for file sharing and printer sharing, respectively.
It is entirely up to personal choice. If you are seeking an economical and high-performing router that does not require a USB port, look no further. The DIR-842 is a respectable option. The software is straightforward and straightforward to configure, and D-Link is pleased enough to give a three-year guarantee with this wireless router.