Recently tested: D-Link Wi-Fi 6 router

Operating your business from home and staying connected with remote workforces has become a new normal under the covid-19 pandemic. Cathy Parker puts the new D-Link DIR-X1560 AX1500 Wi-Fi 6 router through its paces.

Wi-Fi 6 is the latest iteration in Wi-Fi standards, also termed 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 5 was 802.11ac). Each Wi-Fi generation aims to increase throughput speed and security. It is also backwards compatible so older Wi-Fi 5 devices will work fine (and even older n, g and a standard devices).

Technically it pushes up throughput by up to 25 percent, with maximum data speeds of up to 10 Gbps. This router also handles simultaneous use better and draws less power from devices – of course, to gain these benefits you also need devices that use Wi-Fi 6 (iPhone 11 and Galaxy S10 already do). And note that the maximum data speed is theoretical so you are unlikely to see the maximum.

A brief look at the router and specs show a black box with four large antennas. Connections include a Gigabit WAN port (to connect to the Fibre ONT) and 4 x LAN ports (10/100/1000 ie Gigabit rated). It is a dual-band unit (5 and 2.4 GHz) and supports WPA2 and WPA3 security protocols and WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup).

The four concurrent streams provided are great for busy households.

Given we don’t have a Wi-Fi 6 capable device at the Adrenalin Publishing office, our test was more focused on the ease of installation and how well the router works in a home running a large array of devices.

You can install the router either via a browser interface or using a smartphone app and the supplied QR card.  We used the browser option as we needed to configure some specific settings for our application. This was simple (once we spotted that each setup page has an advanced options button so you can delve beyond the basic settings). We also appreciated that the D-Link allows a guest network (we run a business from home and use separate network ID’s for work and personal uses).

“In the 5 GHz band the D-Link matched or bettered our existing router – the comparison got better the further we were from the router.”

Once set up we put the router to work. We have a large house and getting Wi-Fi to the furthest bedroom is a challenge normally. In the 5 GHz band the D-Link matched or bettered our existing router – the comparison got better the further we were from the router.

Speedtest reported 519 Mbps download and 320 Mbps upload in the room with the router (we have an ultra-speed fibre connection) dropping to 237/97 for the furthest room.

The 2.4 GHz performance was less stellar – near the router it was better and where it had a good connection it was faster, but in the furthest room it really struggled compared to our existing router, and was barely connecting.

All in all a solid choice for a mid-priced router with the latest technology, to help future proof your connection.

Cathy Parker is the owner-founder of Adrenalin Publishing, and publisher of NZBusiness magazine and website.