Over the past month I have had a chance to sit down and really sink my teeth into the D-Link’s Amplify HD Media Router 2000, the DIR-827. Previously, I was in the market for a new router as dropped connections, slow speeds, and overall poor performance were just a few problems I was experiencing with my previous router. Not to mention, with the need for uploading more and more videos, increased online gaming, and better home coverage, I required something that could deliver strong and stable speeds. So when D-Link sent us the DIR-827 to my home office for review, I was wasted no time to set it and give it a spin.
When it comes to routers, I am admittedly a novice in the tech department. So as far as navigating the router’s advanced settings and manually setting up the router I was completely lost. When it came to setting up the DIR-827 wirelessly, I was also lost. The included CD-Rom has the setup wizard and everything you need to set up the DIR-827, unfortunately, as with most routers, you need a wired network connection to take full advantage of the CD-Rom set up. My primary desktop PC runs wirelessly, so when it came to setting up the router using my desktop PC, I experienced some issues. Only my Xbox 360 and PS3 are “hard-wired” into the router, so when it came to setting up the DIR-827, I had to call D-Link Customer Service to guide me through the manual setup using my existing wireless settings. This was not a major issue but more of a small annoyance given I was able to recently set up a Linksys router at a friend’s place wirelessly with the CD Rom that was included in the Linksys router’s box.
My experience with D-Link’s customer service was a mixed experience. On one hand, I was happy they were able to guide me through the manual router setup process. I was able to connect to the router and the connection was initially strong. A few days later I was experiencing some network issues and initially I thought the problem rested with the DIR-827 router. To make a long story short, I called D-Link back so they could help me reconnect my old router while I figured out my network issues with my service provider. Unfortunately, D-Link was not able to help me reconnect the older D-Link router unless I paid them. My older router was no longer covered under warranty and as a result D-Link technical support would not assist me with my issues unless I forked over my Visa number. Needless to say, I was not impressed and disappointed I was going to have to pay to get assistance with re-connecting my older router. Sure I was able to connect the old router on my own but I wanted help manually reconnecting it with the best possible settings. Alas, I was not able to get “free” help from D-Link technical support.
After a week of network issues and going back and forth with my internet service provider, I was able to get the DIR-827 hooked up and everything was running. Connecting to the DIR-827 router was accomplished with ease. My laptop, wireless PC, 3 family iPhones, 3DS, and netbook were all able to connect to the router quickly. Connection indicators were strong. It was certainly much quicker than my previous router. Even the wired Xbox 360 and PS3 connections seemed better off. I had no difficulties connecting to Xbox Live or the PlayStation Network. Gaming was smooth and I experienced no slow-downs or glitches that appeared to be connected with the router. All connections tests I used passed with flying colours. I played Forza 4, Modern Warfare 3, and Madden 12 online and in all games, no slow-down or connection issues surfaced that affected my online gameplay.
Another positive issue I noticed with the DIR-827 is the strong connection I received from one end of the household to the other. My DIR-827 router sits in the corner on one end of the house. My network PC is quite a distance from my router and is on the other end of the house. I anticipated some initial troubles connecting to the router but that was not the case at all. I easily connected and all speed tests I ran resulted in fantastic speeds.
One of the more interesting aspects of the DIR-827 is the fact you can share multimedia files using the router’s SD Card slot. You can share files such as video, music and images. You can access the files by inserting an SD card and opening a web browser with the appropriate address. This is not a feature I would particularly use frequently, but I neat little feature nonetheless for those looking to share media.
The router itself is very slick looking. The piano black finish coupled with its slim design makes for a router that is easy on the eyes and will look good in any entertainment system. Sure at the end of the day it is a plastic router and some may squawk that it appears cheap for the price. That is always a possibility but as far as routers go, the DIR-827 is not a bad looking router at all.
Given we are a gaming site, how does the router work for gaming? Well wired, as I already mentioned, I had no issues. I experienced no slow-downs or poor speed connections. I tried some wireless gaming on my PC and likewise I experienced no lag or slow-downs. Needless to say, I was impressed. It is safe to say gamers do not want to experience lag, skipping, or slow-downs due to other users on your network; fortunately, the DIR-827 manages traffic flow and optimizes broadband connections to give priority to high-bandwidth entertainment without any lag or glitches that can be found with common routers. I had the chance to game while others in the house were surfing the web or doing other stuff on the internet, and again, I had no issues while gaming.
For those of you who are curious here are the “Amplify HD Media Router 2000” features:
- HD Fuel for enhanced gaming and HD media streaming
- N600 performance (300 + 300Mbps Simultaneous Dual Band)
- 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports
- USB 3.0 with Shareport Plus Technology
- IEEE 802.11n, IEEE 802.11a and 802.11g Compliant
- Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) Push Button
- SD Card Slot
- UPnP Support
- True Gigabit Routing Connectivity
- Wi-PnP
- IPv6-Ready
- D-Link Green
- Compatible with Windows 7
- Compatible with: DWA-130, DWA-121, DWA-131, DWA-140, DWA-160, DWA-556, and DWA-552
As far as routers the DIR-827 is one of the more expensive routers on the market. It costs somewhere between $150-170.00. Yet if you decide to take the plunge you will unquestionably have a fast router that will last you for years to come. Not to mention, the DIR-827 has more features than the majority of routers already on the market so being a little “router-adept” so to speak is a plus as you’ll have lots to take advantage of. So if you are in the market for a new router and are willing to spend money on the higher end of the scale, then the DIR-827 may be for you as it is solid performer and good all-around-use router, including the world of bandwidth eating, high-performance online gaming.
