Very impressive performance!
Pros:
Rock solid connection, no lock-ups/reboots, fast wireless and excellent web based administration.
Cons:
DHCP server can't assign more than one DNS server IP, basic system logging.
The Bottom Line:
Rock solid connection stability - no disconnects, lock-ups or reboots, fast wireless performance, VPN pass-though and many security features.
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
Working from home and remotely managing over ten clients using Terminal Server, WinVNC, and other remote access software packages, my network needs to be rock solid. I also run a web server, FTP server and an Exchange server locally on my network - all services that need to be up all the time. Because of my strict requirements, I've been through a few routers trying to find one that works good enough to keep my network up 24/7.
I replaced my existing 801.22b router the D-Link DI-624 because I was getting constant WAN lock-ups that lasted from a few seconds to as many as 20 or 30 seconds. Getting very frustrated lately as the problem was getting worse, I did some research to fine a solid, inexpensive router to replace it with. The D-Link DI-624 seemed to be at the top of most lists.
After setting the router up, I was amazed at the stability of it as I tried my best to break it. I connected to two different clients sites, established a Terminal Server connection and started downloading to another computer on my network as it hummed along beautifully. The wireless functionality is rock solid and pretty quick, certainly not as fast as a wired 100Mb/s connection, but more than acceptable - even for transferring large files across the network. VPN pass-through allows multiple VPN connections and even allows incoming VPN connections (if you map the correct TCP port - 1723).
The only issue I ran into is that I had to set-up the DHCP server on my domain controller because the router couldn't issue more than one DNS server IP address to DHCP clients. That's by design, apparently, as a call to D-Link confirmed that the router can't do this. Their customer support seems pretty respectable and their web site seems to have everything you need from firmware to documentation. I immediately downloaded the latest firmware, 2.42, because of noted issues with previous versions. This version seems to be extremely stable and I haven't noticed any issues with it at all yet.
Security features seem to be pretty well done from MAC address allow/deny features and 128-bit encryption to being able to turn on WAN ping stealth (recommended). The router has many different ISP compatibility features including the ability to use dynamic DNS services like EasyDNS and PPPoE, but I use a static IP so I've not been able to test these features.
The bottom line, this router is exceptional for the price, even better if you can grab a rebate. If you follow the step-by-step setup instructions, you can't go wrong. If you're a seasoned computer geek, it'll be a piece of cake and has enough features to keep most network guys pretty satisfied, though the system logging is a bit light. If you want high-end performance at a Walmart price, this is the router for you.
