D-Link DIR-880L Wireless AC1900 Dual Band Gigabit Cloud Router
Final Thoughts & Conclusions
The D-Link DIR-880L Wireless AC1900 Dual Band Gigabit Cloud Router initially gave us cause for major concern. When we received the unit, we did what we normally do with all wireless-AC devices under review we plugged it up and used it. The DIR-880L worked flawless with our cable-powered network with all network devices and set-top boxes recognizing the router with no problems whatsoever. Access to the internet via Ethernet connected devices did not show any hiccups or any great delays. The router has a great look that doesnt take too much of your desktop if you have only a small working space. Unlike Netgears mammoth R8000 or Linksys WRT1900AC, you will not have to rearrange your desktop to incorporate this router.
It was only when we started testing the routers Wi-Fi speeds did we start to notice some problems. Our first measurements of speeds were so low we thought we were doing something wrong. How can this flagship $200 router give us speeds that are slower than our 5 year old wireless-N device?? After confirming the latest firmware version, we even consulted directly with the good folks at D-Link and confirmed that our testing methodology was solid. D-Link had no answer to the performance numbers and after waiting for more than a month for a solution we figured their silence was an indication that our numbers were right and this is how the DIR-880L performs. Still though, the Wi-Fi speeds we were getting in our initial test were disturbingly slow.
The D-Link DIR-880L wireless speeds came alive, however, when we started to move our laptop away from the router. It may seem counterintuitive, but we think the way the D-Links internal and external antennas function, that you get optimal speeds more than 10-12 feet away from the unit. Anything closer and the transfer speeds drop off significantly.
While the DIR-880Ls speeds were incredibly slow in our Same Room tests, they routers performance shot up the farther we moved away. For those considering a new router in future, you should make sure you understand your ecosystems to where your wireless clients are. Of course if you are constantly connected to the router in the same room, you really should not rely on wireless anyway but rather use the gigabit Ethernet port for a faster connection.
Even with our adventures trying to understand the behaviors of the 880Ls wireless performance, we have to say, the router is very good with one of the most user friendly GUIs that we have used. Every major function that you can think of has been included the ability convert the router to Bridge mode, UpnP, USB attached storage, QoS, VPN creation, and even the Guest Network support.
You can pick up D-Links DIR-880L Dual Band Wi-Fi Router for $171.68 shipped making it one of the most affordable AC1900 on the market. D-Link ships the router with a 2-year manufactures warranty as well.
Legit Bottom Line:
The D-Link Wireless AC1900 Dual Band DIR-880L router has one of the most user-friendly, but feature-rich, GUIs that we have seen. Even though the USB 3.0 and 802.11ac Wi-Fi performance was average, this is router that brings a lot to the table especially for those living on a budget.