D-Link 4-port Broadband VPN Router ( DI-804HV )

I have deployed close to a hundred VPN routers for my clients, and have done so primarily with Linksys BEFVP41 routers. They are cheap, but they have done the job - until lately, that is. Many of them are failing (crypto sub-system failure), so replacements are beginning to occur on a regular basis.

I have used several other brands (3com, Netgear, etc.), but have not seen anything at this price point ($52). I picked one up from my distributor to test, and have not been disappointed.

This unit will accept inbound PPTP and LT2P connections, something most VPN routers do not offer. I think the limit is five. I usually don't need this, as most of my clients already have PPTP running on their servers. It also claims to allow up to 40 IPSEC tunnels. That is less than the BEFVP41, but more than most people will ever need (I currently have 40 on my Netgear FVS328).

You should plan on upgrading the firmware right away. I just upgraded to 1.40, which has...Read more

Unlike the last reviewer, I was able to establish IKE-based VPN between the DI-804HV and a Netscreen 25. This is a great router for telecommuters who need IPSEC VPN capability back to a main office. I have measured throughput up to 1.8Mbps for both VPN and non-VPN traffic (1.8Mbps was the line rate, not the limit of this device)- this is plenty for the average home DSL line. The price point sure beats existing VPN telecommuting solutions like the Netscreen 5 or SonicWall SOHO.

I bought this router to replace a desktop that I use as an internet router (cable internet) and to use to to put a Cisco VoIP gateway behind the router. For VoIP and general internet use, it works great but if you use VPN (L2TP in my case), the speed is excrutiatingly slow through this router. This is consistent with other users' experiences. When I put my desktop (which is an old and slow machine) back as the router, VPN speed is at least 20 times faster. This is after all my troubleshooting and I'm a networks engineer. If you need VPN, don't get this router.