D-Link DIR-628 RangeBooster N Dual Band Router

 (102 customer reviews)

I am in the business of IT and telecom.
I have used some other high end WiFi AP and routers in my days.
This DLink 628, even though just a consumer unit, has blurred the line between professional and consumer use wifi routers.
The setup is a breeze. I was up and running (using Mac), without the set up CD, in less than 3 min.
First on speed, it is fast. Side by side testing with the Dlink DIR655, they are both the same speed with all of the config being the same.

The QoS feature is wonderful, you can prioritize by IP to many tiers. So now when my kids are playing games with voice and video, my html browsing can have priority over them. (Since in routing, the voice and video gets priority in getting transferred.)
All in all, this is a wonderful unit for the price (only $75 now on Amazon).
I would buy this one over the DIR 655 since I really don't see any speed improvement on the 655 but almost twice the price.
I give it 5 stars and...Read more

My experience with the DIR-628 is mixed. It's a feature-filled router that may be wonderful, if you have all the parts to make it so.

Background: I am an intermediate to advanced computer user with two desktops and two laptops on a wireless home network. I replaced a 4 year old Buffalo brand wireless router with the D-Link and had high hopes of increased Internet speeds, increased range and increased security for all of the computers on my network.

I read the directions and manual prior to attempting setup, which definitely helps anyone setup a home network. Dual band (selective) is clearly explained in the manual which comes on the CD included with the router.

First, the promises. Up to 12x's faster speeds and 4x's farther range. I did note a nice speed jump on all the computers. I already have a high speed connection (250-300Mbps) so it didn't make a huge difference, but about 20-30% faster. Range is a tough one. I note the signal is stronger than...Read more

Unfortunately, even though this is among the very few Wireless-N routers that can do dual-band, it is falsely advertised. You have to select between 2.4 and 5 GHz outright, and cannot use both simultaneously. As a result, to take advantage of 5 GHz, every single connected device must not only have Wireless-N capability, but also Wireless-N dual-band capability, and set to function at 5 GHz. Even just one 2.4 GHz device, whether 802.11b, g or n, spoils the whole dual-band feature and you're back to having a plain vanilla Wireless-N router. Don't be fooled by this cheap marketing gimmick. D-Link plainly and simply cut corners to keep the cost down, mooting the dual-band feature for almost every single customer.