DLINK WIRELESS AC1750 DUAL BAND GIGABIT CLOUD ROUTER DIR-865L

• Next Generation 11AC Wi-Fi – Up to 450 + 1300Mbps
• Simultaneous Dual Band– Delivers faster Wi-Fi speeds and less interference for maximum throughput
• AC SmartBeam - Provides stronger, clearer and faster Wi-Fi by locating and focusing bandwidth to your devices
• Gigabit Speed - Delivers wired performance 10x faster than traditional Fast Ethernet
• Compatibility - Works with existing and future Wi-Fi devices

D-Link DIR-865L Router Design

With most 802.11ac routers manufacturers going big on plastering 802.11ac logos all over their packaging along with its "three times faster than Wireless N' slogan, but remaining far from radical in their designs, D-Link is no different. The D-Link DIR-865L is a big rectangular block measuring a sizeable 240 x 167 x 32mm and weighing in a 550g. Happily is continues the recent trend in dumping external antennas, but it also continues the less welcome pattern of only sitting one way round – in this case in a portrait alignment. 

Like most other rivals, D-Link also continues to fit just four Gigabit Ethernet ports to its routers and a single USB 2.0 port for networking a hard drive or printer. In this day and age six and two would seem a more sensible arrangement. USB 3.0 would be welcome as well, but v2.0 isn't yet a bottleneck for most networking performance. 

As for build quality it is reasonable, if in the usual vein of 100 per cent plastic casing for the obvious signal-related reasons. What we don't like is the return to the bad old days of a shiny, fingerprint magnet piano black and it has some way to go to match the slick, matt finish and curved lines of Linksys' routers which remains the benchmark for router designs at this time. In short the D-Link DIR-865L won't offend, but it won't inspire either.