D-Link Wireless Range Extender (DAP-1320), Wireless N300, One-button WPS set-up

Pros: • Very compact in size
• Eliminates cable clutter, though at a price premium. Most modern homes have electrical outlets all over the place, so you’ll have the ability to place the 1320 in myriad locations, without having to worry about being close to a cable outlet – definitely worth the extra cost for me
• Just slightly warm to the touch after ten days of continuous use
• One simple LED to understand – it’s either connected, or it isn't – all you need for what it is
• WPS setup was very easy
• Firmware update easy to perform
• Browser setup works fairly well (not sure about the other reviews that claim the included D-Link address didn't work – was just fine for me, though I needed to use a blank password to get in, as opposed to the one included on the sticker)
• Extends the range of our primary router (Asus RT-N65U) into our back yard
• extends coverage to all areas of our 2400 SF home, including the garage
• Can daisy chain multiple units together to create a veritable web of coverage
• Seems to be the ideal solution for multi-device coverage in our downstairs living room

Cons: • Packaging damaged in shipping (was packed in a padded envelope that was pierced in transit, leaving the one side of the D-Link packaging crumpled). Not a mark on the actual device, though
• Some would call it expensive, mentioning that you could buy a wireless router with more features for the same cost. Trade-off in cost vs. convenience. If you are able to place another router/repeater close to a cable outlet, then I don’t think this device is for you. Really no point
• Considering that this is currently rated as a 3-star device on this review thread, I would like to see D-Link respond with tech help to some of these reviews. In 26 reviews (at the time of me submitting this one) there are exactly ZERO responses from D-Link. Doesn't exactly inspire trust
• Blocks part of the outlet above/below in a standard two socket outlet. We have it currently located in an area that will most likely have Christmas lights/decorations, come December. We’ll just use a power strip up there, but that will involve removing the 1320 from the socket, which means setting it up again. Small potatoes, but notable

Overall Review: I tested the 1320 with two different routers (Asus RT-N65U and a TP-Link WDR-4300) and had solid results with both. Our house has the network gear upstairs in the bonus room, with all other rooms on the ground floor. Our primary router is the Asus RT-N65U, and while it has excellent range and signal strength, the wall along our staircase has us pulling 3 bars of signal strength on the Sharp 50” mounted above our fireplace. On the outside wall of that staircase (the side facing the living room) is an electrical outlet pointing out towards our living room. It’s located up high on one of those tall spaces where people put their seasonal decorations (for lack of a better description). I figured this would be an ideal spot to test the 1320, being that it would be pointing in the area of our TV (mounted about 5 ft. off the ground) – and I was exactly right. Signal strength was a constant five bars, and that was with four smart phones tracking fantasy football scores, while streaming some random movie during halftime of some Sunday football action.

As good as it was paired with the Asus, I was really curious to see if it would make the TP-Link any better. We’ve had poor range results with that router, regardless of what channel we had set it to, and had pretty much given up on it as a device that could serve our needs. Enter the 1320 – and that changed everything. Problems connecting our Sharp 50” were now resolved, and while the signal strength wasn’t nearly as strong as what we were seeing with the Asus – it was still plenty good for stable Netflix streaming, and actually boosted the routers signal in the further areas of our home. While the TP-Link never dropped a connection, its speeds at range were so slow, that it rendered the device next to useless. Really seemed to be affected by having a couple of walls between it and the main floor living space. The 1320 erased that problem quite nicely.

After testing the 1320 in multiple outlets around the house, I plugged it into the one looking down into our living room, and let it run for ten days before I submitted this review. We never dropped a connection, and honestly, stopped even thinking about it after a couple days. It did what technology is supposed to do – perform the task without me having to fiddle/tweak/coerce/whatever.

Speeds were solid in all areas of our home. I used an Android bandwidth testing app on my phone in just about every spot you could think of in a house, and the results were solid.

One of the cooler benefits of the 1320 is its unassuming size and styling. My wife does not like “computer stuff” all over her house. She loved how it was small, and that you just plug it into an outlet and forget about it.

For me, the expense is well-worth the clean installation, let alone the obvious benefits we’re getting from its functionality. This will be staying in use for the foreseeable future – highly recommended!

Pros: -Compact size (doesn’t take up any more than one outlet)
-Simple set up

Cons: -Range isn’t good (less than 25 ft)
-Speeds drop dramatically after about 15 ft
-Price ($40 as of this writing) is as much as many full featured wireless routers which could do the same job.

Overall Review: This device does work as advertised, however speeds are not impressive. I tested it on my stock Verizon FiOS router. The setup was extremely easy, which I think is this device’s saving grace. If your router supports WPS (usually a large button with two arrows) you can press it, then plug this in and press the button, and you’re done. The downer is that the range is not very good. Speeds dropped off dramatically after about 15 ft and the signal was barely existent around 25 ft.

Internet speed tests performed with an iPad:
-On my wifi router as a control: 25.5 Mbps / 17.64 Mbps
-Right next to the D-Link extender: 15.91 Mbps / 10.38 Mbps
-At 15 ft, through two walls: 5.28 Mbps / 2.25 Mbps
-At 30 ft, through three walls: Near zero

If you don’t care to deal with complicated setups, and perhaps only need to barely extend your wifi network to an additional room, and have a power outlet in just the right place, then this device may be for you. If you don’t mind dealing with a little more setup and need more range, then perhaps a fully featured wifi router, amplified antenna, or moving your existing router would be a better option.