There are instances when even powerful wireless routers can’t acquire their wireless signals through the thick floors and walls of your home. And if you are living in a two or three-storey house with a basement or a huge backyard, these may be really cool but expect to have dead spots which can’t be avoided. Instances like this may trigger you to purchase Wi-Fi range extenders; however, if you really care about the performance of your Wi-Fi connection, you wouldn’t want to just get any wireless extender device.
Just recently, D-Link launched their DAP-1860 AC2600 MU-MIMO Wi-Fi Range Extender that links your current Wi-Fi network. It extends your Wi-Fi network up to 800 Mbps on 2.4 GHz bands and 1,733 Mbps on the 5 GHz band; plus, it also supports MU-MIMO and is packed in a plug-adapter form that easily plugs right into a three-pin power socket. Additionally, it also has four swing-out external antennas which make it a notable device.
Is it worth your money? Is it as good as D-Link claims it to be? Today, we’re going to focus on the DAP-1860 and check out its features, performance, and other details about it. For now, let’s go ahead and see what’s in the box.
D-Link DAP-1860 AC2600 MU-MIMO Review – What’s in the Box?
The D-Link DAP-1860 is kept in a simple yet sleek-looking black rectangular package. If you look at the front portion of the box, the image of the product takes up almost the entire part of the space, but the company was able to squeeze in their name right at the upper-left corner of the package.
Just below the image of the device is its name, as well as a couple of its key features. On the left side of the box, you will see a quick setup guide while on the right portion, you’ll find the overall features of the Wi-Fi range extender; at the back of the package, there is a list of all the other important details, as well as the advantages of the DAP-1860 AC2600 MU-MIMO Wi-Fi Range Extender.
Inside the box, you’ll see the DAP-1860 AC2600 MU-MIMO Wi-Fi Range Extender together with a couple of documents which include the Wi-Fi configuration card and the quick installation guide.
Once you pull out the device from its box, you’ll notice that the DAP-1860 is quite big but it won’t take up a lot of space once you set it in place. The device comes with a three-pin plug so it can work directly in your power sockets. It also features a fixed plug so you won’t need to change the plug’s head.
The Product
D-Link DAP-1860 AC2600 MU-MIMO Review – Bring Those WiFi Dead Spots Back to Life
The D-Link DAP-1860 AC2600 MU-MIMO Wi-Fi Range Extender is designed to be plugged right into a power socket – you can say that it’s somewhat like a home plug. The device is about twice the size of your usual home plug just to give you an idea of how big it actually is.
The benefits of having this type of design is that you won’t have to drill and mount the device on walls or let it lay on the floor. We also think that it’s one of the most compact Wi-Fi extender available since most of the extenders in the market look like your regular Wi-Fi router.
Another nice thing about the device is that it has a physical on & off switch right at the top instead of the typical push button. This is actually a great bonus though the real highlight of the DAP-1860 is its built-in signal-strength status LED located at the front.
It’s a really nifty feature since you won’t have to waste time searching for the best location for it to boost the range of your existing network. The DAP-1860 is also a device that’s easy to use: just plug it in then wait for it to connect; the device will inform you what type of signal connection is available.
The D-Link DAP-1860 AC2600 MU-MIMO Wi-Fi Range Extender supports dual-band connectivity, AC Smart Beam, MU – MIMO or Multi-user – multiple input & multiple output, and with high-speed AC-2600. Most of the Wi-Fi extenders that are available only support 2.4 GHz and do not feature the MU – MIMO technology.
The DAP-1860 supports up to 5 GHz / 1,733 Mbps + 2.4 GHz / 800 Mbps which is excellent and suitable for power users who utilize their wireless connection for 4K video streaming or for competitive online gaming. 5 GHz is the best option with less wireless interference; however, it can be weaker when it comes to signal strength compared to 2.4 GHz channel. The D-Link DAP-1860 ensures that you get increased signal on the 5 GHz channel even when you’re watching HD films in your backyard or even inside your little cave in the basement.
Product Features
High-Speed AC2600 Wireless Connection
As mentioned earlier, the speed of AC2600 of up to 5 GHz + 2.4 GHz is ideal when using big applications, online gaming, as well as 4K streaming.
Fast and Efficient Connection
The MU – MIMO technology enhances the wireless performance by simultaneously relaying to multiple devices.
Flexibility and Compatibility
The DAP-1860 is compatible with any Wi-Fi device and any wireless router brand.
Quick and Easy Installation
You can easily setup the DAP-1860: just plug the device and with one touch of a button, you’re all set. It also has a Smart Signal Indicator that will help you locate the best area to place your Wi-Fi extender so this can efficiently improve the internet connection’s coverage in your home.
Exceptional Coverage
The DAP-1860 features the AC Smart Beam technology and four antennas to effectively extend the range of your home’s network, no matter the size of your house. The Smart Beam also tracks your linked devices so the extender can optimize the radio transmission, which offers improved performance of your Wi-Fi.
Gigabit Connection
The DAP-1860 comes with an extremely fast 10 / 100 / 1000 Gigabit port, letting your wired devices to be connected to your wireless network.
Specifications
Whole Home WiFi
- Yes
Wireless Bands
- Dual Band
Wireless Technology
- AC2600 (800 + 1753 Mbps)
Range Extender Housing
- Wall Plug
PowerZone
- Yes
Ethernet Speed
- Gigabit Ethernet
Warranty
- 3-Year Limited Warranty
LAN Port(s)
- 1
CD-less Install
- Yes
Guest Network
- No
Operating Mode
- Range Extender
LAN Interface
- Ethernet
Signal Strength LEDs
- Yes
Installation
The DAP-1860 AC2600 MU-MIMO Wi-Fi Range Extender provides you with the simplest and fastest setup while also providing you with the best network performance on your wireless connection. It is a premium device made specifically for power users who don’t just reply to emails or browse websites.
If you’re someone who usually streams high definition movies or play online games via a wireless connection, then the DAP-1860 is definitely a device for you. You just need to plug the Wi-Fi extender to any outlet between the dead spot and your wireless router and your Wi-Fi range will increase especially in that hard to reach area.
When you’re done with that, you’ll need to press the WPS button on the router before pressing the WPS button on the DAP-1860. When you’re done with all of these steps, you’ve successfully connected. Now, all you have to do is enter the setup page to configure the device; when you’re done with that, link to your existing Wi-Fi setup then create a new Wi-Fi SSID. Once done, you’ve successfully connected and installed the DAP-1860.
Using the Product
Of course, we didn’t miss the chance of testing the DAP-1860 AC2600 MU-MIMO Wi-Fi Range Extender; and quite surprisingly, we received amazing results. It was able to support up to 2600 Mbps and it increased the Wi-Fi signal in our office; it was actually the best boost that we had compared to some extenders that we’ve tried so we’re really happy about this.
It’s a great addition to your home especially if there are spots that have weak network coverage. The DAP-1860’s strength indicator gives you convenient feedback when it comes to the strength of the up-link Wi-Fi connection when you set the device around your home.
All green lights mean that you have an excellent network connection; there are times when you’ll see one or two green lights. When an amber light appears, this means that you have very poor signal. During our tests, the indicator displayed all green lights most of the time and we didn’t experience any instances with having amber lights which was great.
We were also able to extend the usable range of our 5.7 GHz Wi-Fi network by 25 meters with the DAP-1860; we were able to get around 600 to 800 Mbps of wireless coverage despite the 100-meter distance.
The DAP-1860 AC2600 MU-MIMO Wi-Fi Range Extender also features an Ethernet port that you can directly plug into the internet source, turning the device into a wireless access point router. When the DAP-1860 is set on repeater mode, the same Ethernet port turns into a data point for any type of device that is plugged into it.
The direct LAN connection gives you increased speed compared to the repeater wireless model. All in all, the performance of the DAP-1860 AC2600 MU-MIMO Wi-Fi Range Extender is excellent, so we’re giving this a double thumbs-up.
Conclusion
The D-Link DAP-1860 AC2600 Wi-Fi Range Extender is the perfect device to expand the coverage area of your Wi-Fi network. It is really easy to use and it effectively covers the dead spots in your home. The wired connection also allows operation in a bridged Wi-Fi AP mode.
It’s a great device especially if you’re someone who needs fast, wireless connection for the areas in your home that don’t have enough signal; plus, it is also convenient since you won’t need to drill holes and have network cables around your home.
Overall, the D-Link DAP-1860 AC2600 Wi-Fi Range Extender is ideal for houses with a lot of dead zones since it can extend the reach of signals that other routers cannot.
If you’re looking for convenient and effective ways to have better internet connection all around your home, we suggest that you give D-Link DAP-1860 AC2600 Wi-Fi Range Extender a try.
Where to Buy
You can purchase the D-Link DAP-1860 for only $249AUd from over at the official D-Link website.
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