D-Link EXO AC1900 Wi-Fi Router DIR-879

AN AFFORDABLE (AND STYLISH) LONG-RANGE ROUTER.

ALTHOUGH D-LINK DOES offer humungous tri-band routers in its range, we found ourselves more interested in the newer and smaller EXO AC1900 router. For the most part, it’s a fairly straightforward (but very cool looking) low- to mid-range broadband router. But with a signal amp boasting up to 1,000mW of power, it promised to deliver whole-home Wi-Fi coverage from a single access point.

It actually delivered quite well in our tests. At 15m, it held its signal well, meaning that it will work just fine as the sole wireless access point in most homes. That said, it’s disappointing that it doesn’t support D-Link’s own Whole Home Wi-Fi tech, a mesh-like technology that lets you extend networks with multiple access points and wander seamlessly between them without needing to manually switch access points. If you do anticipate needing range extenders, this may not be the product for you.

D-Link has made its routers much easier to work with in recent releases. Its updated firmware is very consumer-friendly, with graphical help and a simplified setup. The D-Link Wi-Fi mobile app is also much improved, although we still think D-Link could do more to hide some of the arcane stuff in the app. As a nice little touch, there’s also a hard switch on the router for switching between router mode and access point mode, a nod to the fact that many people buy broadband routers just to use as access points.

It’s a very cool little router overall. It doesn’t have anything to it that will really wow you, and its lack of USB ports could be a deal breaker, but it looks unique (almost like an A-wing from the front), is easy to use and works well at range. Sometimes, that’s all you need.