Welcome to the next generation of wireless ADSL2+ modem routers and unlike other companies, D-Link have actually thought outside the box and created a very unique product.

An interesting aspect of the D-Link Dual Band Wireless AC1750 Gigabit Cloud ADSL2+ Modem Router (now known as the DSL-2890AL for this review) is the shape.

Unlike traditional wireless modem routers, this product is actually cylindrical and looks pretty darn impressive. Besides the looks, the DSL-2890AL is built for speed and under its cylindrical chassis is the following features;

Features

• Built-in ADSL2/2+ Modem & Configurable LAN/WAN Ports for NBN/UFB Support

• Wireless AC Technology for Superior Wireless Performance up to 1750Mbps

• Gigabit LAN ports for high-speed wired connections

• Comply with IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n, 802.11ac draft 2.0

• USB 2.0 & USB 3.0 ports to connect storage drives and printers for sharing

• mydlink™ Lite app helps you access, manage and view your network remotely

• SharePort™ Mobile app lets you stream and share media files and documents across your network

• Wi-Fi Protected Setup™ (WPS) Push Button for Easy Connection to a Wireless Network

• 3 Year Warranty

 

The DSL-2890AL comes with everything you need to get your wireless network ready which includes the modem itself, CD, documentation, quick install guide, Ethernet cable, phone cable, ADSL2+ Microfilter/Splitter and a Power Adapter. If you do get stuck, you can call technical support which is open 24/7.

The DSL-2890AL does look like a strange beast when out of the box (measures at 114 x 97 x 190mm) and on the back of the modem router is the ADSL Port, 1 USB 3.0, 1 USB 2.0, 4 Gigaport Ports, Wireless On/Off Button, Power Connector and Factory Reset button.

On the front are the various LED lights in terms of connections and the WPS Button used to establish a new connection to a new device. This handy WPS Button is perfect for easily setting up new wireless devices to your network.

Installation

I'm always a little apprehensive when taking down my existing network and setting up a new wireless modem router. That's probably the biggest issue with the installation as you then have to inform your other wireless devices of the new access codes etc. Thankfully D-Link kept this process relatively straight forward.

Installation is via the included CDROM which basically holds your hand in terms of setup and it also installs the mydlink Cloud Services. The entire installation process took under 5 minutes, including registration of the modem.

Reconnecting my PlayStation 3, TiVO and Media Hub took another 15 minutes. If you are savvy with technology, you can access the setup via the IP address once connected to your PC via the Ethernet cable.

Features

The biggest feature of the DSL-2890AL is that it uses the new 802.11ac networking standard (it's also backward compatible) and allows unprecedented speeds of up to 1750Mbps via wireless. In laymen terms, that is extremely fast and transmitting between your wireless devices to your DSL-2890AL will be faster than what most people are familiar with.

Our current DualBand N+ 750 mode has speeds of up to 750mbps but the new standard basically adds an additional 1000mpbs for insane speeds. Another great feature is that this product is fully compatible with Smart Phones and by downloading a small app for your devices, you can not only share media and but also have remote access to the product.

What blew me away however was the Media Sharing capabilities of the DSL-2890AL. Basically once I downloaded the SharePort Mobile App for my Smart Phone, I could then access media such as movies and photos via the network wirelessly.

Want to access more media? Simply connect a USB stick or external hard drive to the USB port of the DSL-2890AL and presto, you have full access to even more media.

I really loved the ability of connecting my Smart Phone to my TV in the bedroom and then watching movies on this TV without the need for fiddlesome configurations. The DSL-2890AL is also compatible with D-Link IP cameras that unfortunately was not compatible with our existing security camera.

Another great feature is the mydlink Cloud Services which allows me to access my network from anywhere in the world. By downloading the mydlink Lite App for my Smart Phone, I could monitor my entire wireless network and even see whether there have been any new devices trying to connect and even monitor which websites people on my network were accessing.

This is a great feature to secure your network from unwanted intrusions such as neighbours and is perfect for parents who want to monitor their children's access on the net. You can even block certain websites remotely and even certain words. The software is quite well designed and very easy to use.

Wireless

The DSL-2890AL supports a variety of speeds across the network and we had no issues with performance whatsoever. Whether it was connected directly to the modem router itself or wirelessly, this product is definitely about speeds and certainly delivered in this area.

At around 15 metres, the product did start to drop in speed, however still continued working at 30 metres. The best aspect of the wireless capabilities were streaming movies and not once did we experience any lag. More importantly, the environment did not effect the performance such as walls and other wireless devices.

In terms of the 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz technology, this product shares both these formats which ensures that your connection always remains strong, whether playing games online or simultaneously watching movies on another connection.

Final Thoughts?

The D-Link Dual Band Wireless AC1750 Gigabit Cloud ADSL2+ Modem Router is an impressive piece of technology from this company that worked straight out of the box without any manipulation of the product whatsoever. However for those users who like to tweak, it is all possible by directly connecting to the product via the IP address of 192.168.0.1.

If you're looking to upgrade your wireless network and looking for a product that does it all but offers more, than the D-Link Dual Band Wireless AC1750 Gigabit Cloud ADSL2+ Modem Router is the product for you!

Highly Recommended!