Initially, D-Link’s DGL-5500 Gaming Router met with some bad press due to a variety of soft/firmware issues. D-Link, not resting on its laurels, got busy and has been rolling out firmware updates ever since. After this most recent firmware update, we decided it was time to take a look at the product and find out if it really helped out our video gaming with smarter management of network traffic.
Packaging
D-Link’s DGL-5500 Gaming Router comes packages in an eye-catching red and black box with plenty of interesting specs listed out for potential buyers. Inside the box, you will find Wireless AC1300 Dual Band Gigabit Gaming Router (DGL-5500), Ethernet Cable, Power Adapter, and a Quick Install Guide.
Design
One of the coolest aspects about D-Link’s new gaming router is its look. D-Link has done a complete 180 from how routers are usually designed and come up with a router that looks like it could be the warp core of a starship! Its black, cylindrical body with green, vibrant lighting on the front exudes class and cool-factor. It is something that would sit equally as nice on your bookshelf or on your desktop. On the backside of the gaming router, you will find the AC adapter port, four Gigabit Ethernet ports, and a
Setup/Installation
Getting your D-Link DGL-5500 all setup is a fairly simple process, thanks to a quick install guide included with the package. The quick setup wizard is also very user-friendly and D-Link should be commended on creating such an easy process for users to follow.
Performance/Usage
D-Link’s StreamBoost technology is a very cool feature in which the gaming router “shapes” the network traffic by application/device priority, giving more bandwidth to more important tasks than others. This whole router is really built around this technology – so much so that you miss out on useful information regarding device usage if you don’t use it. If you are not planning to utilize the StreamBoost tech, I would not advise you to pick this router up – there are cheaper solutions out there sans StreamBoost. One of the coolest features to the D-Link StreamBoost feature is giving priority to certain devices and apps over others.
If you have ever been playing a shooter online from your PC when your wife, girlfriend, significant other, etc decides to watch a movie on Netflix from the living room Xbox 360, then you might be familiar with the lag spikes that will start showing up in your game. With the StreamBoost technology, you can give the Xbox 360 a certain priority level, so that it will always have less bandwidth available to it than your PC. Unfair? Maybe, but your online shooter stats are way more important than allowing them to watch “The Notebook” again (ed. note: Our apologies if you actually liked The Notebook). It should also be noted that the presentation of the devices and apps on your network is really cool and very artistic (check out that image above)!
Conclusion
At the end of the day, the D-Link AC1300 DGL-5500 Gaming Router delivers on its promises. The past issues associated with the router seem to have been squashed with the latest firmware releases and the device is simply router gold. It has definitely improved the traffic priority of devices on my home network and is worth every penny of its price point. Just be sure to get those firmware updates! The D-Link AC1300 Gaming Router retails for $189.99 and is available now at online as well as brick & mortar retailers.
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