D-Link DSL-G624M review

D-Link's DSL-G624M is a MIMO router with an ADSL2+ modem, so you can connect it to the latest high-speed ADSL lines and benefit from speeds of up to 24Mbit/s.

As with TRENDnet's router (left), the DSL-G624M has two external aerials, but these wide paddles contain two 2.5dBi antennas each, making a total of four.

As with most other routers, you configure the DSL-G624M through a web interface. D-Link provides a setup wizard, but it's not very good. It simply takes you through setting up your internet connection and doesn't help you configure your wireless settings or turn on security. This is quite an oversight in our opinion and means you have to configure the settings manually.

As with TRENDnet's router, you're forced to use channel six if you want to use the 108Mbit/s turbo mode. This is strange and is no use in areas where this channel is congested. Annoyingly, the router's management simply greys the channel selection out and doesn't explain why you can't change it.

The DSL-G624M has exactly the same range of advanced options, such as a firewall and port forwarding, as TRENDnet's router. The web interface is laid out in the same way, although D-Link's loads a little faster and looks prettier. We wouldn't be surprised if both routers were essentially the same product customised for each company.

Fortunately, the DSL-G624M is a much better performer, especially with our Centrino laptop, as you can see from the graphs below. Using D-Link's Wireless 108G MIMO PC Card (£27) we got excellent results at close range, but long-range results weren't as impressive.

As routers go, the DSL-G624M isn't bad and it's well priced when you consider that it includes an ADSL modem. However, performance wasn't anywhere near as good as we were hoping and US Robotics's MAXg router (opposite) is our preferred choice.