D-Link DIR-885L/R AC3150: New Router, New Wi-Fi Standard

Tyler Lacoma Avatar

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Updated 10:59 pm

D-Link has been touting its advanced router specs (and colorful, spaceship designs) for a couple years now, but the latest AC3150 model DIR-885L/R shows the biggest technological leap forward yet.

The jump is thanks to this new router’s MU-MIMO capabilities, which only a few routers on the market currently possess, including routers by competitors like Asus. MU-MIMO stands for multi-user multi-input multi-output: Without going into a history lesson about wireless routers, this is a new standard that essentially creates a separate digital wireless networks for each computer device so that it can maintain a dedicated wireless connection (up to four devices, for now).

This isn’t just big news, it’s a router revolution. MU-MIMO allows for faster, more dependable, more stable connections, and holds plenty of promise for security – at least when it comes to newer mobile devices and computer accessories. Within a year or two, every router is probably going to be MU-MIMO: D-Link is just trying to be a first mover in the market – a goal the company has experience in meeting before with new Wi-Fi features like intelligent beaming.

D-Link DIR-885L:R AC3150
This D-Link router uses MU-MIMO standard features.

The new router is also dual-band, with top speeds on the 5GHz ban reaching 2167Mbps and the 2.4GHz band reaching up to 1000Mbps. Those four bulky antennas that you may have noticed are all detachable if you need to alter the design at all. The router also comes with 4 Gigabit LAN ports, 1 Gigabit WAN port, and 2 USB ports. It also sports a few of D-Link’s previous tech tricks, like smart wireless zoning capabilities to help solve dead zones.

You can jump in and buy the AC3150 model now for $280, making it fairly pricey compared to average residential wireless routers. However, remember that MU-MIMO is still a new standard and very few devices are fully compatible with it (check the latest computer reviews to find those that are), which means you may have to wait a couple years to see the full benefits of this new router – at which time, prices will no doubt look more attractive.