D-Link DIR-879 AC1900 Wi-Fi Router
THE GOOD The D-Link DIR-879 AC1900 EXO Wi-Fi router is fast.
THE BAD The Web-based user interface lacks some customization features. You must manually update the router's firmware before it works as intended.
THE BOTTOM LINE Though not perfect, the DIR-879 is a well-performing router that fits most homes' needs and budget.
Considering the fact that even the fastest Wi-Fi clients (like laptops, tablets or smartphones) on the market have a capped Wi-Fi speed of 1,300Mbps (no device on the market currently is capable of anything more), purchasing a top-tier router, like one that supports AC5400 or AC2400 speed standards, will not likely bring you any speed benefits. The D-Link EXO DIR-879 is an AC1900 router, meaning that as far as real-world performance goes, it's as fast as you can get, until devices with faster Wi-Fi standards become available. (Read more about Wi-Fi speeds here.)
The EXO is part of a new line of routers from D-Link with a new orange-and-black design and collapsible non-detachable antennas. The look is pleasing to my network world-weary eyes. With four Gigabit LAN ports and one Gigabit WAN port on the back, and four collapsible antennas on the sides, the DIR-879 also nails it on practicality. However, with no USB port or SD card slot, which would allow you to easily share a drive with everyone on your network, you'll instead need to connect that drive to a computer on the network.