[Review] D-Link DIR-890L

[davidau]

It will happen to any current router.
You should upgrade the wireless G card to a wireless N/AC card/adapter.

How can I check whether my current wireless card is G,N or AC?

 

[davidau]

its a dual band 2x2 wireless N supporting up to 300mbps.

I have the exact model as you too.

..you can get 300mbps? Why I couldnt get that speed...

 

[Ah-Pin-Kor]

Im using Lenovo Ideapad S410P

I tried to google the wifi chip for this model but seems like some variants have intel chip and others a different one.
Anyway, you should check your device manager (like the guy above mentioned) to find which brand wireless chip you have and update the driver.

How can I check whether my current wireless card is G,N or AC?

From the model no. can tell.

EDIT: what firmware version are you running on the 890L, btw?

 

[jcs_sgd]

next weekend

thx for correcting! tot going down this afternoon, sweat...

 

[davidau]

I tried to google the wifi chip for this model but seems like some variants have intel chip and others a different one.
Anyway, you should check your device manager (like the guy above mentioned) to find which brand wireless chip you have and update the driver.



From the model no. can tell.

EDIT: what firmware version are you running on the 890L, btw?

Which device manager you are referring to? Sorry I'm not really a tech savvy person..can tell me more where and how I can find all the info?

Firmware version are you refer the info stated on the original box? I can found there is some details, FW: 1.00. Is this the one?

 

[Ah-Pin-Kor]

Which device manager you are referring to? Sorry I'm not really a tech savvy person..can tell me more where and how I can find all the info?

Which version of Windows are you using?
Different version has different way of going to Device Manager.
Basically we just want to know what wireless chip your laptop is using and update the correct driver.

Firmware version are you refer the info stated on the original box? I can found there is some details, FW: 1.00. Is this the one?

The one on the box is the version as it left the factory.
If you have never updated it, should be still the same.
Anyway, you should update it to the latest ver 1.07.
http://global.dlink.com.sg/support/support_detail.asp?idproduct=659
You are on M1 so don't worry about the vlan ver. SG1.01.
The instructions to update the firmware are on pg 115 of the user manual.

 

[davidau]

Which version of Windows are you using?
Different version has different way of going to Device Manager.
Basically we just want to know what wireless chip your laptop is using and update the correct driver.


The one on the box is the version as it left the factory.
If you have never updated it, should be still the same.
Anyway, you should update it to the latest ver 1.07.
http://global.dlink.com.sg/support/support_detail.asp?idproduct=659
You are on M1 so don't worry about the vlan ver. SG1.01.
The instructions to update the firmware are on pg 115 of the user manual.

I'm recently just upgraded to Windows 10 lerr..
Ya I never upgrade anythings since I get the device..so you mean that I should upgrade to the ver 1.07 instead of SG1.01?

 

[Ah-Pin-Kor]

I'm recently just upgraded to Windows 10 lerr..
Ya I never upgrade anythings since I get the device..so you mean that I should upgrade to the ver 1.07 instead of SG1.01?

To get your wireless chip info, can you go to cmd (command prompt) window, and type in the following:

netsh wlan show drivers

and then copy & paste the output of that command here.
It will show the wireless chip and driver version you have.

As for the 890L firmware, 1.07 is the international version. Not sure which is the base version which SG1.01 is based on (it is a localised version mainly for Singtel).

 

[yqz]

Hi folks,

My review is not completed without DWA 192.
I did a brief review of DWA 192.Smart-Connect was enabled at DIR-890L and Lenovo S21e was used for this review.
Speedresult in the review could be affected by the slower Celeron processor of S21E.

Summary
1. Newer firmware is available at D-Link website. It does not support Windows 10 at the moment.
2. Chio appearance.
3. Physical size is bigger than a tennis ball.

Do check out my DWA 192 review here

 

[AshSim]

I'm surprised you get the speed at 1.3Ghz... I read other reviews online and the one on Straits times only few hundred. Are you saying that if we use D-Link router with SmartConnect then the performance is better?

 

[jonoquek]

I'm surprised you get the speed at 1.3Ghz... I read other reviews online and the one on Straits times only few hundred. Are you saying that if we use D-Link router with SmartConnect then the performance is better?

1.3 is the link speed.. Throughput will never achieve that speed maybe unless you stay in vacuum room.

 

[bear1sg]

I'm surprised you get the speed at 1.3Ghz... I read other reviews online and the one on Straits times only few hundred. Are you saying that if we use D-Link router with SmartConnect then the performance is better?

how to get 1.3G, where have so fast internet speed. now max ISP speed only 1.3G only..

 

[davidau]

To get your wireless chip info, can you go to cmd (command prompt) window, and type in the following:

netsh wlan show drivers

and then copy & paste the output of that command here.
It will show the wireless chip and driver version you have.

As for the 890L firmware, 1.07 is the international version. Not sure which is the base version which SG1.01 is based on (it is a localised version mainly for Singtel).

Hi,

Here is the result. For the Firmware then I should update to 1.7?

Interface name: Wi-Fi

Driver : Qualcomm Atheros AR956x Wireless Network Adapter

Vendor : Qualcomm Atheros Communications Inc.
Provider : Qualcomm Atheros Communications Inc.
Date : 17/5/2015
Version : 10.0.0.318
INF file : C:\WINDOWS\INF\oem43.inf
Files : 2 total
C:\WINDOWS\system32\DRIVERS\athw10x.sys
C:\WINDOWS\system32\DRIVERS\vwifibus.sys
Type : Native Wi-Fi Driver
Radio types supported : 802.11b 802.11g 802.11n
FIPS 140-2 mode supported : Yes
802.11w Management Frame Protection supported : Yes
Hosted network supported : Yes
Authentication and cipher supported in infrastructure mode:
Open None
Open WEP-40bit
Open WEP-104bit
Open WEP
WPA-Enterprise TKIP
WPA-Personal TKIP
WPA2-Enterprise TKIP
WPA2-Personal TKIP
Vendor defined TKIP
WPA2-Enterprise Vendor defined
Vendor defined Vendor defined
WPA-Enterprise CCMP
WPA-Personal CCMP
WPA2-Enterprise CCMP
Vendor defined CCMP
WPA2-Enterprise Vendor defined
Vendor defined Vendor defined
WPA2-Personal CCMP
Vendor defined Vendor defined
Authentication and cipher supported in ad-hoc mode:
Open None
Open WEP-40bit
Open WEP-104bit
Open WEP
WPA2-Personal CCMP
Vendor defined Vendor defined

 

[Ah-Pin-Kor]

Hi,

Here is the result. For the Firmware then I should update to 1.7?


Driver : Qualcomm Atheros AR956x Wireless Network Adapter


Date : 17/5/2015
Version : 10.0.0.318

Authentication and cipher supported in infrastructure mode:
WPA2-Personal TKIP

WPA2-Personal CCMP

Write down the current firmware version of your 890L (in case you need to roll back) and then update to version 1.07:
http://global.dlink.com.sg/support/support_detail.asp?idproduct=659

You laptop wifi driver looks modern so leave it alone for now.

 

[lookeong]

Have anyone tested DIR-890L in a HDB 3 rooms type? Wondering can it cover the whole area or not

 

[cpuer]

Have anyone tested DIR-890L in a HDB 3 rooms type? Wondering can it cover the whole area or not

If placed centrally, high chance it can reach all corners of the house. But do you need such a high end router?

 

[AshSim]

If placed centrally, high chance it can reach all corners of the house. But do you need such a high end router?

agree with cpuer... but coverage also depends on your floor layout? if you gamer or have a lot of devices then maybe this is for u la... otherwise u can consider something else?

 

[bear1sg]

I think the 5Ghz wireless no so good, if you house have many wall.

 

[davidau]

Write down the current firmware version of your 890L (in case you need to roll back) and then update to version 1.07:
http://global.dlink.com.sg/support/support_detail.asp?idproduct=659

You laptop wifi driver looks modern so leave it alone for now.

Okok I have update to version 1.07 edi..but still the same speed that I get ler..Is it something to do with my wireless card?

 

[Ah-Pin-Kor]

Okok I have update to version 1.07 edi..but still the same speed that I get ler..Is it something to do with my wireless card?

From your previous post that you can get 100+Mbps from your mobile phone, the router can certainly reach at least that speed.
Do you get better speeds with your laptop connected to other wifi networks elsewhere?