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[Kanati]

First, let me say that I am not a software or hardware tech and I am not here to flame D-Link.  I want to help make this 825 router better or help someone else with the same issues.

Today we lost our long running DGL-4300...and we “bit the bullet” and bought a DIR-825.  Shopped around all day to find one with HW Version B1 and found it at Office Depot.

After flashing to the most current FW: 2.02NA I have found a couple of issues.

1.  I like to manually assign IP addresses to my 3 PCs and 8 other devices.  Although this unit will allow you to enter each device, IP address and MAC address...after a save and reboot, the router will still dynamically assign IP addresses to most of the connected equipment.  When I check the Network Settings page, all PCs and devices are listed in the "DHCP Reservations List".  Furthermore, none of the connected PCs and devices will be listed as "Connected" under the "LAN Computers" listing on the Status page as the old DGL-4300 did.  But, all devices are connected and working as they should.  No work-around necessary…just a fix needed probably in firmware.

2.  Under Advanced, Network Filter and with the "Turn MAC Filtering ON and ALLOW computers listed to access the network" selected…you should be able to click on the drop down box labeled “Computer Name” to see all connected devices and to be able to select a device…but this doesn’t work.  No devices are listed, even though I have 11 devices connected and working on the network.  The work-around…enter each MAC address manually.  This isn’t a big deal because MAC filtering DOES WORK. 

This issue could be connected to the issue already mentioned in #1 above because the “Computer Name” list is derived from the DHCP Client List.  This is another issue to be fixed in firmware.

3.  Under Advanced, QOS Engine I have to manually enter the Uplink Speed or the sent packet will be either too small or too large.  Let me explain…when I let the router Automatically Detect the Upload Speed it will say 396 for the upload speed.  (My AT&T DSL connection is 3000/384) Then I will go to http://www.dslreports.com/tweaks to perform a Tweak Test and the result will show the Max Packet Recd (MTU) as 921.  This is wrong…the result should be 1492 for DSL.  The MTU for DSL is 1492 (max packet size), for Cable it is 1500 (max packet size)…anything smaller or larger will result in instable connections, slow connectivity or no connectivity at all.  The work-around…I experimented by manually entering the Uplink Speed and then going to the Tweak Test until I reached 1492 on the “Max Packet Recd”.  After several attempts, I reached 1492 by entering 598 in the Manual Uplink Speed box.  598 is 214 higher than the 384 I am suppose to have…but, if I enter anything SMALLER than 598, the download speed increases and the upload speed decreases.  If I enter anything LARGER than 598, the download speed decreases and the upload speed increases.  Although, too small or too high and the connection gets slow or drops out completely.  My old DGL-4300 did the same thing.

This is it so far.  And so far the unit has been up with no disconnects.  I have read, here in the forum, about some people switching from an old router to the 825 and having lower speeds.  Well, check the QOS Engine.  Manually set your upload speed to your advertised speed, then go do a tweak test at DSL Reports.  If in #2 of the test results (fourth down on the list) it shows anything other than 1500 or 1492, then you need to manually set the upload speed to a different number to bring your packet size up or down to the correct size.  I have noticed that for me, 1492/2.495=598.  When I tried different numbers, for instance 396, the tweak test would show 921…921/2.495=396.  Remember, enter anything SMALLER - the download speed increases and the upload speed decreases.  Enter anything LARGER - and the opposite will result.  This is directly related to the internet speed issues some of you are having with the 825.

I firmly believe these are firmware fixable.  I would very much like to hear what others have to say, especially the moderators…since they are primarily responsible for relaying our information to the people that can give us a better product.

Kanati

[claykin]

My slower speed issue is related to WLAN - WLAN or WLAN - LAN traffic.  This router maxes out at 2MB/s with my 'g' and 'a' clients.  My old Netgear dual band could sustain 3.5MB/s in both 'g' and 'a'.

So far have tried with Atheros 5004x, 5006EG and Intel 2200 and 3945 clients.  I don't have any 'n' clients to test but will reach out to try one soon.  BTW, I have tried every setting combo possible, to no success.  Its a firmware problem!

[Kanati]

While I have not tried the wireless side of the router...the wired side is pretty dang stable.  For a matter of fact, compared to my old 4300, the transfer rates are very impressive.  Transferring files between computers or to/from my netdrive are quite a bit faster.  I had set up an all gigabit network with the 4300, so now on the 825 everything is snappier and happier.  The wife and I have both been gaming, streaming video, downloading files, uploading pictures, etc, etc all mixed at different times and at times, at the same time with no disconnects thus far.  The wife also works from home, logging into a VPN in the evenings with no issues...she says it is faster with the 825.

The only issues I've found are what I have mentioned in the first post.  Just little aggrevating issues like the DHCP Client List...everything is connected and running which makes that issue minor.  But, if you are troubleshooting a connection problem with a network client it could prove to be very aggrevating.  Good reason for a firmware fix.

I will keep a running log here of HW:B1 and FW:2.02 issues, just so the powers to be will have information for the next firmware update.  So far, in my opinion, just some minor fixes...but I haven't got myself into the wireless side yet like Claykin.

[Kanati]

Spent the day messing around with the wireless.  Since my laptop is b/g only I was limited on my messing around.  Wireless g worked great, no disconnects, great range (even on second floor and outside the house...brick house).  Downloaded and uploaded, transfer files, etc...no real issues.  One time I made some router changes while connected wirelessly and couldn't get back into the GUI.  A router reboot was the only fix and afterwards it worked fine.  Tried making some changes again, but was able to get into GUI without an issue.

Still trying to break it...just minor issues.  After reading all the posts here, I feel like it may have been a good day at the factory when they built my 825.  Still need to fix the DHCP Client Table issues though (dynamic/reserved and related PC list in MAC Filtering and on Status page) and the possible QOS Engine issue (could be just my slow AT&T connection and how the Uplink interacts).

Will keep posting...

[Kanati]

No disconnects...been up for a week.  Wireless was still working this morning and has worked fine throughout today.

Are there any moderator/tech guys in here?  Just want to hear that they have considered my suggestions and if anyone else wants to chime in on HW B1 and FW 2.02NA, please do.

[Kanati]

Well, everything was working good until today.  The router dropped my Vonage box for some reason.  When I logged into the router it still showed a connection to the internet and browsing the internet verified the connection but no Vonage.  Ended up rebooting the router and Vonage reconnected fine.  Can't say for sure that it was the router because there is the connection to Vonage to consider.  If anyone has experienced this same issue, please chime in.

[lotacus]

Just purchased this device yesturday and gave me a little headache. I noticed that reboot takes extremely longer than my dir655, sometimes two minutes. With this reboot, I've noticed quite frequently the 5Ghz card will appear to have failed. The 5Ghz light is on, but it seems it doesn't broadcast it's name. Other times it will take an extremely long time to it to start broadcasting.

I've also noticed a few times that the DHCP server fails to give clients an ip address. Clients just sit and wait until the connection fails because there was no response from the DHCP server.

Using it as an access point seemed to be flakey as well. Connected the wire to port 4 and to the other gateway and there would be no internet access, though the computers would get an ip address, and dns settings etc from the outermost gateway.

One good thing though, which I was suprised, was that the signal strength is a tad better. Placing it in the exact same location as my dir-655, I noticed that the 2.4Ghz spectrum is about 2 dBm better and the 5Ghz is about 4 or 5 dBi better, as well, connecting w/ 5Ghz, I was able to get 270Mbit connection about 30 feet away, through a few walls, whereas on the dir-655's 2.4 spectrum, I get around 40-54Mbit connection. Smallnetbuilder stated that the 825's 5Ghz card is weak. I certainly didn't think so at all.