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D-Link DIR 820L Review | 77 Data compared

Avg. price in UK:~£35Avg. price in US:~$40Wi-Fi version:Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)Wi-Fi speed:1000 MbpsLAN port speeds:100 MbpsMesh Wi-Fi:no

D-Link DIR 820L Review: Compare 77 technical specifications and user reviews to see how this product ranks in the Routers category and whether it is worth buying.

6.6

Overall score

Score
6.6/ 10
✕
What it is
An overall evaluation of the router's quality, based on technical analyses and user reviews.
When it matters
When you need a quick reference to identify the best routers on the market.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 63% of models
Score components

90%

6.6

Technical Score

10%

?

User score

â–¼Worse than 63% of routers
6.6

Technical Score

Technical score
6.6/ 10
✕
What it is
An assessment of the router's technical performance, covering key areas such as Wi-Fi performance, wired connectivity, security, software features, coverage, and design.
When it matters
When you want to compare routers based on technical performance and available features.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 61% of models
Score components

26%

5.5

Wireless

20%

5.5

Ports

18%

8.9

Networking

14%

9.1

Security

12%

4.4

Hardware

10%

6.9

Management

â–¼Worse than 61% of routers
?

User score

User score
8.0/ 10
✕
What it is
A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the router.
When it matters
When you want to know how a router performs in daily use and how reliable it is for speed, coverage, and stability according to user feedback.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 70% of models
Score components

70%

?

User reviews

30%

?

Popularity

  • No image
No image

Best prices in UK

    N/A~ £35

Best rankings

Available: ranking among products currently available (including other versions of this product).All: ranking among all products in the database.
Loading category ranking...

Verdict

The D-Link DIR-820L is a compact, cylindrical Wireless AC1000 dual-band cloud router designed for basic home networking, offering combined Wi-Fi speeds of up to 1000 Mbps (300 Mbps on 2.4 GHz and 650 Mbps on 5 GHz). It features four 10/100 Fast Ethernet LAN ports, one Fast Ethernet WAN port, and a single USB 2.0 port for SharePort mobile streaming and cloud management via mydlink services. Its main pros include an extremely affordable price point, a sleek antenna-free design, and simple setup for small apartments; however, it is held back by lack of Gigabit Ethernet support, limited wireless range in larger homes, and slower USB 2.0 speeds.

Technical Specifications of router D-Link DIR 820L

Technical Score
Technical score
6.6/ 10
✕
What it is
An assessment of the router's technical performance, covering key areas such as Wi-Fi performance, wired connectivity, security, software features, coverage, and design.
When it matters
When you want to compare routers based on technical performance and available features.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 61% of models
Score components:

26%

5.5

Wireless

20%

5.5

Ports

18%

8.9

Networking

14%

9.1

Security

12%

4.4

Hardware

10%

6.9

Management

6.6
D-Link DIR 820L has a technical score of 6.6 points, which is lower than that of 60.5% of products in this category.
User score
User score
8.0/ 10
✕
What it is
A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the router.
When it matters
When you want to know how a router performs in daily use and how reliable it is for speed, coverage, and stability according to user feedback.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 70% of models
Score components

70%

?

User reviews

30%

?

Popularity

?
Popularity
Popularity
1.0/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator based on the number of reviews received by the router.
When it matters
When you prefer to choose a router reviewed and selected by many other buyers.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 99% of models
Popularity:
D-Link DIR 820L has a popularity score of 1 point, which is lower than that of 72.1% of products in this category.
1.0
D-Link DIR 820L has a popularity score of 1 point, which is lower than that of 72.1% of products in this category.
Ratio quality/price
Value for money
7.6/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the router's overall rating with its cost.
When it matters
When you are looking for a router with a good balance between network performance, features, and price.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 66% of models
Score components:

60%

6.6

Overall score

40%

10

Price

7.6
D-Link DIR 820L has a value-for-money score of 7.6 points, which is lower than that of 60.1% of products in this category.
Brand name
D-Link
Wi-Fi version
Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
Wi-Fi version
Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
â–² Better than 39% of models
This router uses Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), which is more advanced than 39.5% of routers and equal to 25.3% of routers.
Wi-Fi bands
2.4 GHz + 5 GHz
Wi-Fi bands
2.4 GHz + 5 GHz
â–² Better than 25% of models
This router supports 2.4 GHz + 5 GHz Wi-Fi bands, which are more versatile than 24.8% of routers and equal to 68.1% of routers.
Wi-Fi speed
1,000 Mbps
Wi-Fi speed
1,000 Mbps
â–¼ Worse than 60% of models
Market range: <0 Mbps – >6k Mbps
This router delivers 1,000 Mbps Wi-Fi speed, which is lower than 59.9% of routers and equal to 0.3% of routers.
Channel widths supported
20 MHz + 40 MHz + 80 MHz
Channel widths supported
20 MHz + 40 MHz + 80 MHz
â–² Better than 41% of models
This router supports 20 MHz + 40 MHz + 80 MHz channel width options, which is more than 40.9% of routers and the same as 31.6% of routers.
Show more
Wi-Fi security protocols
WPA2, WPA
Wi-Fi security protocols
WPA2, WPA
â–¼ Worse than 81% of models
This router supports WPA2, WPA Wi-Fi security protocols, which are less advanced than 81.3% of routers and equal to 8.1% of routers.
DoS protection
yes
DoS protection
yes
â–² Better than 13% of models
This router includes DoS protection. 12.8% of routers include DoS protection.
SPI intrusion protection
yes
SPI intrusion protection
yes
â–² Better than 6% of models
This router includes SPI-based intrusion protection. 6.1% of routers include SPI-based intrusion protection.
MAC address filtering
yes
MAC address filtering
yes
â–² Better than 2% of models
This router supports MAC address filtering. 2.2% of routers include MAC address filtering.
URL filter
yes
URL filter
yes
â–² Better than 3% of models
This router supports URL filtering. 3.4% of routers include URL filtering.
Show more
IPv6 support
yes
IPv6 support
yes
â–² Better than 12% of models
This router supports IPv6. 11.5% of routers are IPv6-ready.
Dynamic routing
yes
Dynamic routing
yes
â–² Better than 48% of models
This router supports dynamic routing. 47.8% of routers support dynamic routing.
Inter-VLAN routing
no
Inter-VLAN routing
no
â–¼ Worse than 24% of models
This router does not support inter-VLAN routing. 23.5% of routers support inter-VLAN routing.
VLAN tagging
no
VLAN tagging
no
â–¼ Worse than 62% of models
This router does not support VLAN tagging. 62% of routers include VLAN tagging.
QoS
yes
QoS
yes
â–² Better than 3% of models
This router includes QoS controls. 3.2% of routers include QoS controls.
Show more
N. of LAN ports
4
N. of LAN ports
4
â–² Better than 24% of models
Market range: <0 – >5
This router has 4 LAN ports, which is more than 23.7% of routers and the same as 69.2% of routers.
LAN port speeds
100 Mbps
LAN port speeds
100 Mbps
â–¼ Worse than 73% of models
This router offers 100 Mbps on its LAN ports, which is slower than 73.2% of routers and on par with 26.4% of routers.
N. of WAN ports
1
N. of WAN ports
1
â–¼ Worse than 9% of models
Market range: <0 – >5
This router has 1 WAN ports, which is more than 1% of routers and the same as 90.1% of routers.
N. of USB ports
1
N. of USB ports
1
â–² Better than 39% of models
Market range: <0 – >5
This router has 1 USB ports, which is more than 39.5% of routers and the same as 39.5% of routers.
Power over Ethernet (PoE)
no
Power over Ethernet (PoE)
no
Category Benchmark
This router does not support Power over Ethernet (PoE). 0.5% of routers can be powered over Ethernet.
Show more
Management interface
Web UI, App
Management interface
Web UI, App
â–² Better than 33% of models
This router uses Web UI, App for management, which is more advanced than 33.4% of routers and equal to 57% of routers.
mydlink app
Firmware upgrade method
Web UI
Firmware upgrade method
Web UI
â–¼ Worse than 70% of models
This router supports Web UI firmware update methods, which are less convenient than 69.5% of routers and equal to 29.7% of routers.
Traffic monitoring
yes
Traffic monitoring
yes
â–² Better than 18% of models
This router includes traffic monitoring. 18.1% of routers include traffic monitoring.
Guest Wi-Fi network
yes
Guest Wi-Fi network
yes
â–² Better than 9% of models
This router offers a guest Wi‑Fi network. 8.6% of routers offer a guest Wi‑Fi network.
Captive portal
no
Captive portal
no
â–¼ Worse than 24% of models
This router does not offer captive portal features. 23.5% of routers offer captive portal features.
Show more
CPU clock speed
0.6 GHz
CPU clock speed
0.6 GHz
â–¼ Worse than 69% of models
This router runs at 0.6 GHz, which is slower than 69.2% of routers and on par with 2.9% of routers.
RAM capacity
64 MB
RAM capacity
64 MB
â–¼ Worse than 69% of models
Market range: <0 MB – >1k MB
This router has 64 MB of RAM, which is less than 69% of routers and the same as 14.3% of routers.
Internal storage
0.007812 GB
Internal storage
0.007812 GB
â–¼ Worse than 73% of models
Market range: <0 GB – >0.5 GB
This router has 0.007812 GB of internal storage, which is less than 72.7% of routers and the same as 20.6% of routers.
Hardware acceleration
no
Hardware acceleration
no
â–¼ Worse than 69% of models
This router does not offer hardware acceleration. 68.9% of routers offer hardware acceleration.
N. of external antennas
0
N. of external antennas
0
â–¼ Worse than 60% of models
Market range: <0 – >10
This router has 0 external antennas, which is fewer than 59.6% of routers and the same as 40.4% of routers.
Show more

D-Link DIR 820L vs the average router

246810TotalWirelessSecurityNetworkingPortsManagementHardware
  • Supports automatic failover
    Automatic failover
    yes
    â–² Better than 75% of models
    This router offers automatic failover, while the average router does not. 24.9% of routers offer automatic failover.
  • Supports MU-MIMO
    MU-MIMO
    yes
    â–² Better than 52% of models
    This router supports MU-MIMO, while the average router does not. 47.7% of routers support MU-MIMO.
  • 4 more internal antennas
    N. of internal antennas
    4
    â–² Better than 76% of models
    Market range: <0 – >10
    This router has more internal antennas than the average router (4 vs 0). The average router has 0 internal antennas.
    4 vs 0
  • 91 mm narrower width
    Width
    111 mm
    â–² Better than 89% of models
    Market range: <100 mm – >300 mm
    This router is narrower than the average router (111 mm vs 202 mm). The average router is 202 mm wide.
    111 mm vs 202 mm
  • 2.57x cheaper
    D-Link DIR 820L is cheaper than the average router (£35 vs £90).
    £35 vs £90
  • 2.57x cheaper
    D-Link DIR 820L is cheaper than the average router (£35 vs £90).
    £35 vs £90
  • Supports MU-MIMO
    MU-MIMO
    yes
    â–² Better than 52% of models
    This router supports MU-MIMO, while the average router does not. 47.7% of routers support MU-MIMO.
  • Supports automatic failover
    Automatic failover
    yes
    â–² Better than 75% of models
    This router offers automatic failover, while the average router does not. 24.9% of routers offer automatic failover.
  • 4 more internal antennas
    N. of internal antennas
    4
    â–² Better than 76% of models
    Market range: <0 – >10
    This router has more internal antennas than the average router (4 vs 0). The average router has 0 internal antennas.
    4 vs 0
  • 91 mm narrower width
    Width
    111 mm
    â–² Better than 89% of models
    Market range: <100 mm – >300 mm
    This router is narrower than the average router (111 mm vs 202 mm). The average router is 202 mm wide.
    111 mm vs 202 mm
  • Limited firmware updates
    Firmware upgrade method
    Web UI
    â–¼ Worse than 70% of models
    This router supports the firmware update methods Web UI, while the average router supports Web UI, App, Automatic.
    Web UI vs Web UI, App, Automatic
  • Slower LAN ports
    LAN port speeds
    100 Mbps
    â–¼ Worse than 73% of models
    This router has a lower LAN port speed than the average router (100 Mbps vs 1 Gbps). The average router has a LAN port speed of 1 Gbps.
    100 Mbps vs 1 Gbps
  • No VLAN tagging
    VLAN tagging
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 62% of models
    This router does not support VLAN tagging, while the average router does. 61.9% of routers support VLAN tagging.
  • No hardware acceleration
    Hardware acceleration
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 69% of models
    This router does not offer hardware acceleration, while the average router does. 68.7% of routers offer hardware acceleration.
  • 75% less RAM
    RAM capacity
    64 MB
    â–¼ Worse than 69% of models
    Market range: <0 MB – >1k MB
    This router has less RAM than the average router (64 MB vs 256 MB). The average router has 256 MB of RAM.
    64 MB vs 256 MB
  • 1 fewer spatial streams
    N. of spatial streams
    2
    â–¼ Worse than 50% of models
    Market range: <0 – >10
    This router has fewer spatial streams than the average router (2 vs 3). The average router has 3 spatial streams.
    2 vs 3
  • Lower CPU clock speed
    CPU clock speed
    0.6 GHz
    â–¼ Worse than 69% of models
    This router has a lower CPU clock speed than the average router (0.6 GHz vs 2x0.5 GHz). The average router has a CPU clock speed of 2x0.5 GHz.
    0.6 GHz vs 2x0.5 GHz
  • No band steering
    Band steering
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 52% of models
    This router does not support band steering, while the average router does. 51.8% of routers support band steering.
  • 6.54x less popular
    D-Link DIR 820L is less popular than the average router (1 vs 6.5).
    1 vs 6.54
  • 2.2% worse value for money
    D-Link DIR 820L has worse value for money than the average router (7.65 vs 7.8).
    7.65 vs 7.82
  • 1 fewer spatial streams
    N. of spatial streams
    2
    â–¼ Worse than 50% of models
    Market range: <0 – >10
    This router has fewer spatial streams than the average router (2 vs 3). The average router has 3 spatial streams.
    2 vs 3
  • No band steering
    Band steering
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 52% of models
    This router does not support band steering, while the average router does. 51.8% of routers support band steering.
  • No beamforming
    Beamforming
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 57% of models
    This router does not support beamforming, while the average router does. 56.7% of routers support beamforming.
  • 32.2% slower Wi-Fi speed
    Wi-Fi speed
    1,000 Mbps
    â–¼ Worse than 60% of models
    Market range: <0 Mbps – >6k Mbps
    This router has a lower Wi-Fi speed than the average router (1000 Mbps vs 1475 Mbps). The average router reaches Wi-Fi speed of 1475 Mbps.
    1,000 Mbps vs 1,475 Mbps
  • Weaker Wi-Fi security
    Wi-Fi security protocols
    WPA2, WPA
    â–¼ Worse than 81% of models
    This router supports the Wi-Fi security protocols WPA2, WPA, while the average router supports WPA2, WPA, WEP, WPS.
    WPA2, WPA vs WPA2, WPA, WEP, WPS
  • No VLAN tagging
    VLAN tagging
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 62% of models
    This router does not support VLAN tagging, while the average router does. 61.9% of routers support VLAN tagging.
  • Slower LAN ports
    LAN port speeds
    100 Mbps
    â–¼ Worse than 73% of models
    This router has a lower LAN port speed than the average router (100 Mbps vs 1 Gbps). The average router has a LAN port speed of 1 Gbps.
    100 Mbps vs 1 Gbps
  • Limited firmware updates
    Firmware upgrade method
    Web UI
    â–¼ Worse than 70% of models
    This router supports the firmware update methods Web UI, while the average router supports Web UI, App, Automatic.
    Web UI vs Web UI, App, Automatic
  • No DLNA support
    DLNA support
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 54% of models
    This router does not support DLNA, while the average router does. 54% of routers support DLNA.
  • Less capable NAS services
    Built-in NAS services
    SMB, FTP, NFS, web access
    â–² Better than 73% of models
    This router includes SMB, FTP, NFS, web access NAS services, while the average router includes SMB, FTP, time machine, NFS, web access.
    SMB, FTP, NFS, web access vs SMB, FTP, time machine, NFS, web access
  • No hardware acceleration
    Hardware acceleration
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 69% of models
    This router does not offer hardware acceleration, while the average router does. 68.7% of routers offer hardware acceleration.
  • 75% less RAM
    RAM capacity
    64 MB
    â–¼ Worse than 69% of models
    Market range: <0 MB – >1k MB
    This router has less RAM than the average router (64 MB vs 256 MB). The average router has 256 MB of RAM.
    64 MB vs 256 MB
  • Lower CPU clock speed
    CPU clock speed
    0.6 GHz
    â–¼ Worse than 69% of models
    This router has a lower CPU clock speed than the average router (0.6 GHz vs 2x0.5 GHz). The average router has a CPU clock speed of 2x0.5 GHz.
    0.6 GHz vs 2x0.5 GHz
  • 93.8% less internal storage
    Internal storage
    0.007812 GB
    â–¼ Worse than 73% of models
    Market range: <0 GB – >0.5 GB
    This router has less internal storage than the average router (0 GB vs 0.1 GB). The average router offers 0.125 GB of internal storage.
    0.007812 GB vs 0.125 GB
  • 2 fewer external antennas
    N. of external antennas
    0
    â–¼ Worse than 60% of models
    Market range: <0 – >10
    This router has fewer external antennas than the average router (0 vs 2). The average router has 2 external antennas.
    0 vs 2
  • 48 mm thicker design
    Thickness
    93 mm
    â–¼ Worse than 88% of models
    Market range: <28 mm – >98 mm
    This router is thicker than the average router (93 mm vs 45 mm). The average router is 45 mm thick.
    93 mm vs 45 mm
  • 97.5 mm higher height
    Height
    145 mm
    â–¼ Worse than 78% of models
    Market range: <30 mm – >180 mm
    This router is taller than the average router (145 mm vs 47.5 mm). The average router is 47.5 mm tall.
    145 mm vs 47.5 mm

Graphic comparison of D-Link DIR 820L and other routers

No results found

Third-party reviews

What customers like about D-Link DIR 820L?

  • Affordable price point for a dual-band AC router
  • Compact and stylish 'cylinder' design with a small footprint
  • Easy initial setup for basic home users using the web wizard or QRS Mobile app
  • Stable connectivity for small to medium-sized apartments
  • Secure out-of-the-box with pre-configured Wi-Fi passwords
  • Includes mydlink cloud services for remote monitoring and management
  • Supports modern 802.11ac standards while remaining backward compatible

What customers dislike about D-Link DIR 820L?

  • Lacks Gigabit Ethernet ports (limited to 10/100 Mbps), which can bottleneck wired traffic
  • Weak Wi-Fi signal range, especially through walls and in larger homes
  • Administration interface feels dated, cumbersome, and difficult to navigate for advanced settings
  • Poor performance during heavy tasks like multiple HD streams or gaming
  • Reported issues with the power cord being too short
  • Lack of wall-mounting options on some units due to the vertical design
  • Occasional overheating issues if placed near other electronic devices

Video reviews

Hands-on testing, unboxing, and real-world video evaluations

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