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D-Link DIR 842 Review | 77 Data compared

Avg. price:~£25Wi-Fi version:Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)Wi-Fi speed:1200 MbpsLAN port speeds:1 GbpsMesh Wi-Fi:yes

D-Link DIR 842 Review: Compare 77 technical specifications and user reviews to see how this product ranks in the Routers category and whether it is worth buying.

7.0

Overall score

Score
7.0/ 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–² Better than 53% of models
Score components

90%

6.9

Technical Score

10%

8.3

User score

â–²Better than 53% of routers
6.9

Technical Score

Technical score
6.9/ 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–² Better than 50% of models
Score components

26%

6.3

Wireless

20%

5.4

Ports

18%

8.9

Networking

14%

8.2

Security

12%

5.9

Hardware

10%

7.1

Management

â–²Better than 50% of routers
8.3

User score

User score
8.3/ 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–² Better than 67% of models
Score components

70%

8.4

User reviews

30%

7.9

Popularity

User score:
United Kingdom
amazon
4.0
(275)
amazon
3.9
(72)
United States
Amazon_logo.png
4.3
(803)
Amazon_logo.png
3.9
(72)

(Reviews last updated: May 2026)

â–²Better than 67% of routers
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d-link-dir-842

Best prices in UK

Best rankings

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

The D-Link DIR-842 is a dual-band AC1200 Wi-Fi 5 router that delivers combined speeds of up to 1,200 Mbps, with 300 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band and 867 Mbps on the 5 GHz band. Key characteristics include four high-gain external antennas, Wave 2 MU-MIMO technology for simultaneous device handling, and a full suite of 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet ports (one WAN and four LAN). Its main pros are fast throughput performance for its budget price—particularly on the 5 GHz band—solid 2.4 GHz range, and an easy-to-use web-based setup wizard with advanced management features like QoS and guest zones. However, notable cons include the complete absence of USB ports for storage or printer sharing, non-removable antennas that cannot be upgraded, and a single-core processor that may struggle under heavy multi-client traffic or when running third-party firmware like OpenWRT.

Technical Specifications of router D-Link DIR 842

Technical Score
Technical score
6.9/ 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–² Better than 50% of models
Score components:

26%

6.3

Wireless

20%

5.4

Ports

18%

8.9

Networking

14%

8.2

Security

12%

5.9

Hardware

10%

7.1

Management

6.9
D-Link DIR 842 has a technical score of 6.9 points, which is higher than that of 50% of products in this category.
User score
User score
8.3/ 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–² Better than 67% of models
Score components

70%

8.4

User reviews

30%

7.9

Popularity

User score:
United Kingdom
amazon
4.0
(275)
amazon
3.9
(72)
United States
Amazon_logo.png
4.3
(803)
Amazon_logo.png
3.9
(72)

(Reviews last updated: May 2026)

8.3
D-Link DIR 842 has a user score of 8.27 points, which is higher than that of 67.4% of products in this category.
Popularity
Popularity
7.9/ 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–² Better than 66% of models
Popularity:
D-Link DIR 842 has a popularity score of 7.9 points, which is higher than that of 65.7% of products in this category.
7.9
D-Link DIR 842 has a popularity score of 7.9 points, which is higher than that of 65.7% of products in this category.
Ratio quality/price
Value for money
7.9/ 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–² Better than 54% of models
Score components:

60%

7.0

Overall score

40%

10

Price

7.9
D-Link DIR 842 has a value-for-money score of 7.9 points, which is higher than that of 53.7% 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
1,200 Mbps
Wi-Fi speed
1,200 Mbps
â–¼ Worse than 52% of models
Market range: <0 Mbps – >6k Mbps
This router delivers 1,200 Mbps Wi-Fi speed, which is lower than 52.1% of routers and equal to 5.8% 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
WPA3, WPA2, WPA, WEP
Wi-Fi security protocols
WPA3, WPA2, WPA, WEP
â–² Better than 72% of models
This router supports WPA3, WPA2, WPA, WEP Wi-Fi security protocols, which are more advanced than 72.4% of routers and equal to 2.5% of routers.
DoS protection
no
DoS protection
no
â–¼ Worse than 87% of models
This router does not include DoS protection. 87.5% 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
yes
VLAN tagging
yes
â–² Better than 38% of models
This router supports VLAN tagging. 38.2% 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
1 Gbps
LAN port speeds
1 Gbps
â–² Better than 27% of models
This router offers 1 Gbps on its LAN ports, which is faster than 27.1% of routers and on par with 59.9% 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
0
N. of USB ports
0
â–¼ Worse than 61% of models
Market range: <0 – >5
This router has 0 USB ports, which is fewer than 60.8% of routers and the same as 39.2% 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.
Firmware upgrade method
Web UI, Automatic
Firmware upgrade method
Web UI, Automatic
â–² Better than 35% of models
This router supports Web UI, Automatic firmware update methods, which are more convenient than 35.4% of routers and equal to 37.8% 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
1 GHz
CPU clock speed
1 GHz
â–¼ Worse than 54% of models
This router runs at 1 GHz, which is slower than 53.6% of routers and on par with 1.4% 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
0.015625 GB
Internal storage
0.015625 GB
â–¼ Worse than 59% of models
Market range: <0 GB – >0.5 GB
This router has 0.015625 GB of internal storage, which is less than 58.6% of routers and the same as 13.8% of routers.
Hardware acceleration
yes
Hardware acceleration
yes
â–² Better than 31% of models
This router offers hardware acceleration. 31.4% of routers offer hardware acceleration.
N. of external antennas
4
N. of external antennas
4
â–² Better than 72% of models
Market range: <0 – >10
This router has 4 external antennas, which is more than 71.9% of routers and the same as 17.5% of routers.
Show more

D-Link DIR 842 vs the average router

246810TotalWirelessSecurityNetworkingPortsManagementHardware
  • Supports mesh Wi-Fi
    Mesh Wi-Fi
    yes
    â–² Better than 64% of models
    This router supports mesh Wi-Fi, while the average router does not. 36.4% of routers support mesh Wi-Fi.
  • Stronger Wi-Fi security
    Wi-Fi security protocols
    WPA3, WPA2, WPA, WEP
    â–² Better than 72% of models
    This router supports the Wi-Fi security protocols WPA3, WPA2, WPA, WEP, while the average router supports WPA2, WPA, WEP, WPS.
    WPA3, WPA2, WPA, WEP vs WPA2, WPA, WEP, WPS
  • 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.
  • Suitable for gaming
    Suitable for gaming
    yes
    â–² Better than 63% of models
    This router is designed for gaming, while the average router is not. 36.9% of routers are designed for gaming.
  • 2 more external antennas
    N. of external antennas
    4
    â–² Better than 72% of models
    Market range: <0 – >10
    This router has more external antennas than the average router (4 vs 2). The average router has 2 external antennas.
    4 vs 2
  • Includes memory card slot
    Memory card slot
    yes
    ★ Better than 90% of models
    This router has a memory card slot, while the average router does not. 9.8% of routers have a memory card slot.
  • 3.6x cheaper
    D-Link DIR 842 is cheaper than the average router (£25 vs £90).
    £25 vs £90
  • 3.6x cheaper
    D-Link DIR 842 is cheaper than the average router (£25 vs £90).
    £25 vs £90
  • Supports mesh Wi-Fi
    Mesh Wi-Fi
    yes
    â–² Better than 64% of models
    This router supports mesh Wi-Fi, while the average router does not. 36.4% of routers support mesh Wi-Fi.
  • 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.
  • Stronger Wi-Fi security
    Wi-Fi security protocols
    WPA3, WPA2, WPA, WEP
    â–² Better than 72% of models
    This router supports the Wi-Fi security protocols WPA3, WPA2, WPA, WEP, while the average router supports WPA2, WPA, WEP, WPS.
    WPA3, WPA2, WPA, WEP vs WPA2, WPA, WEP, WPS
  • Includes memory card slot
    Memory card slot
    yes
    ★ Better than 90% of models
    This router has a memory card slot, while the average router does not. 9.8% of routers have a memory card slot.
  • Suitable for gaming
    Suitable for gaming
    yes
    â–² Better than 63% of models
    This router is designed for gaming, while the average router is not. 36.9% of routers are designed for gaming.
  • 2 more external antennas
    N. of external antennas
    4
    â–² Better than 72% of models
    Market range: <0 – >10
    This router has more external antennas than the average router (4 vs 2). The average router has 2 external antennas.
    4 vs 2
  • No VPN server support
    VPN server support
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 66% of models
    This router cannot act as a VPN server, while the average router can. 66.3% of routers can act as a VPN server.
  • Less capable NAS services
    Built-in NAS services
    none
    â–¼ Worse than 58% of models
    This router includes none NAS services, while the average router includes SMB, FTP, time machine, NFS, web access.
    none vs SMB, FTP, time machine, NFS, web access
  • Limited firmware updates
    Firmware upgrade method
    Web UI, Automatic
    â–² Better than 35% of models
    This router supports the firmware update methods Web UI, Automatic, while the average router supports Web UI, App, Automatic.
    Web UI, Automatic vs Web UI, App, Automatic
  • 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 USB ports
    N. of USB ports
    0
    â–¼ Worse than 61% of models
    Market range: <0 – >5
    This router has fewer USB ports than the average router (0 vs 1). The average router has 1 USB ports.
    0 vs 1
  • No DoS protection
    DoS protection
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 87% of models
    This router does not support DoS protection, while the average router does. 87.3% of routers support DoS protection.
  • 3.9 W higher power consumption
    Power consumption
    12 W
    â–¼ Worse than 73% of models
    Market range: <3 W – >18 W
    This router uses more power than the average router (12 W vs 8.1 W). The average router uses 8.1 W power.
    12 W vs 8.1 W
  • 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
  • 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
  • 49 fewer connected devices
    Maximum connected devices
    15
    â–¼ Worse than 84% of models
    Market range: <0 – >250
    This router supports fewer connected devices than the average router (15 vs 64). The average router supports 64 connected devices.
    15 vs 64
  • 18.6% slower Wi-Fi speed
    Wi-Fi speed
    1,200 Mbps
    â–¼ Worse than 52% of models
    Market range: <0 Mbps – >6k Mbps
    This router has a lower Wi-Fi speed than the average router (1200 Mbps vs 1475 Mbps). The average router reaches Wi-Fi speed of 1475 Mbps.
    1,200 Mbps vs 1,475 Mbps
  • No VPN server support
    VPN server support
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 66% of models
    This router cannot act as a VPN server, while the average router can. 66.3% of routers can act as a VPN server.
  • No DoS protection
    DoS protection
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 87% of models
    This router does not support DoS protection, while the average router does. 87.3% of routers support DoS protection.
  • 1 fewer USB ports
    N. of USB ports
    0
    â–¼ Worse than 61% of models
    Market range: <0 – >5
    This router has fewer USB ports than the average router (0 vs 1). The average router has 1 USB ports.
    0 vs 1
  • Less capable NAS services
    Built-in NAS services
    none
    â–¼ Worse than 58% of models
    This router includes none NAS services, while the average router includes SMB, FTP, time machine, NFS, web access.
    none vs SMB, FTP, time machine, NFS, web access
  • Limited firmware updates
    Firmware upgrade method
    Web UI, Automatic
    â–² Better than 35% of models
    This router supports the firmware update methods Web UI, Automatic, while the average router supports Web UI, App, Automatic.
    Web UI, Automatic 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.
  • 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
  • 3.9 W higher power consumption
    Power consumption
    12 W
    â–¼ Worse than 73% of models
    Market range: <3 W – >18 W
    This router uses more power than the average router (12 W vs 8.1 W). The average router uses 8.1 W power.
    12 W vs 8.1 W
  • 87.5% less internal storage
    Internal storage
    0.015625 GB
    â–¼ Worse than 59% 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.
    0.015625 GB vs 0.125 GB

Graphic comparison of D-Link DIR 842 and other routers

No results found

Third-party reviews

United Kingdom
amazon
4.0
275 Reviews
amazon
3.9
72 Reviews
United States
Amazon_logo.png
4.3
803 Reviews
Amazon_logo.png
3.9
72 Reviews

(Reviews last updated: May 2026)

What customers like about D-Link DIR 842?

  • Very affordable and offers excellent value for the price
  • Strong performance on the 5GHz band, especially at close range
  • Easy and quick installation process with an intuitive web interface
  • Includes Gigabit Ethernet ports for high-speed wired connections
  • Supports MU-MIMO technology to improve performance with multiple connected devices
  • Equipped with four high-gain antennas that provide decent coverage for medium-sized apartments

What customers dislike about D-Link DIR 842?

  • Lacks a USB port for file sharing or printer networking
  • Antennas are non-removable, which limits upgrade options
  • Significant performance drop on the 5GHz band when penetrating thick walls or concrete floors
  • 5GHz performance can suffer under heavy stress from multiple high-bandwidth users simultaneously
  • Interface may lack some advanced features found in more expensive models
  • Short power cord provided in the box restricts placement options

Video reviews

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

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