Detailed Exterior Features

The standout feature obvious to most (or all) draft N routers is the array of antenna's. Essential for MIMO (multiple-input multiple-output), three short-length hard plastic antenna's adorn the D-Link DIR-655 Xtreme N Gigabit Router. MIMO uses multiple transmitter and receiver antennas to allow for increased data throughput via spatial multiplexing and increased range by exploiting the spatial diversity.

At the other end of the network, on the wired side of the router, Ethernet connectivity is given the Gigabit treatment. All four of the Ethernet LAN ports and the WAN port all offer 10/100/1000Mbps auto-switching throughput, which makes the D-Link DIR-655 a perfect solution for everyone from smart and serious home users, to corporate environments.

Additionally, there's something the D-Link DIR-655 offers which most every other routers produced before now have not offered: WCN (Windows Connect Now) configuration through USB. Windows Connect Now (WCN) is the name of Windows Rally technologies for quick and simple wireless device configuration. With Windows Connect Now, users running Windows Vista or Windows XP can create network configuration settings and transmit them to the access point. Alternatively, users can also print the configuration settings for reference for manually configuring the device.

Windows Connect Now offers the following methods for configuration:

• WCN-NET is Microsoft's implementation of the Wi-Fi Simple Config standard. It provides for configuration of devices using out-of-band Ethernet and in-band wireless networks. In Windows Vista, WCN-NET can discover an un-configured router, access point, base station or a device such as a Media Center Extender by using UPnP, authenticate with the device by using a personal identification number (PIN), provide wireless settings that are based on user selection and set up a wireless network over a wired Ethernet connection. Windows XP and earlier Windows versions do not support WCN-NET.
• WCN-UFD uses an API and an XML format that works with a wizard to write configuration files to a USB Flash Drive for more secure wireless networks. Windows XP Service Pack 2 and later Windows operating systems supports WCN-UFD.
• WCN-MTP includes a Media Transfer Protocol (MTP) extension that enables an MTP initiator to provide an MTP responder with configuration parameters for joining a wireless network and supports more secure configuration of MTP-capable devices on wireless networks. In Windows Vista, a temporary USB cable connection can be used for MTP-class devices such as portable media, digital cameras etc.

The underside of the D-Link DIR-655 has four soft rubber feet for resting on a smooth surface, or the router can be wall-mounted using the two molded knock-outs. Additionally, basic layout is rendered in a simple diagram along with serial number and MAC address information.

At the side of the D-Link DIR-655 Xtreme N Gigabit Router there is a rather peculiar port which appears to be about the size of an USB-B connection similar to the printer-end of a USB cable. There is a clear plasic label which is a little thicker than tape marked "for future use". I'm not sure what D-Link has planned for this port, but there are only a few things capable of fitting into this space.

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