D-Link D-Fend AC2600 Wi-Fi Security Router review

We try out the D-Link D-Fend which takes charge of privacy and protection of your home wireless network.

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Last updated: 15 Oct 2019

CHOICE verdict

This D-Link wireless router aims to not only provide your home Wi-Fi network, but to secure it against web-nasties and provide strong parental and privacy controls. You’ll need some patience to get it all working properly, so be prepared for a learning curve, but for particularly security-conscious parents the results could be worth it.

Price: $500

Contact:

dlink.com.au

If a wireless router is running your home network, wouldn’t it be nice if it took charge of all the privacy and security issues for all your devices at the same time? That’s the idea behind the D-Link’s collaboration with Intel and security experts McAfee in making the D-Link D-Fend AC2600 Wi-Fi Security Router Protected by McAfee. We borrowed one from D-Link to see how well it worked.

Parental controls for all

The parental controls can create a profile for each person in the home, set age-appropriate content, block websites and categories, impose internet curfews, send permission requests to parents for visiting select websites, and pause internet access for all or for just a specific user.

There’s also an Away mode, which lets you pick which devices don’t have internet access while you’re out of the house. You can even command it via voice with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant to do certain tasks, such as to block a device or user.

D-Fend your home network

Built into the router are specialised Intel chips to help lighten the security processing load, and it includes McAfee Secure Home Platform protection for five years to cover all devices (a $600 value-add). There’s also two years of McAfee LiveSafe internet security software for computers, tablets and smartphones included (a $300 value-add).

Steve

I head up the team that produces CHOICE Computer magazine and computer technology-related tests and articles for our website. I believe technology is our friend, but sometimes friends just don't get along. When that happens, people turn to me for advice. We look at all kinds of consumer tech from laptops and desktop PCs to tablets, storage drives, the NBN, wireless networking and computer accessories, plus software and online services. We also examine and explain tech-related issues such as security, privacy, copyright and much more. I remember (sometimes nostalgically) the first personal computers and have spent far too much time and money keeping up with them ever since. I've been with CHOICE since 2006 and my writing and editing background extends more than 30 years across newspapers, magazines and online, particularly in IT journalism. When not dispensing pearls of consumer-tech wisdom I'm a fan of all sorts of geeky pop-culture stuff and have bonded in a familial sense with my smartphone, tablet and yes, even my smartwatch (but the desktop computer and laptop don't get lonely either). You can find me on LinkedIn.