D-Link DGL-4300

The networking gurus over at D-Link have earned a reputation for building solid networking devices at a competitive price, now they’re looking to capture the hearts and minds of gamers with their DGL-4300 and DGL-4100 routers.

D-Link DGL-4100 router

Front and back of the DGL-4300

The DGL-4100 and DGL-4300 aren’t your everyday standard routers that have been repackaged and branded as “gaming” routers, D-Link has gone much further than that.

Their GameFuel technology flags data packets from games such as Counter-Strike as high priority, while packets from other programs are tagged low priority. What this means is that these routers are optimized to give you better network performance in games, while other data communications such as FTP are given lower priority, ensuring that you always get the lowest ping possible, even while you (or someone else on your network) may be downloading large files. Chris had this to say about the DGL-4300:

“From first glance, D-Link’s DGL-4300 principal appeal is Gigabit Ethernet with 802.11g wireless--ideal for home networks with a mixture of both technologies. However, the gaming router features several other technologies that actually improve performance on that same network, where one client might be downloading audio files, another might be streaming video, and a third is trying to get reasonable response from a Counter-Strike server. The DGL-4300 delivers on its specification sheet and makes it possible to competitively play games on an otherwise utilized network. In fact, I set up a small LAN with two wireless clients and two systems connected through the Gigabit ports. During the course of a 10GB file transfer between the wired systems and a series of BitTorrent transfers, I still managed to play a game of Half-Life 2: Deathmatch and garner a first place finish (the alias is crazipper, in case you’d care for a thorough beating). Moreover, the router is relatively easy to configure for beginners and flexible enough for more advanced users. The one-click firmware update function is also pretty spiffy.”


But GameFuel isn’t the only unique feature that D-Link’s new routers boast. The DGL-4100 and 4300 also feature four Gigabit Ethernet ports, making them the first SOHO routers to support this feature. With the proliferation of GigE on most newer motherboards, these users can finally take advantage of Gigabit Ethernet without having to opt for a switch. The DGL-4300 also features 108Mbps 802.11g Wi-Fi with a 200mW transmitter.

As Chris mentioned, configuration of the router is a snap. Gamers can even create custom Game Fuel rules for opening up specific ports, say for instance, you’d like to host a game server but the game won’t work through the router’s firewall.

Another shot of the DGL-4100

DGL-4300 features 802.11g

Back of the DGL-4300

The D-Link DGL-4300 officially retails for $180, while the DGL-4100 sells for $150. This is a bit more than other routers, but when you consider the extra features you’re getting, quite understandable. (Fortunately, street prices have already come down on these routers as well, the DGL-4300 can already be found for under $150 at Newegg.) If you’re a gamer and find yourself constantly putting off file transfers so you can play CS: Source, or you live in a house with a bandwidth hog(s), D-Link’s latest gaming routers would be the perfect solution for you.