D-Link, a provider of network solutions for consumers and business, announced today having begun shipping a new product for home or small offices, the Xtreme N Dual Band Gigabit Router. The new D-Link router features dual band access which creates two networks at the same time in order to offer superior clarity and faster Wi-Fi and wired gigabit speeds as well as HD Fuel enhanced Quality of Service (QoS).

D-Link DIR-825 features SharePort technology which allows users to share different USB devices including multi-function printers (MFP) and storage drives with the other computers in the network, no matter if wired or wireless.

The local USB port which is located on the back of the DIR-825 router is turned by SharePort into a speedy virtual network port, allowing users to access a wide range of USB devices no matter where they are located at home or office. Using the 802.11n Wi-Fi technology, the new D-Link Xtreme N wireless product enables users to browse the Internet through the 2.4GHz band and simultaneously stream high-definition (HD) movies and other media on the 5GHz band. The DIR-825 proves this way to be an ideal router for online gaming applications on the PC and gaming consoles such as the PS3, the Xbox 360 or the Nintendo Wii.

The company integrated the D-Link Green Ethernet technology into the new router, which also uses an innovative, energy-saving feature that can adjust power by automatically detecting link status and network cable length. More energy savings are offered through Wi-Fi scheduling features which enable users to easily program when the Wi-Fi radio signals are turned on and off.

The new HD Fuel technology allows users to take full advantage of the clarity of the 5GHz wireless band while also enjoying intelligent quality of service which was designed for streaming HD media and for other bandwidth-intensive applications such as online gaming. The HD Fuel is able to categorize and separate wired and wireless data traffic into multiple data streams and then assign priorities. This way, for example, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), video streaming and online gaming have priority over Web browsing. More speed is offered through the use of the 2.4GHz band for regular computer applications, while larger, more intense data transfer is assigned to the 5GHz band.

More features of the new device include support for advanced WPA and WPA2 encryption, advanced firewall and parental controls for maximum security, D-Link’s Quick Router Setup Wizard for easy installation and online access, Good Neighbor Policy support to prevent interference with other wireless networks, compatibility with 802.11g, 11b and 11a devices, including game consoles and digital media players and compliance with D-Link’s ongoing Green initiatives to promote energy conservation and environmental protection.

“By expanding our Xtreme N wireless router product line, we are further meeting the consumer’s need for full Wi-Fi network functionality and reliability for powering their digital home at prices they can afford,” said Steven Joe, president and CEO, D-Link Systems, Inc.

The new D-Link DIR-825 router is available starting October 1st through the company's network of retail and solution providers. The MSRP has been set at $199.99. The SharePort technology will be available on the company's family of high-end 802.11n routers, including the DIR-628, DIR-655, DIR-855 and DGL-4500 as well. D-Link also announced that current owners of these routers can upgrade to SharePort by downloading the firmware and client utility from the company's website.