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D-Link launches eco-friendly Wi-Fi routers

by Parm Mann on 5 August 2008, 11:30

Tags: D-LINK Routers, D-Link (TPE:2332)

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D-Link today announced its ambition to go green and reduce the energy usage of its home Wi-Fi routers.

The first two products to incorporate D-Links eco-friendly "Green Ethernet technology" are the Wireless N Gigabit Router (DIR-655) and the new Wireless N Quad Band Gigabit Router (DIR-855).

So, how do they work, and more importantly, how can they help cut our electricity bills?

Well, it's all quite simple really. The D-Link Green Ethernet function is said to automatically detect connectivity status and cable length, and then adjust power accordingly. For wireless users, there's a Wi-Fi scheduler which provides a user-selectable radio shutdown option (adjustable by day and start/end times).

With no active Ethernet links and Wi-Fi turned off, D-Link states that the DIR-655 (pictured) and DIR-855 can benefit from power savings as large as 32 per cent and 41 per cent, respectively.

Andrew Mulholland, marketing manager at D-Link, said:

D-Link is proud to be taking the lead in integrating innovative, power-saving technology into its home and business networking solutions that doesn’t sacrifice performance or functionality. By offering green upgrades to our most popular Wi-Fi routers, we’re helping protect the environment whilst our customers save money in the process.

If you've already purchased the DIR-655 or DIR-855 and don't have the power-saving options available, you can take advantage of these new features via the green firmware release available at www.dlink.co.uk/support.

Now that D-Link has set an example, we'd anticipate that other Wi-Fi router manufacturers will follow suit with "green" firmware upgrades of their own.

Official press release: D-LINK PIONEERS GREEN HOME WI-FI



HEXUS Forums :: 7 Comments

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Interesting… :)
Hmm, just checked that link and the support page for the DIR-655 doesn't list the new firmware yet. Boo!
There is another aspect to this, by having a schedule that automatically switches off your WiFi during certain times of day when you know you're not going to be wanting it, no one else can use it. Extra security!

But wouldn't it be better to have it automatically switch its wifi off, if its not been used for say 30 minuites, and then have a button that you push to turn wifi on? That way when you pick up your laptop, you first whack that button. Surf for as long as you like, and 30 min after the last transmission, pop goes the weasel?
TheAnimus
But wouldn't it be better to have it automatically switch its wifi off, if its not been used for say 30 minuites, and then have a button that you push to turn wifi on? That way when you pick up your laptop, you first whack that button. Surf for as long as you like, and 30 min after the last transmission, pop goes the weasel?

That goes a long way to defeating the point of Wi-Fi, particularly the long range of the N standard… if you have to walk across your house in order to turn the wireless on then you're going to get pretty tired of it and probably turn the feature off. You can already mostly achieve that “killer feature” anyway… wall sockets have an off switch! Time based usage can also be configured using a socket timing device, which are available in most hardware stores!

What is needed is a remote wake-up, similar to a wake-on-lan signal…. for wireless devices to be able to broadcast a “hey i'm here, switch up to active mode please” to an access point which it has previously been paired with and given permission to power up and which is just listening in a low power passive mode… it'd add a few seconds to connect times, but that would be an acceptable trade-off and many times better than having to walk over and poke a switch!

*Copyright that idea…*
Pssst - new BT Homehub (V2.0) has power saving built in too - turns off wi-fi, but it does it via a timer function, so it's not available from say 1am to 7am

Also has wireless-n, access restrictions built in and blooooooo leds!!!!