Review: D-link DKT-710 Wireless G ADSL2+ Starter Kit

An easy to use wireless router with parental controls

While most of us love the idea of surfing the web wirelessly over broadband from the comfort of the sofa or the garden, actually setting up the hardware to do it can be quite daunting.

D-link's attempt to make it easier is the DKT-710 Wireless G ADSL2+ Starter Kit, designed to get even novice users up and running as soon as possible.

The kit comprises a stylish black and silver router, roughly the size of a video tape, a software CD and a USB adapter for adding a wireless connection to your computer if it doesn't already have one.

The router also offers four network sockets for hooking up computers or other devices, and a built-in modem supporting broadband speeds up to 24Mbits/sec.

There’s no denying the initial setup process is one of the easiest we’ve seen - simply pop the CD into the computer and follow the step-by-step guide to hooking up the hardware. D-Link provides preset options for 14 internet providers, and you really only need know the login details supplied with the broadband connection to get going.

That said, it's a good idea to set up security. Although the kit supports both WEP and WPA wireless security standards, the on-screen guide doesn’t explain these in any detail. The software also talks the user through setting up the PC wireless adapter, but if you’re not going to use it you’ll need to know how to configure the computer you’re working with to connect to the new network.

In our tests we had no problems with any of the hardware and going deeper into the router’s settings revealed some excellent features. We especially liked the parental controls that can block or provide time-limited access to either the whole internet or specific sites. There are also detailed options for setting the built-in firewall and other options for more advanced users. All the settings are easy to tweak and the interface is clear and concise.

While it doesn’t quite match the performance of newer Draft-N wireless kit (including D-Link's own DKT-810 at £100 more), at £60 the Wireless G ADSL2+ Starter Kit is a good way to step into the world of wireless living.