Early this year, D-Link announced its Cloud series, a line of consumer network products that are all about cloud functionality. The Cloud Router 1200 and 2000 are the latest additions to the series. The routers stand out due to their unorthodox design, as they're shaped like an upright cylinder.
The cloud aspect of the two new routers is the ability to check the status of your home network from anywhere in the world by means of the free mydlink app, available for iOS and Android smartphones. The software allows you to request which websites have been visited during your absence and if any unwanted network clients have tried to access your network. The users can also be informed automatically by means of email.
The Cloud Router 1200 (DIR-636L) supports wireless networking of up to 300 Mbit/s. Its four ethernet ports are capable of handling Gigabit speeds. A storage device can be added to the network via the USB port on the router. The Cloud Router 2000 (DIR-826L) is a dual-ban model, which operates on both the 2.4 GHz, and the 5 GHz bands. This router supports speeds of up to 600 Mbit/s for its wireless networks.
Neither of the routers has an external antenna. The devices have dimensions of 111 x 93 x 145 mm. In the United States, the routers cost respectively $60 (£38) and $100 (£64).
