When you’re connecting your notebook to the already established and well-known network, everything runs smoothly. However, when you’re in need of a functional network on-the-go as quickly as possible, you may encounter numerous issues. D-Link’s DAP-1350 is one of those devices that’ll help you look upon detailed and numerous settings as a thing of the (ugly) past. With internet invading everywhere, wireless networks are a common feature of modern homes. During the past decade, networking gear was slowly finding its way towards home users, first by lowering prices all the time, then by adding the wireless networking features, and finally by improving performance, both in terms of speed (B, G and N standards) and security (WEP, then WPA and MAC filtering). When everything was optimised enough, manufacturers turned their attention to simplifying the setup process, in order to make the technology as user-friendly as possible. We can freely say that D-Link has always been one of the leading companies in this respect.

Whenever you’re getting ready to test a new network in an unfamiliar environment and remove any potential issues, with scenarios as banal as creating a home network just for the sake of playing a few LAN games with friends, you need to make sure if you have everything you could possibly need with you. Well, you won’t need to do that anymore, as everything’s already set and ready to go as soon as you’ve opened the bag accompanying this device, no larger than a CD carrying bag: power adapter, LAN (straight) cable and USB power cable - everything’s thrown in for good measure.

The first thing that’ll impress you is how compact this device is. Its size and mass, lower than most mobile phones on the market today, don’t really reveal the numerous purposes this device has. Another advantage is that DAP-1350 can be used as an access point, wireless client or router, and the choice between all these comes down to a simple switch.

The accompanying CD contains a very detailed manual of over 130 pages, which may seem a bit too all-encompassing, but don’t worry, most of these are made up by illustrations, and it takes no longer than a few hours to get acquainted with every possible function. Make sure you pay particular attention to security systems.

And now onto the main advantage of this device, which is the unbelievable ease of setting it up. After the device has been connected to your PC via the supplied LAN cable, all you need to do is run Quick Installation, after which you only need to select a few options, and you’re good to go. The entire setup won’t take more than a few minutes, and all that’s left afterwards is to connect all the PCs to the device.

Another great feature of this device is the additional USB port, which can be connected to a printer, hard disk or 3G adapter, making all of these available to all connected devices. Of course, if you want to set everything up the classic way, via a web browser, you’re entirely free to, and you won’t be short of any options you might expect from a device of this sort. D-Link has even gone as far as to simplify this process if needed, as you can select either Basic or Advanced settings in the web interface.

Another way of helping users who don’t wish to go in-depth only to set up a network is the WPS option, activated by simply pressing the according button on the device. The WPS option is a relatively new feature in wireless security, and it comes down to the following - you don’t need to set the SSID or WPA key, as your authorisation is verified by your very physical presence needed to press the button in question; you only need to enter your own preferred pin-code afterwards, and the device will setup WPA encryption automatically.

This is one of those devices that you just can’t regret buying. You get a 3-in-1 device package, none of which is lacking in any way, for a very reasonable price, and with dimensions smaller than each of the devices it replaces. Security has everything that full standalone models do, which goes for all other features as well, but DAP-1350’s true value lies in the fact that it’s so multifunctional and simple to use. Furthermore, it’s not aimed at IT professionals exclusively, but also users who are often on the road or need to have a simple portable networking option at all times. Finally, we’re positive that users who are new to the entire wireless networking thing are going to worship the simplicity of this device and the relaxed pace of learning all the tricks and skills it provides. What else is there to say than - another well-rounded product by D-Link that we can wholeheartedly recommend.