Buffalo AirStation N600 Dual-Band Wireless Router

Today, we take a look at the Buffalo AirStation WZR-600DHP which is a dual-band N600 Gigabit wireless router that is designed to be a complete solution for the home or small office.  You can find it priced for just under $80 at most retailers.  Like most “dual-band” routers, the Buffalo WZR-600DHP operates over the 2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz bands which makes it ideal for connecting multiple wireless clients and devices at speeds of up to 300 Mbps on a single band and 600 Mbps over both bands.

We’ve looked at N600 routers before with some mixed feelings.  While they are relatively inexpensive, their performances have been very good. We were especially impressed with the recently reviewed Netgear WNDR3700v4 N600 which is feature rich and had speeds faster than some N750 routers. Other routers on the market seem to have less-than-stellar performances with user interfaces confusing and lacking.

One very interesting thing about the Buffalo AirStation WZR-600DHP is that its firmware is based on the open source DD-WRT. This customizable interface features advanced options for network gurus as well as first-timers who are looking to connect their PC’s to their game console. The DD-WRT firmware is designed to give greater stability and increased performance for better overall functionality to the user. 

The router also features two external antennas, gigabit Ethernet, and network sharing via USB.  As of this publication, you can grab a Buffalo WZR 600HP from Amazon for $77.74.  For those who are looking to upgrade or expand, the price point really isn’t too bad.  Let’s take a closure look at the AirStation’s specifications.

Featured Specifications:

• Gigabit Ethernet
• HighPower Technology
• DD-WRT
• Long Range
• AOSS/WPS Support
• Easy Setup Wizard
• VPN Access

Wireless LAN Interface

• Standard Compliance     IEEE 802.11n, IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11b
• Frequency Range             Concurrent dual-band 2.4 GHz / 5 GHz support
• Access Mode     Infrastructure mode
• Antenna (Tx x Rx)            2 x 2
• Wireless Security             WPA2 (AES, TKIP), WPA-PSK (AES, TKIP), 128/64-bit WEP

Wired LAN Interface

• Speed and Flow Control                10/100/1000 Mbps, Auto Sensing, Auto MDIX
• Number of LAN Ports     4 x RJ-45
• Number of WAN Ports 1 x RJ-45
• WAN Port Security          VPN Pass Through, SPI, Dynamic Packet Filtering

USB Interface

• Standard Compliance     USB 2.0
• Connector Type                A type
• Number of Ports              1

Other

• Dimensions (W x H x D in.)           6.2 x 6.5 x 1.4
• Weight (lbs)       0.73
• Power Supply    External, AC 100-240V input, 12V DC output
• Power Consumption (Watts)      Max 13.2 W
• Client OS Support            Windows® 7 (32-bit/64-bit), Windows Vista® (32-bit/64-bit),
• Windows® XP, Windows® 2000, Mac OS® X 10.4 – 10.7