D-Link is not a new player in the networking industry and especially, the mesh networking market. I’ve reviewed quite a few products in this category such as the COVR X-1873, COVR-1102, and COVR-2202. There is always something for everyone – whether you are looking for a mesh router system with the best range coverage, or on a budget but would like to have better parental controls and security, and so on.
The latest tech from D-Link is the new EAGLE PRO AI mesh system that features AI-based Mesh capability to your wireless home network. The AI inside is designed to give you a more reliable and better wireless network, so you don’t have to spend a thousand dollars to get a good mesh system.
D-Link M15 EAGLE PRO AI AX1500 Mesh System Review – Packaging
D-Link M15 EAGLE PRO AI AX1500 Mesh System Review – Design & Features
The look and feel of the M15 unit is similar to the COVR-1100 with a small and short cubical unit covered in plastic. Its compact size offers more flexibility in placements while its minimalist design will complement any modern homes. I have the D-Link M15-3PK here for a review which contains 3 packs of the M15 to cover greater range inside our double-storey home.
Each M15 unit has the same number of ports (1x WAN and 1x LAN) but there is a “Master” unit labelled with number one. This should be your primary unit that connects to your internet/nbn line. The other two units will serve as an extension to the primary unit, creating a solid, seamless Mesh network.
The setup from the phone app guides you through the process to extend your network (by asking you to connect to the unit’s default SSID and stuff) but surprisingly, the other two units seemed to be able to find the primary unit automatically when I turned them on. The LED went to solid White after a few seconds on its own, indicating a successful pair to the primary unit. This can be confusing to non-techie users (as the steps are different from the guide/walkthrough) though at the same time, makes the setup process seamless and simpler.
The dashboard page also only displays a single M15. When I used the COVR X-1873, the other units are listed under the Extenders section) though I’m quite positive that the Mesh network has been established successfully. This can also create a bit of confusion whether the Mesh are working properly.
D-Link M15 EAGLE PRO AI is a dual-band AX1500 with up to 1200Mbps (on the 5GHz channel) and 300Mbps (on the 2.4GHz channel). It doesn’t have a dedicated channel for its internal network like the COVR-2202, but so far my wireless network seems to be stable without issues.
It’s running Wi-Fi 6 with WPA/WPA2/WPA3, 4x MU-MIMO, OFDMA, Target Wake Time, and BSS Colouring (all the latest Wi-Fi 6 features) to ensure efficiency and stability while you use multiple wireless devices at home. Combined with Parental Controls, QoS, Wi-Fi Guest, and more, you get yourself a complete system.
I have roughly around 35 wireless devices at home consists of a desktop PC, MacBook & laptops, smart TVs, tablets, smartphones, and smart home devices all hungry for data and attention. I didn’t notice any issues while shouting commands through our Echo Show 8 and Echo Show 5 devices, and turning our smart lights on and off through Siri is instantaneous as well.
As for online multiplayer gaming, unfortunately you’ll still have to plug an Ethernet cable if you want a reliable connection. Tested with Overwatch, I got a frequent number of packet loss in a few game tests and ended up going for a wired connection to play. You only get 1x Gigabit LAN port with the M15 but you can always get a cheap Network Switch if you want to game wired with two or more computers. To be fair, there are not many wireless routers that can offer stable enough wireless connection if you are playing online competitively (though the wireless gaming router that I’m reviewing at the moment seems to be able to – but requires further testing).
Signal strength wise, it’s pretty good but not as good as the COVR X-1873 I was using before the M15 EAGLE PRO AI. But if you get the two or three packs, you can play around with the placement around the house to ensure stability in every room. The COVR X-1873 gave us a -51 dBm (vs M15’s -54 dBm) in our Master Bedroom and -48 dBM (vs M15’s -54 dBM) in the Nursery.
So what’s the AI for? The most highlighted feature is the auto scan and switch of wireless channels. The built-in AI Wi-Fi Optimiser will always make sure that your devices are connected to the most optimal wireless channel (normally the least saturated channel). This happens in the background so you will not be able to notice the change. You will, however, be notified through the app weekly report about how many times this happened during the week. This is also accessible from the router’s dashboard page.
D-Link M15 EAGLE PRO AI AX1500 Mesh System Review Conclusion
It’s easy to spend $700-$1000 for a good mesh system. However, D-Link M15 EAGLE PRO AI is a proof that you don’t need to spend that much to get a good, reliable, and stable wireless connection around the house.
Thanks to the AI powering these units behind the scene, your devices will always connect to the best wireless channel and you no longer need to use a separate app to scan for all available wireless channels and find out which ones are saturated, and which ones aren’t.
The Mesh System is literally just plug and play – and you’ll get yourself the most stable, wireless connection around your home at all times.
The D-Link M15-3PK retails for AU$379.95 but you can also get the 2 packs for AU$279.95 if you have a smaller house or apartment. They are available at retailers around Australia, and at Amazon.com
Disclosure: D-Link M15 AGLE PRO AI AX1500 Mesh System review sample was supplied for reviewing
4.5Summary
Affordable Wi-Fi 6 Mesh System that will always connect you to the most stable, wireless channel, thanks to the built-in AI
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