You know streaming music is no longer some difficult DIY project when even D-Link, the networking gear maker, is producing a simple wireless streaming gadget.
Okay, the DCH-M225, released in Singapore this week, is essentially a Wi-Fi repeater at its core, but it also streams music from your smartphone or laptop to a speaker by connecting via a 3.5mm audio jack.
To start, you plug the adapter into the wall and hook up the audio cable to your speaker or amplifier. Then simply connect via Wi-Fi from your portable player and start playing your tracks.
Yes, you could have connected a compatible Bluetooth dongle or wireless adapter to your speaker as well. But do any of these add-ons extend your home Wi-Fi coverage at the same time?
This is where the dual-use D-Link gadget hopes to win over users. Besides streaming music, it also enlarges the coverage area by taking your existing Wi-Fi signals and repeating them, say, in your bedroom.
It supports Wireless N speeds of up to 300Mbps, which is good enough for browsing webpages even if you are listening to high-quality lossless music tracks. At S$69, it is priced to go as well.
How’s the sound quality? Does it work with AirPlay? 🙂
Hi Stephen, yes, it works with AirPlay. I haven’t tried it out yet though this looks promising.
The Airport Express also looks interesting for such a function (wifi repeater + AirPlay), and the refurbished model goes for $88.
And I presume that AirPlay would work better on Apple’s products than on 3rd-party products?
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ref. Price of Refurbished Airport Express
http://store.apple.com/sg/product/FC414ZP/A/airport-express-base-station
ref. Using Airport Express as a wifi-repeater
http://store.apple.com/us/question/answers/readonly/can-i-use-the-airport-express-base-station-as-a-wifi-repeater-to-extend-coverage-in-my-home/QUY99UDYAJFP4D74U
Yeah, if Apple is your priority, then keeping to the brand might be what you’d like to do. For more heavy-duty streaming for hi-fi systems, I’d go for something dedicated to do the job. We reviewed the Bluesound Node sometime back. https://www.techgoondu.com/2014/06/23/goondu-review-bluesound-node-n100/
Hi Alfred,
Thanks for the suggestion! 🙂