D-Link A/NZ has just announced two new portable 5G hotspots for the Australian and New Zealand market: the F518 5G Wi‑Fi 6 AX1800 Mobile Hotspot and the more powerful DBR-330-G 5G AX3000 Wi‑Fi 6 Mobile Hotspot. Both devices are aimed at people who need reliable internet on the move, whether that’s remote workers, frequent travellers, students, or anyone tired of dealing with patchy public Wi‑Fi so they can bring and use their own.
The F518 is the more accessible of the two. It supports 5G NR with theoretical download speeds of up to 2.6Gbps and dual-band AX1800 Wi‑Fi 6, delivering up to 1200Mbps on the 5GHz band and 574Mbps on 2.4GHz. It handles up to 16 connected devices at once via a Nano SIM, includes WPA3 encryption, a USB-C port, and a WPS button for quick connections. It comes with a whoppingly large 8000mAh battery. D-Link is claiming up to 16 hours of use from a single charge so you can work til you drop if you really want. It also supports reverse charging, so you can use it as a power bank for your phone or tablet when you need to.
The DBR-330-G steps things up considerably. It tops out at theoretical download speeds of 4.67Gbps and upload speeds of 1.25Gbps on 5G, paired with AX3000 Wi‑Fi 6 that delivers up to 2402Mbps on 5GHz and 574Mbps on 2.4GHz. It supports up to 32 connected devices, includes a built-in VPN client, a microSD card slot supporting up to 2TB for file sharing via D-Link’s Join N’ Share with Private Cloud, and can be managed through the D-Link FALCON app. It also packs a 5260mAh battery for up to 10 hours of use and measures a compact 116 x 81 x 23.5mm. At that size, it would slip into a jacket pocket without any fuss and with 32 connected devices at the same time, you can practically use it with your whole team to work in the same room.
These are straightforward alternatives to tethering from your phone or hunting for a café with decent Wi‑Fi: you insert a SIM, and you’re online. The DBR-330-G in particular looks like a solid option for small teams or families travelling together, especially with that 32-device capacity and the VPN support built in.
On pricing, the F518 will retail for AU$449.95 and the DBR-330-G for AU$699.95. Both are available now through D-Link’s Australian website at www.dlink.com.au and at participating retailers. The DBR-330-G is a fair chunk of money, but given the specs and feature set, it’s clearly aimed at users who need a proper mobile broadband solution rather than an occasional backup.
