D-Link Network Video Recorder DNR-322L review

Is a dedicated network video recorder worth the money?

Reviews
By
published
D-Link Network Video Recorder DNR-322L
Setting up and recording footage is incredibly easy, but you can get the same results for less money

TechRadar Verdict

Pros

  • +

    Easy to use

  • +

    Can record from up to 9 cameras

Cons

  • -

    No additional NAS features

  • -

    Not easy to use as standard NAS drive

  • -

    No drives installed

  • -

    Price

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

The D-Link Network Video Recorder DNR-322L is a NAS (network attached storage) device specifically for recording network video.

Although it works with other brands, it's best used with D-Link's own cameras (like the DCS-942L) via the mydlink service.

The DNR-322L doesn't come with a hard drive installed, though it supports two SATA hard drives that can be configured for RAID 0 or RAID 1. If you already have a drive you want to use, make sure you back up any files on it, as the installation process includes an option to format the drive. This can be skipped, but it's best to play it safe.

The main reason for choosing this over a standard NAS drive is ease of use, and the DNR-322L doesn't disappoint. Installation was quick and straightforward, and the device soon found our network cameras.

The browser interface will be familiar to anyone with a D-Link network camera. We could easily switch between cameras and toggle recording of their live streams. You can play recorded footage through the web interface, and choose a recording by camera, and the date and time it was taken.

The interface didn't work in Chrome - we had to fire up Internet Explorer. The major question here is: why would you buy this when a standard, cheaper NAS drive would do the job, and come with extra functionality?

There are no media servers or torrent clients with the DNR-322L, and it can't be easily mounted as a network drive.

In the end, the only thing going for it is its simplicity. It's certainly easy to set up and use, but if you have any networking experience you'd be better off getting a standard NAS drive like the Iomega StorCenter ix2-200.

Follow TechRadar Reviews on Twitter: http://twitter.com/techradarreview

PC Plus