Thank you Furrynutz I appreciate your response. I am away for a week on business and I’ll thoroughly check out your questions when I get back.
Is it normal for the option of 40mhz on its own not to be present in the drop down box, even though the manual states it should be?
No. I believe the stand alone option was removed due to wireless changes in policy.
IF have raised this with D-Link and they have recommended that I perform a factory reset and if this does not fix it then I should perform firmware update.
If your not experiencing any problems with the router, I recommend not upgrading. "if it works, don't fix it!"
Furrynutz in your opinion (in laymans terms) I can use broadband speedtest to check my download and upload speeds, as this is done via wireless from my laptop or tablet then I’m not sure how accurate this is.
Its not really recommended to speed test via WiFi due to many variables that can cause inaccurate results....Mfr wireless device design and support will be a factor. We don't recommend speed testing over WiFi as a default test due to issues like this and many other factors and variables that lead to inaccurate results. Testing over wired LAN cables for default speed tests is preferred.
Can the DIR-655 transmit on the 5Mhz only frequency and if so how do I actually make it do this?
NO it can not. It does not have a 5Ghz radio. You can install and connect a 5Ghz wired D-Link model DAP in addition, then you'll have 5Ghz while still using the 655.
Also I seen in a few other posts do you really need a firewall on your PC if the router actually has one built in?
In most cases, turning off all anti virus and firewall programs on PC while testing and troubleshooting is recommended. 3rd party firewalls are not generally needed when using routers as they are more effective on blocking malicious inbound traffic. Mines disabled on my PCs.
If I assume my ISP is providing 50mBps how much should I realistically expect (all things being equal) to obtain wirelessly?
Mfr wireless device design and support will be a factor. However ti should be close, depending.
I understand there are a number of variables to take into account: Cable to Modem, Cable from modem to Router, wireless signal output, distance from router, receiving network card. I think what I’m trying to understand is, what is the best possible throughput of the router to my receiving device
Also your surrounding environment is a factor as well.