This plug is capable of supporting a maximum electrical power of 3680W, that is, it supports a current intensity of 16A, ideal to be able to correctly power the appliances that consume the most, such as ovens or ceramic hobs. There are other smart plugs from other manufacturers that only support 10A (2,300W), so we could be fairly fair with appliances that consume a lot of energy in a short time.
This plug is installed, managed and used through the free mydlink app. This device uses the mydlink Cloud to execute all actions and to communicate with the device from the Internet, without the need to be on the local network. From this application that is compatible with Android and iOS smartphones and tablets, we will be able to manage everything from anywhere, in addition, it is compatible with both the Google assistant and Amazon Alexa, so we will be able to send voice commands easily and quickly . The mydlink app will allow us to carry out a large number of automation actions, use the on and off scheduler, and even monitor consumption in real time.
This application is really complete, not only does it allow us to install and manage the smart plug, but it can also do the same with the manufacturer’s IP cameras, and even perform automation easily and quickly. If a camera detects movement and/or sound (if compatible), we could turn the smart plug on or off completely automatically, in this way, we will have at our disposal many possibilities to automate our home.
At RedesZone we have recorded a complete video with the unboxing and first impressions of this smart plug, you can see it here:
Once we have seen the main features of the D-Link DSP-W218, we are going to see in detail how it is externally.
External analysis
This smart plug comes in a blue box, as is usual in all home automation and video surveillance devices in the home from the manufacturer D-Link.
On the front of the box we will find its main features, such as its compatibility with Amazon Alexa and the Google assistant, in addition, it has a really small size and has real-time monitoring of energy consumed and with a history. We will also be able to control and monitor the status of the plug from anywhere, and we will even be able to configure automatic programming for turning the plug on/off. On the back of the box we will find that this smart plug is compatible with the free mydlink app, we can install it, manage it and use it with this application for Android and iOS smartphones and tablets. At the bottom we can find the same technical characteristics that we have explained previously.
On the right side of the box we will find the plug with its different parts perfectly explained. In this area we will see the size of the smart plug itself, with dimensions 60 x 60mm, we will also see the status LED indicator and even the plug’s manual on/off button, and also the device’s RESET button. At the bottom we can see the contents of the box.
Inside the box we can see the smart plug, and also the associated documentation. The content of the box is as follows:
- D-Link DSP-W218 Smart Plug.
- Quick Installation Guide for getting started.
- Product guarantee.
At the top of this smart plug we can see the plug’s manual on/off button, it also acts as a factory reset button. On the front we will see the plug itself with a schuko connector and also an equipment status LED, which will inform us if it is on/off or if there is a problem with WiFi connectivity. On the right side we can see a QR code to install with the mydlink app, and on the left side we will see the D-Link manufacturer’s logo.
On the back of this smart plug we can see the exact model of the equipment, the SSID and the default WPA key to make the connection and configure the device. This same information is what we have on the sticker on the bottom of the plug, where we will see the SSID and password, as well as the access PIN code and the QR code for quick and easy installation.
As you have seen, this small smart plug is a really interesting model, both for its specifications and for its price, and we can find it for only 15 euros. Once we have seen what this smart plug is like, we are going to see how it is installed and put into operation.
Installation and commissioning
The first thing we have to do is download the mydlink application, this free app is available for Android and iOS operating systems, you can download it from the official stores here:
Once downloaded and installed, we have to register with mydlink and log in with the account. If you have previously registered or currently use D-Link products such as IP cameras or other smart plugs, then you will not need to perform this step.
To add the device, we must display the part on the left, and click on «add device«, then we scan the QR code on the sticker or the plug itself, and follow the configuration wizard. In order to add this device, it is absolutely necessary to connect the smart plug to an available socket, and wait until the LED on the front is flashing orange.
Once done, the smartphone will connect directly to the smart plug. The wizard will remember the SSID and the WPA password of other devices from the manufacturer D-Link, if it is not correct then we click on “No, I do not want to connect to this network” so that it scans all the WiFi networks around us, and proceed with installation. Once connected to the WiFi network, it will be linked to the cloud and we will have the smart plug in operation.
Once linked, the app will allow us to configure the name of the device by whichever we want. It will also notify us that we have activated the protection against electrical overload, if we want to deactivate it we will have to go to the configuration options of the device.
As you have seen, the installation and start-up of this smart plug is really very simple.
mydlink app for DSP-W218 socket
The mydlink app has the same configuration options as always. We already had the DSP-W118 model before, so the DSP-W218 model will be installed right next to it. From the mydlink main menu we have the possibility to turn the smart plug on and off. If we go into the main menu of the smart plug we can see this same button to activate and deactivate it, we can also see the energy consumption in real time, and even the history.
The app itself will inform us of the statistics of the energy consumption that we have made with the device, ideal for keeping track of all the consumption that we have made in the last days, weeks or months. We will also have the countdown timer, and even if we want that when the timer ends, turn the smart plug on or off.
In the settings menu of «device settings» We will have the possibility to configure the electrical overload, here we will be able to activate or not this functionality, and even define a value in watts from which the smart plug will turn off completely automatically to avoid problems.
If we want to configure the WiFi wireless network, it is absolutely necessary to reset the smart plug to factory settings. We can also configure the time zone automatically, and even leave the firmware update configured.
Once we have seen in detail what this D-Link DSP-W218 smart plug is like, how it is installed and what its options are in the mydlink app, we are going to list its strengths and weaknesses, finally, we will draw some conclusions .
Strengths
- Very good design, and a really small size to connect several to a power strip or directly to the wall.
- Button for manual on and off at the top.
- Very easy installation and start-up with the mydlink app.
- Advanced configuration options in mydlink, allowing many configuration options.
- WiFi connectivity in the 2.4GHz band, compatible with all types of routers.
- Instant plug on and off.
- It allows to measure the electrical energy consumption in real time and has history.
- Price: outstanding, this smart plug is for a price of €15, a really good price.
Weak points
- It has no support (any mydlink home automation device) for the popular Home Assistant.
Last conclusions
This D-Link DSP-W218 smart plug is one of the best you can buy right now. It is one of the best to domotize our house and measure the consumption of electrical energy that the different devices are consuming. One of the parts that we liked the most is its size, and that is that it is really small and will allow us to connect several smart plugs very close together on a power strip or on the wall.
The speed of switching on and off is something very remarkable in this model, and it is almost instantaneous either via WiFi or via 4G/5G mobile broadband. This is very important, because other manufacturers have a delay of approximately 5 seconds, however, with this model we have approximately 0.5 seconds, so it is ideal for controlling any device in real time. Of course, this smart plug has a physical on/off button, in case we don’t have our smartphone at hand.
The new mydlink 2.0 app is highly optimized and works seamlessly with this device, you can feel it right out of the box. The installation and start-up has been very fast at all times, connecting to the 2.4GHz WiFi wireless network of our home, in addition, it will notify us immediately if we have any firmware update, to be up to date with the improvements incorporated by the maker. The functionalities of mydlink are quite extensive, we can turn the plug on/off, set a timer backwards, see the consumption in real time and history, as well as a complete programmer with the hours and days of the week to turn on the equipment.
We can find this smart plug today for about 15 euros, a really good price because it incorporates the electricity consumption meter, something that makes the price of this type of device somewhat more expensive. The only handicap that we can find in this smart plug is that it is not compatible with Home Assistant, the popular software to automate our entire house.
If we take into account the technical characteristics of this D-Link DSP-W218, the performance achieved in the tests, and its price, our evaluation is 10/10:
If you have any questions about the operation of this device, you can leave us a comment, we will answer you as soon as possible.
