Fast throughput and extensive ports make the TP-Link Archer C5400 a great router. Its 5GHz close-proximity performance is one of the fastest we’ve tested, and its 2.4GHz close-range throughput is just as impressive.
TP-Link Archer C5400 Router Pros and Cons
TP-Link Archer C5400 Router Design
The TP-Link Archer C5400 router has a futuristic look with its angular design and curved edges, looking very modern chic. It measures 9.0 × 9.0 × 4.23 inches so is pretty big. Archer C5400 has eight large red-and-black external antennae. These antennas are collapsible, but we do not recommend / encourage you to fold them, as this may diminish the performance. It comes with 4 Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports and 2 USB ports. Our big complaint here is the total number of LAN ports. We feel such a premium router should provide more LAN ports.
The Archer C5400 LED status indicator on the top is set to white if everything is working, red means no internet, it’s orange when the Wi-Fi is off, while it flashes white when the firmware is being updated. On the front of the router there are WPS, Wi-Fi on/off and LED on/off buttons and two USB 3.0 ports on the right side. The back side of the router has a WAN port, a power button, a power connector, the reset button and besides the LAN ports.
TP-Link Archer C5400 Router Feature
- Boost Your Wi-Fi – Advanced NitroQAM (1024-QAM) and 4-Stream technology increase maximum Wi-Fi speeds on all bands by 25%, achieving combined Wi-Fi speeds of up to 5334Mbps
- More Bandwidth, More Devices – Tri-Band Wi-Fi enables multiple devices all to run at the same time More Bands – Tri-Band Wi-Fi offers three distinct wireless bands; 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz-1, and 5 GHz-2, which reduces the risk of network congestion and can result in optimised network performance and reduced interference.
- More Reliable Coverage – Achieve the strongest, most reliable WiFi coverage with the Archer C5400 as it focuses signal strength to your devices using Beamforming technology
- Greater Efficiency – Instant beamforming gives you the focused signal you need when you need it
- Smooth Roaming – Unlike conventional devices, not all clients are the same; this new Smart Connect will automatically switch not only between 3 radios within 2.4GHz and 5GHz, but also between 2 bands like 2.4 and 5GHz, and now also backhaul band to further improve your network.
- Powerful Processing – Ultra-Fast 1.4GHz Dual-Core CPU that result in fast and stable overall performance
- Extended wireless coverage: 8 antennas (2 for 2.4GHz and 6 for 5GHz) provide up to 10,000 square feet of Wi-Fi coverage.
TP-Link Archer C5400 Router Specifications
The TP-Link Archer C5400 router is a 4×4 router that features a 1.8GHz quad-core processor, three co-processors and 1GB of RAM. It supports 1024QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation) and three radio bands, and its top data rates are 1,000Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and 2,167Mbps on the 5GHz band. It provides full support for 802.11ac, including MU-MIMO simultaneous data streaming, beaming data directly to clients (beamforming), and Smart Connect, a feature that lets the router choose the best radio band based on network traffic (you can turn if off if you’d rather use three independent radio bands).
| Brand | TP-Link |
| Model Name | TP-link AC5400 |
| Processor | 1.4 GHz Dual-Core CPU |
| Standards and Protocols | Wi-Fi 5 IEEE 802.11ac/n/a 5 GHz IEEE 802.11n/b/g 2.4 GHz |
| WiFi Speeds | AC5400 5 GHz: 2167 Mbps (802.11ac) 5 GHz: 2167 Mbps (802.11ac) 2.4 GHz: 1000 Mbps (802.11n) |
| Dimensions (W×D×H) | 9.0 × 9.0 × 4.23 in (230 × 230 × 43 mm) |
| Special Feature | WPS |
| Frequency Band Class | Tri-Band |
| Compatible Devices | Personal Computer |
| Included Components | AC5400 Wireless Tri-Band MU-MIMO Gigabit Router (Archer C5400), Power supply unit, Ethernet Cable, Quick Installation GuideAC5400 Wireless Tri-Band MU-MIMO Gigabit Router (Archer C5400), Power supply unit, Ethernet Cable, Quick Installation Guide |
TP-Link Archer C5400 Router Performance
The TP-Link Archer C5400X did well in our throughput tests. In the 2.4 GHz close-range (same room) test, it turned in a score of 113Mbps, faster than both the Netgear R9000 and (NAS) D-Link DIR-895L/R (priced at $273.94 at Walmart) routers, and slower than that the Asus GT-AC5300 Rapture. In the 2. 4GHz 30-foot performance test, the Archer C5400 delivered 76Mbps, more speed than its competition but only by a little.
The Archer C5400X’s 5GHz 5-foot score of 586.1Mbps was one of the fastest I’ve seen, but it failed to beat the all-time champion, the Asus GT-AC5300. But at 30 feet its score dropped to 306 Mbps, a touch slower than some other products, although the Netgear R9000 scored fastest.
File Transfer To test file transfer read and write performance we used a 1.5 GB folder consisting of jpeg, AVI, MP3 and.doc files. As you can see in the chart, the TP-Link Archer C5400X earns a lower score compared to our top performing options.
TP-Link Archer C5400 Router Hardware
The Archer C5400 router looks quite similar to its predecessor. Its white plastic housing looks clean and the UI isn’t flashy. First time connecting the router will ask you to set up a wizard. We spent around 10 minutes getting this router up and running. We suggest you to enable three of its options for the best performance.
The Smart Connect feature should automatically direct your devices to the best band. Smart Connect was something that was a little flaky in our testing, and if you are having trouble getting some older devices to connect, we suggest simply disabling Smart Connect. There’s a NAT Boost setting in the System Parameters menu. We highly encourage you to leave this option turned on as you can encounter slow internet speed and other discrepancies if left otherwise. We’re going to take a closer look at the built in antivirus for now. This is very smart, and it can block all devices connected to the internet via the router from visiting malware or virus-related websites. It is maintained by TrendMicro.
TP-Link Archer C5400 Router Verdict
TP-Link AC5400 Wireless Wi-Fi Tri-Band Gigabit Router (Archer C5400)
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