TP-Link Archer AX5400 Pro: That Multi-Gig Bonus

TP-Link today announced the availability of the Archer AX5400 Pro and as the name suggests, it comes with a 2.5GbE Multi-Gig WAN port.

Since the Deco XE75 Pro, TP-Link has been releasing the “Pro” version of existing Wi-Fi broadcasters with the support for Multi-Gig as the sole apparent upgrade.

While the Archer AX5400 Pro is a separate model on its own, its specs remind me of the Archer AX73 — the 2.5Gbps WAN port is the only thing that separates the two.

But the new router also has a relatively new design.

TP-Link Archer AX5400 Pro: The Multi-Gig support makes a difference

The new router shares the familiar design of a traditional router — it’s a rectangular box with six non-detachable external antennas sticking up from the back and sides. But it now has a different top that no longer has an “island,” like the case of the Archera AX73.

The Archer AX5400 Pro has the same amount of ports as its older cousin, four LANs, and one WAN. However, one is now a 2.5Gbps port, which will make a difference in testing since it can now host a Gig+ (or faster) broadband plan or a Mulit-Gig server.

On the Wi-Fi front, there’s nothing new. It supports Wi-Fi 6 with a top-tier (4×4) 5GHz band and an entry-level 2.4GHz band, just like the case of the previous model.

TP-Link Archer AX5400 Pro vs Archar AX73: Hardware specifications

At the gist of it, the TP-Link Archer AX5400 is the Archer AX73 with a 2.5Gbe Mulit-Gig port.

Full Name	TP-Link Archer AX5400 Pro 6-Stream Dual-band Wi-Fi 6 Router	TP-Link Archer AX73 AX5400 Dual-band Wi-Fi 6 Router
Model	Archer AX5400 Pro	Archer AX73
Dimensions	10.3 × 5.6 × 2.0 in (262 × 143.5 × 51.5 mm)	10.7 × 5.8 × 1.9 in (272.5 × 147.2 × 49.2 mm)
Weight	TBD	1.61 lbs (734 g)
Processing Power	Undisclosed	1.5 GHz Triple-Core CPU, 512MB RAM, 16MB Flash
Wi-Fi Bandwidth	Dual-band AX5400	Dual-band AX5400
5GHz Wi-Fi Specs	4×4 AX: Up to 4804Mbps (20/40/80/160MHz)	4×4 AX: Up to 4804Mbps (20/40/80/160MHz)
2.4GHz Wi-Fi Specs	2×2 2.4 GHz: 574Mbps (20/40MHz)	2×2 2.4 GHz: 574Mbps (20/40MHz)
Backward Compatibility	802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi	802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi
Wireless Security	WPA / WPA2 / WPA3	WPA / WPA2 / WPA3
Mobile App	TP-Link Tether	TP-Link Tether
Web User Interface	Yes	Yes
Bridge Mode	No	No
AP Mode	Yes	Yes
Mesh-Ready	Yes (OneMesh)	Yes (OneMesh)
USB Port	1x USB 3.0	1x USB 3.0
Gigabit Port	1× WAN/LAN 3× LAN	4x LAN,  1x WAN
Multi-Gig Port	1× 2.5 WAN/LAN	None
Link Aggregation	TBD	Yes (LAN1+LAN2)
U.S MSRP	$199.99	$199.99

A familiar member of the Archer family

Like other Archer routers, the new AX5400 Pro features robust firmware, a full web user interface, and an optional mobile app.

The router will support a standard set of network settings and features, including device-based QoS, VPN, Dynamic DNS, port-forwarding, etc.

TP-Link says it also comes with HomeShield, which provides a basic level of online protection with more functions with subscribers.

Out of the box, the new router works as a standalone broadcaster, but you can scale up its Wi-Fi coverage by adding a OneMesh extender, making it a piece of mind for those unsure if its Wi-Fi range is enough for their place.

Availability and pricing

According to the networking vendor, the new TP-Link Archer AX5400 Pro is now available with the suggested retail price of $199.99, the same as the ARcher AX73 at launch.

Check back for a potential in-depth review. In the meantime, the rating of the ARchar AX73 below will serve as a reference.