ASUS TUF-AX5400 review: a Wi-Fi 6 router for gamers!

ASUS is investing a great deal into manufacturing wireless routers for gamers. One of their latest additions is the new ASUS TUF-AX5400, a Wi-Fi 6 router with an aggressive design, an impressive list of features, and powerful hardware. If you want to improve the Wi-Fi in your home or small office, this model is worth a look. To learn about the real-world performance of the ASUS TUF-AX5400 gaming router and all its features, read this review:

ASUS TUF-AX5400: Who is it good for?

This wireless router is a suitable choice for:

• Users interested in switching to the Wi-Fi 6 standard
• Gamers who play lots of games online
• Users who want a router with Link Aggregation support
• Parents who desire efficient parental controls for their home network
• Users who want a secure router with excellent antivirus and firewall
• People who want to remotely control their router from anywhere on the internet using a mobile app
• Users who wish to manage their home network using the Alexa, Google Assistant, or IFTTT (If This, Then That)

Pros and cons

Here are the things we like about ASUS TUF-AX5400:

• 160 MHz channel width on Wi-Fi 6
• Excellent performance on Wi-Fi 6
• Useful features for gamers
• Link aggregation available
• Fast USB 3.2 port
• Excellent security tools and parental controls
• Innovative VPN app that connects your mobile devices to your home network
• You can remotely control it with a mobile app from anywhere on the internet

There are some downsides to consider as well:

• Performance on Wi-Fi 4 is a bit underwhelming
• It cannot be mounted on walls

Verdict

The ASUS TUF-AX5400 dual-band router mixes an aggressive look with RGB lighting, tons of valuable features, including some aimed at gamers, excellent security, and fast Wi-Fi 6 network connections. The link aggregation is also useful when you want to use two 1 Gbps internet connections at the same time or connect a NAS to the router. We like this model a lot, and we recommend it both to gamers and non-gamers alike.

Unboxing the ASUS TUF-AX5400 Wi-Fi 6 router

The ASUS TUF Gaming (TUF-AX5400) wireless router comes in a large black cardboard box similar to the packaging used for other ASUS routers. You see a picture of the device on the top cover, its name, and some of its most remarkable features. The packaging used for ASUS TUF-AX5400 On the sides and the back of the box, you find plenty of details about the hardware configuration of the router and its most important software features. As soon as you open the box, you see a troubleshooting notice about the Wi-Fi 6 standard, and then the router itself, nicely packaged. Unboxing the ASUS TUF-AX5400 After you unpack everything, you find the following items: the TUF-AX5400 router, an RJ-45 cable, the power adapter, the quick start guide, a troubleshooting guide, and the warranty information. All the items found inside the box Unboxing the ASUS TUF-AX5400 router doesn’t take long. Inside the packaging, you find everything you need to get started right away.

Hardware specifications and design

ASUS TUF-AX5400 has a very aggressive gaming-oriented design that’s inspired by a spaceship from Sci-Fi movies. Notice the TUF logo and the brand name on the top cover. Beneath it, there’s an aluminum heatsink designed to improve cooling. The router has six non-detachable antennas that can be rotated and placed at any angle you wish. ASUS TUF-AX5400 has six nondetachable antennas The ventilation grids are V-shaped on the front, and they cover the LEDs that signal the router’s functioning status. This means that the LED lights are not intrusive, and in most cases, you barely notice them unless you look directly at them. The LEDs on the front are below the ventilation grid There are four Ethernet ports on the back of the router, two of which support Link aggregation. There’s also a WAN port, also with support for Link aggregation. This means you can enjoy two 1 Gbps internet connections or a 2 Gbps network connection for a specific device, like a NAS (Network Attached Storage) that may benefit from it. On the back, you also find the power jack, the Power button, a USB 3.2 Gen 1 port, the WPS button, and the Reset jack. The ports on the back of the ASUS TUF-AX5400 On the bottom of the router, you find four rubber feet for holding it into place, information about the specific router you bought and how to connect to it, as well as more ventilation grids. Unfortunately, there are no holes for mounting it on walls and other places. There are no holes for mounting the router on walls The hardware inside the ASUS TUF-AX5400 is quite powerful. This router features a triple-core Broadcom BCM6750 System-on-a-Chip running at 1.5 GHz. It is a dual-band wireless router with support for Wi-Fi 6, and the 5 GHz connections are handled by a Broadcom BCM43684 chip. The 2.4 GHz wireless connections work using 2x2 MU-MIMO, while 5 GHz connections work on the 160 MHz channel bandwidth, using 4x4 MU-MIMO. The router also features 256 MB of storage space for the firmware and 512 MB of RAM. Enough to handle a home network or a small business network with plenty of devices. The hardware inside the ASUS TUF-AX5400 The total maximum theoretical bandwidth is split as follows: 574 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band and 4804 Mbps on the 5 GHz when using the Wi-Fi 6 standard. However, these speeds are different from what you see in real life, and we recommend reading our measurements from page two of this review. ASUS TUF-AX5400 is pretty large, and one neat aspect for gamers is the RGB-lit logo on the top cover, which can be customized from the firmware. However, the router is surprisingly lightweight at 1.45 pounds or 660 grams, considering the beefy ventilation system that includes a heatsink. Notice the RGB-lit TUF logo on the top Specs-wise, the TUF-AX5400 is a powerful wireless router with exciting features that should please many users, including online gamers.

Setting up and using the ASUS TUF-AX5400 Wi-Fi 6 router

As usual with modern routers, ASUS TUF-AX5400 can be set up both from a web browser and a mobile app. Because we wanted more control over the whole process, we went the web browser route. The initial setup involves detecting the type of internet connection that you use, providing the necessary connection details, choosing a name and password for the Wi-Fi, and deciding whether to enable Wi-Fi 6. Setting up the ASUS TUF-AX5400 When turning on Wi-Fi 6, ASUS informs you that some wireless network cards may have connectivity issues with this standard. Therefore, it is a good idea to update the network drivers on all your laptops, computers, and devices before enabling it. One nice touch is that ASUS checks for firmware updates before finishing the quick setup wizard and encourages you to upgrade before you start using it. We also recommend you install the latest firmware because it fixes bugs that were present in the initial release. Another positive is that you can later set the firmware to auto-update itself during the night, when nobody is using the internet. Therefore, you can always stay up-to-date, with no effort on your part. It is a good idea to install the latest firmware Connect your devices to the network and access the firmware for more fine-tuning when the quick setup is finished. This router’s administration interface is easy to use, well organized into logical sections, and available in 25 languages. You control everything you wish, from the RGB lighting to Open NAT, to IPv6, and so on. The features list is impressively long, and both casual and advanced users should be happy with the level of detail they receive. The firmware for the ASUS TUF-AX5400 We like the fact that TUF-AX5400 has 160 MHz channel width support for Wi-Fi 6, and we recommend that you enable it for improved speed on this standard. TIP: If you have a Sony PS5 console and want to know how well it works with Wi-Fi 6 networks, read: Sony PS5 & Wi-Fi 6: How does it work with an ASUS router for gaming? The help documentation is easily accessible: a question mark is shown when you move the mouse cursor over a setting that you do not understand. Click the question mark, and you see information explaining that setting. Many settings have useful Help info Another helpful feature is that this router comes with AiMesh support, and you can use TUF-AX5400 to create a mesh Wi-Fi network using other ASUS routers. You can also set up and manage the router from any Android smartphone or iPhone using the ASUS Router app. The app can be used from anywhere on the internet, and it includes plenty of settings that can be configured. The ASUS Router app works with ASUS TUF-AX5400 To verify the quality of the Wi-Fi broadcast by ASUS TUF-AX5400, we took our laptop and moved it to a room separated by one wall from the router. Then, we made a wireless transfer on it, using a specialized app that measured the average speed and the network transfer variability. On the 2.4 GHz band and the Wi-Fi 4 standard, the average speed was OK but not as fast as what other routers can deliver. Also, the variability of the network transfer was relatively high. From our testing experience, we believe that Wi-Fi 4 is an improvement area for future firmware versions of this router. A network transfer on Wi-Fi 4 We noticed a significant speed and variability improvement when switching to the 5 GHz band and Wi-Fi 5 in the same room. This is a much better result. A network transfer on Wi-Fi 5 When switching to Wi-Fi 6 on the 5 GHz band, the router’s performance was excellent. We enjoyed a super-fast network transfer and a very stable one as well. A network transfer on Wi-Fi 6 This comparison shows a clear focus from ASUS on delivering a great experience on the 5 GHz band when using Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 5. The older Wi-Fi 4 seems mostly like an afterthought for this router. We are very satisfied with how ASUS TUF-AX5400 worked in our testing, especially when using the Wi-Fi 6 standard. The networking performance on the 5 GHz band is excellent. If you want to know more about the real-world performance offered by ASUS TUF-AX5400, including comparisons with other wireless routers, go to the next page of this review.

Wireless network performance

Let’s look at the apartment used in our testing: the router is placed in the living room. Unfortunately, the signal strength is not good with most wireless routers in places like the Kitchen and the Medium balcony. The apartment in which we tested ASUS TUF-AX5400 We have a fast 1 Gigabit Internet connection capable of upload speeds of up to 800 Mbps. We evaluated the Wi-Fi emitted by ASUS TUF-AX5400 using the following standards: Wi-Fi 4 on the 2.4 GHz band, Wi-Fi 5, and Wi-Fi 6 on the 5 GHz band. To get a better idea of the performance offered by ASUS TUF-AX5400, we compared it with ASUS RT-AX82U and TP-Link Archer AX50. RT-AX82U is a similar AX5400 gaming router with the same SoC but fewer features on the firmware side. On the other hand, Archer AX50 is an AX3000 wireless router with an affordable price, an Intel SoC, and fewer features. We started with the 2.4 GHz band and the Wi-Fi 4 standard, and we measured the signal strength with NetSpot. You can see its evolution in the graphic below. From these measurements, it looks like signal strength is an improvement area for ASUS TUF-AX5400. Comparing the signal strength on the 2.4 GHz band We used SpeedTest to evaluate the speed of the internet connection when using Wi-Fi 4. The download speed offered by ASUS TUF-AX5400 was faster than that of the ASUS RT-AX82U but slower than the Archer AX50. ASUS TUF-AX5400 - Download speed in SpeedTest on Wi-Fi 4 When measuring the upload speed on the 2.4 GHz band, performance varied significantly from room to room, and there was no clear winner. ASUS TUF-AX5400 - Upload speed in SpeedTest on Wi-Fi 4 We used the PassMark Performance test to transfer data between two computers connected to the network on the 2.4 GHz band when using Wi-Fi 4. Again, ASUS TUF-AX5400 was outperformed by TP-Link Archer AX50. ASUS TUF-AX5400 - Download speed on Wi-Fi 4 The same happened when measuring the upload speed. ASUS TUF-AX5400 - Upload speed on Wi-Fi 4 On the 2.4 GHz band, when using the Wi-Fi 4 standard, ASUS TUF Gaming AX5400 is rather underwhelming for a wireless router in its price range. We expected more, and hopefully, things will be improved in future firmware versions. We analyzed the 5GHz wireless band using the Wi-Fi 5 and Wi-Fi 6 standards for the next set of measurements. Again, we started by looking at the evolution of the signal strength from room to room. This time, ASUS TUF Gaming AX5400 offered results that were almost identical to ASUS RT-AX82U. Comparing the signal strength on the 5 GHz band Next, we used SpeedTest to measure the speed of the internet connection when connected to the 5 GHz band using the Wi-Fi 5 standard. Download speeds were fast in most rooms, but ASUS TUF-AX5400 shone through in the rooms furthest from the router. ASUS TUF-AX5400 - Download speed in SpeedTest on Wi-Fi 5 Uploads were fast too, but there was no clear winner in this comparison. ASUS TUF-AX5400 - Upload speed in SpeedTest on Wi-Fi 5 We then used the PassMark Performance test to transfer data between two computers connected to the network using Wi-Fi 5. Downloads were fast in all rooms, but there was no clear winner in the speed department. ASUS TUF-AX5400 - Download speed on Wi-Fi 5 When measuring the upload speed, ASUS TUF-AX5400 exchanged blows with its brother - ASUS RT-AX82U. ASUS TUF-AX5400 - Upload speed on Wi-Fi 5 When using the 5 GHz band and the Wi-Fi 5 standard, ASUS TUF-AX5400 is fast and reliable. We remained on the 5 GHz wireless band, but we switched to using the Wi-Fi 6 standard and ran SpeedTest in all the rooms of our apartment. Downloads were very fast, and TUF-AX5400 was the speed champion in several rooms. ASUS TUF-AX5400 - Download speed in SpeedTest on Wi-Fi 6 When measuring the upload speed, ASUS TUF-AX5400 was generally outperformed by its brother - ASUS RT-AX82U. ASUS TUF-AX5400 - Upload speed in SpeedTest on Wi-Fi 6 Lastly, we used the PassMark Performance test to transfer data between two computers connected to the network using Wi-Fi 6. In this test, ASUS TUF-AX5400 was the speed winner, outperforming the routers we compared it to, in all rooms. ASUS TUF-AX5400 - Download speed on Wi-Fi 6 With a few exceptions, when measuring the upload speed on Wi-Fi 6, ASUS TUF-AX5400 remained the winner in our comparison. ASUS TUF-AX5400 - Upload speed on Wi-Fi 6 On Wi-Fi 6, ASUS TUF-AX5400 is an excellent wireless router, delivering speeds that match your expectations.

Wired network performance

It was time to evaluate the performance we get on Ethernet network connections. When using SpeedTest, ASUS TUF-AX5400 reached the maximum potential of our internet connection: it offered an average speed of 929.20 Mbps for the download speed and 816.12 Mbps for the upload speed. Keep in mind that when we tested ASUS RT-AX82U, our internet connection was capped at 500 Mbps for the upload speed. ASUS TUF-AX5400 - SpeedTest on Ethernet connections Then, we ran a network transfer between two computers using the PassMark Performance test. ASUS TUF Gaming AX5400 offers speeds that are very similar to its official specifications. No surprises here. ASUS TUF-AX5400 - Network transfers on Ethernet connections As usual with modern routers, ASUS TUF-AX5400 offers reliable Ethernet connections that work at 1 Gbps. In addition, the prioritized gaming port is an interesting feature for gamers, as well as the Link Aggregation available for two of the Ethernet ports on the back of the router and its WAN port.

USB port

We connected a portable SSD to the USB 3.2 port on the back of the ASUS TUF-AX5400 and made some data transfers. We measured a download speed of 719.03 Mbps, and the upload speed was 381.35 Mbps. How fast is the USB port on the ASUS TUF-AX5400? The USB port on the ASUS TUF Gaming AX5400 wireless router is very fast and offers speeds comparable to its brother ASUS RT-AX82U, another router designed for gamers.

Extra features

Security is a big deal on the ASUS TUF-AX5400. This router includes the AiProtection module that provides the following security features:

• A Router Security Assessment tool that verifies whether your settings are secure. When it finds problems, it proactively informs you and helps you fix things.
• Malicious Sites Blocking – an efficient cloud-based module that blocks access to malicious websites on all the devices connected to your network.
• Two-Way IPS – a two-way intrusion prevention system that protects your network from spam, DDoS attacks, network attacks, and more. Additionally, it also scans the packets that are sent from your network to the internet.
• Infected Device Prevention and Blocking – if your network devices get infected and become zombies in malware networks, they are automatically blocked, and you are informed about this problem.
• Parental Controls – cloud-based parental controls that can be used to set rules about internet access for children’s devices. If you are interested in using them, read How to set up Parental Controls on an ASUS router and How to control your child’s internet time on your ASUS router.

The tools included in the AiProtection module The list of advanced features doesn’t stop here. You also get:

• AiMesh - you can use this router to build a mesh Wi-Fi network using other ASUS routers for increased Wi-Fi coverage.
• Guest Network – you can enable three wireless guest networks with individual security and access settings on each band (2.4 and 5 GHz).
• Game Boost - a set of tools that gamers may appreciate:
  • Gear Accelerator - allows you to prioritize your gaming devices (consoles, gaming PCs, etc.).
  • Mobile Game Mode - with the help of the ASUS Router app, you can enable a specialized game mode that improves your mobile gaming experience.
  • Open NAT - a hassle-free way to create port forwarding rules for online games and optimize the routing packets from your gaming console.
• Adaptive QoS – an advanced Quality of Service feature that you can use to optimize network traffic, including but not limited to online gaming.
• Traffic Analyzer – visual traffic statistics give you a clear picture of how your network is used and by which devices.
• USB Applications - set up your router to use external hard drives or printers through its USB ports. There’s also support for Apple’s Time Machine functionality from macOS.
• AiCloud 2.0 - gives you the tools to create your cloud storage service using a hard drive connected to the router.
• Dual WAN - you can use two internet connections at the same time.
• IPv6 – support for IPv6 addresses that are slowly but surely replacing IPv4.
• VPN – you can set the router to work as a VPN server using the following protocols: PPTP, OpenVPN, and IPSec VPN. You can also use it to turn your network-connected devices into VPN-enabled clients without additional VPN software required.
• Instant Guard - a mobile app for selected ASUS routers that helps you establish a VPN connection to your router when you’re on the go, using insecure public Wi-Fi networks. An excellent feature if you ask us.
• VPN Fusion - another new feature available on select ASUS routers. This one allows you to connect to multiple VPN servers simultaneously and assign your client devices to connect to different VPN tunnels. For example, your gaming devices can use a gaming-oriented VPN service for playing online, while your work devices can connect to the company’s VPN, all happening at the same time.
• Network Tools – for analyzing the network and identifying what’s wrong. They are helpful when you need to troubleshoot problems.
• DDNS – a service that allows you to connect to the router from the internet, even if your internet provider assigns you a dynamic public IP address.
• Integration with Amazon’s Alexa, Google Assistant, and IFTTT – you can say things like “Alexa, ask ASUS ROUTER to upgrade the firmware” to perform different tasks. You can also automate tasks that might be repetitive or unable to “talk to each other” through IFTTT.

Gaming features you may want to use TUF Gaming AX5400 offers all the latest and greatest features, including new additions like VPN Fusion and Instant Guard.

What is your opinion about the ASUS TUF-AX5400 router?

Now you know our opinion about the ASUS TUF-AX5400 gaming router with Wi-Fi 6. You also know its strengths and weaknesses. Before closig this review, tell us whether you think this model is a good fit for your needs. Are you interested in purchasing it? If you already own it, what has been your experience with it? Comment below, and let's discuss.