Name: TP-Link Archer GE400
Brand: TP-Link

A gaming router can influence the part of a match that happens inside the house. It can prioritize a wired console when other people start streaming. It cannot make a distant game server move closer or change the route through the Internet provider. The GE400 makes the best case in a household that actually sees its connection slow down under load.

Wireless Performance Under Load

Wi-Fi 7 client
5 GHz at 25 ft
Six competing 4K streams

Tom’s Hardware used a Wi-Fi 7 client and iPerf3 with six additional 4K streams for the congested runs. At 25 feet on 5 GHz it measured 552 Mbps without the extra traffic and 478 Mbps with it. The latter led its comparison group in that particular test. These are throughput figures, so they do not promise a particular in-game ping. ¹

Gaming & Wired Connectivity

1 × 2.5 GbE WAN
1 × 2.5 GbE LAN
3 × gigabit LAN

Use Ethernet for the gaming machine when the room allows it. Identify the device in the router’s traffic controls, then try the same game with the household busy and quiet. If lag is equally bad at both times, more aggressive local prioritization is unlikely to solve the underlying issue.

Wireless Connectivity

Dual-band Wi-Fi 7
5 GHz: up to 5,765 Mbps
2.4 GHz: up to 688 Mbps

Most of the advertised BE6500 rate sits on 5 GHz. There is no third radio on 6 GHz, so a household moving to that band should look at a different model. Multi-Link Operation can use the available bands with a compatible client. For a stationary gaming PC, the dedicated 2.5 GbE LAN port still has a practical advantage: a large local transfer from that PC does not have to compete with wireless devices for airtime.

Game Controls & HomeShield

Game Center
Port and application prioritization
Optional HomeShield services

Tom’s Hardware found controls for prioritizing traffic by LAN port or application, plus a panel for monitoring traffic and system load. Assigning priority to the port a console actually uses is straightforward when other people begin a download. It cannot shorten the route to a distant game server, so compare the same game and server before and after changing priorities. Advanced HomeShield subscription features are a separate purchase from the router’s local gaming controls. ¹

Alternatives

A conventional router with suitable quality-of-service controls can meet the same need. TP-Link’s higher GE650 and GE800 have different radios and ports. Compare the physical connections and actual 6 GHz clients in the house before paying for the next model.

Verdict

The GE400 suits a busy shared connection where local traffic is a recurring constraint. Buy it for the ports and controls you will use, with the household test results as context. A solo player on an uncongested link has much less to gain.

TP-Link Archer GE400 review

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