Review Devolo Wi-Fi 6 repeater 5400

Aad Munsterman and Rob Coenraads

Devolo is known for its Powerline adapters and has expanded its range with repeaters 3000 and 5400 with the Wi-Fi 6 protocol. This protocol increases the effectiveness of data transport in the WiFi network and limits the power consumption of telephones and tablets.

Devolo Wi-Fi 6 repeater 5400
The Devolo Wi-Fi 6 repeater 5400 has a theoretical throughput of 5400 Mbps. In addition to the repeater mode, you can also configure it as a broadcasting station mode as a replacement for the WiFi for a somewhat older router that does not support Wi-Fi 6 and / or WPA3 security. You can configure the latter mode by connecting the LAN port of the repeater to a LAN port of the router. The installation is easy: press the sync button and activate the WPS of the router, often also a button. Where you plug the 3000 into a socket, the 5400 works with a separate box with a separate power adapter.

Software
The Devolo products are supported by the Devolo Cockpit software, which is available for Windows, MacOS and Linux. The Devolo Home Control Network app is available with the same functionality for iOS and Android, as the web interface of the devices is used for detailed information. The supplied management environment is quite extensive with also a detection of the quality of the signal received from the linked router. Based on this information, the right place can be found for optimal results.

A customized configuration for parental control, time control and Wi-Fi for guests can be set via the management software. Both WPA2 and WPA3 security are available. Mesh is available between Devolo repeaters and Devolo Powerline products that support mesh. With the repeaters, synchronization of the broadcast channels, SSID and password with the main router takes place anyway.

Results
After WPS activation, near the router, the repeater is operational after a few minutes and can be placed in another location. The LEDs on the front indicate the level of the received signal. The app also displays the quality of the reception from excellent to poor. With the last message, a different location must be found. We measure speeds of 200 to 700M bps over two floors with a LAN connection and from 50 to 250 Mbps via WiFi. The results of the 5400 are the highest on the one hand due to a higher capacity and on the other hand because the location of the repeater, due to a 1.5 meter long cable, is variable and can therefore be positioned better.

Conclusion
The 5400 is characterized by the good management environment and support for Wi-Fi 6 and WPA3. Also interesting is the broadcasting station mode where it adds Wi-Fi 6 /WPA3 to an older router. A mesh configuration is preferable to a repeater network due to better network efficiency.

Product: Devolo Wi-Fi 6 repeater 5400