Is it possible to assign separate ssids to the 2.4 and 5ghz frequency bands?

Yes you can set different SSIDs for 2.4 and 5 ghz with different passwords as well if required. It can all be done in the TP-Link Tether app.

Can i use this instead of my sky router or will sky not let me ?

So sky hubs specifically do not have a modem mode. So you can not operate this TP-Link router using its extra security features & etc because of the fact that your ISP Sky do not allow their hubs to be ran in modem mode. Which is fine, as there are work arounds. Router mode is where the TP-Link router handles the assignment of Local addresses & other router functions & features, such as its real-time protection & in depth network status information & other stuff. However, router mode can only be used if the sky hub can go into modem mode. Because there is no modem mode on the sky hub, the work around is, to disable the Sky hubs WiFi functionality, & connect this Tp Link router to it via Ethernet & set the Tp link routers mode to “access point mode”. Once that is done it will work. But to answer the question, no you cannot replace this box with your Sky hub. & no you cannot use this instead of the sky hub. You have to use this complementary to the sky hub, in the way I have described above.

What do i need to connect? Does it comes wth cables/leads? Some answers say it does, others say it doesn't!

Depends on your network as to its specifics as to if you need one. Generally speaking however, you will need an ethernet cable to connect it to a central hub/modem. Do you need to get one? Well, consider the following when making that decision. To give some extremely overly simplified and jargon-less background, you can think of this hub/modem as the box that acts as the source of internet for your house. You will obvs be able to know what it is im talking about, as its likely the box the ISP guy set up when adding their internet into your home. You may also refer to it as a wireless router, which could be an additional functionality of it. Most ISP's transfer internet through fiber optic cables underground and/or copper or different generations of coaxial cables. That modem/hub has a port which is compatible with whatever cable type they use for their underground cables. Your ISP will typically provide this modem/hub for a hidden charge that you typically wont see on your bill. Its just integrated into the cost of the monthly/yearly fee you pay for your internet service. Most ISP's restrict you from being able to replace that hub/modem in their Terms & Conditions (T&Cs), so you can only ever use theirs. This is so that you dont get a reduced bill price from buying your own one. There is no way feasible for a normal human to get around that. But what most people do to get around this quite dumb rule in their T&Cs, is buy a router like this to increase the overall quality of your wireless internet connection. The quality of your wireless internet refers to the speed you get when you run speedtests on your phone in different locations connected to your WiFi. This is generally the only thing that can improve through buying this router. The whole idea is that this router will act as an point of access to an already existing network, that has been established by your ISP. It broadcasts a signal that allows devices to access the internet connection on your existing network. Hence it routes. Hence its name, a router. If its wireless, we call it a wireless router. If it can also function as an input or can receive a source of internet connection from the underground cables, its a modem-router. Unlike wireless, the wired connection speeds are directly determined by a combination of factors, but most of those factors are in the hands of whatever ISP you choose. But wireless internet speeds are mostly determined by limiting factors in your home network, such as a slow router, high number of household devices, high levels of interference from fridges, TVs and other large electrical appliances, and so on and so forth. This is why buying a router that can provide better quality wireless connection, and is probably why you are here. It will come with its own power cable. It also does come with a very short ethernet cable to connect it to your hub to answer the question. However it came with a Cat5e which is a bit bare minimum quality. I recommend just getting your own, in your own choice of colour. I believe it came with a white one, but dont quote me on that. IF you end up buying one, aim for a cat6e or higher. Also purchase one from a reliable brand, good reviews, and with the right length requirement to meet your needs. If not, dont buy one and use the one it comes with. If you are picky on colour and design, then I recommend buying a short one after it has arrived already. Its better to buy one after it arrives, as you can be more sure/precise in its length and design.

Im getting 200mbps average stood right next to the router, is this supposed to be normal as it states 5GHz gives 2500mbps

It could be or it couldnt. If you are only paying for 200mbps per month on your internet package. Then this is completely normal behaviour. If you are paying for 500mbps or 1gbps packages. Then you need to confirm if the ISP is at fault. To do this, connect a computer with an ethernet port on it, go on a browser like bing or google, and search ookla speedtest, and run a speedtest. On ethernet, if you get more than 200mbps, there is an issue with something yes as this router is capable of giving more speed. It is very very difficult to determine what else it could be with a vague question like this. The 2500mbps advertisement of speed you see, is a theortical max. Meaning that if conditions were perfect, and we take the theoretical max speed that a WiFi 6, 5GHz band router with whatever processor and no interference, with the max speed per stream and blah blah blah. All the other information needed too, you can calculate and determine the theoretical max of the router. You can expect to get basically nowhere near this number, as you are probably limited by the the speed coming in by your ISP, and are limited through worldly things like interference, and that theory is not equal to practical results and so on and so forth. Don't make buying decisions based off marketing, would be my advice to you.

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Reviews

R**N

Great product

Great product, easy to setup, massive boost in range over my standard providers supplied router, loads of additional features and a bargain on sale. Signal never drops out and a big improvement in reliability. After a quick Google search and YouTube video I had it setup in about 10 mins.

5.01.2026

A**R

10/10 router

Excellent router. Easy to set up with QR code and Tether app. Boosted my speeds and range dramatically, so I am now getting the speed I pay for. Highly recommended. Not expensive for the quality you are getting.

2.12.2025

D**C

I'ts better than Virgin Router

Bought this beginning of the year to covert the useless Virgin Hub 3 into a Modem. The instructions were great and after about half an hour was up and running in the household with excellent results WiFi was great throughout house and everyone able to connect with excellent signal. Bought two TP Link extenders as back up and there fine. My gaming Son has no complaints lol. Only gripe is updating Firmware, it can be an issue but i find resetting the Router and modem before hand allows process to succeed. Also it does't seem to like connecting to Amazon Firesticks for some reason.

16.10.2025

M**T

Easy Setup with App

Good quality router to enhance any network especially if used with a TP link mesh extender. Wifi range distance much better than my provider's supplied router.

27.12.2025

R**4

Fast, Reliable Wi-Fi with Great Coverage

The TP-Link Archer AX53 has been fantastic for our home network. Setting it up was quick and easy, and the AX3000 speed really makes a difference — streaming 4K videos and gaming online is smooth with no noticeable lag. The dual-band feature helps keep devices stable even when multiple people are connected at once. Coverage is excellent; I get strong Wi-Fi signals in every corner of my house. The interface is user-friendly, and firmware updates are simple. Overall, a reliable router that delivers fast, consistent performance at a reasonable price. UPDATE ITS STILL GREAT

21.09.2025

N**N

Easy setup

No issues. Plugged straight in and instantly set to AP mode. Connected via Ethernet to main router and worked perfectly as an AP. Setup for seamless connectivity through the home and have not experienced any problems

19.11.2025

J**J

Not great for stability

Either I've got a dud unit or this is a nightmare to get connected. I generally buy tplink as it's never done me wrong in the past but this router has driven me crazy...IF you can keep it connected it is great the speeds are fast & generally stable.... However mine keeps dropping out & resetting despite only being 12 feet away on the same floor with direct line of sight. No help from tplink this time ... It's ended up boxed up & ready for donation.

26.11.2025

J**S

Overall very good and worth the price.

Overall I'm happy with the router, it's about as good as it gets for the price. The router is overkill for our connection speed but I went with it for the good Antennas. Wi-Fi signal is good overall. It covers my 3 bed house well enough on it's own even though it's in the corner of the house. I'm getting the same speeds via Wi-Fi to my PC, as I do when I'm connected via Ethernet direct to the router, so I can't complain. As with almost all TP-Link products, you just scan the QR code on the back of the router with your smart phone and follow the instructions to set it up. I used my ISP's very old router in modem mode and connected both together via the included Ethernet cable. Ran a few Wi-Fi tests on my PC which is about 8 Meters away with out of the box settings, results - RSSI 2.4Ghz - 41 RSSI 5Ghz - 53 12 Ping 273.74Mbps Down 26.34Mbps Up Our ISP package is 250Mbps so we are getting full speed via Wi-Fi and Ethernet with the router.

16.10.2025

ASIN	B09TPKT929
Antenna Location	Gaming, Home
Antenna Type	Fixed
Best Sellers Rank	1,712 in Computers & Accessories ( See Top 100 in Computers & Accessories ) 8 in Routers
Box Contents	Archer AX53
Brand Name	TP-Link
Colour	black
Compatible Devices	Laptop, Personal Computer, Smart Television, Tablet
Connectivity Technology	Wi-Fi
Control Method	Voice
Controller Type	Amazon alexa
Country of Origin	China
Coverage	whole-home coverage
Customer Reviews	4.4 out of 5 stars 20,102 Reviews
Data Transfer Rate	3000 Megabits Per Second
Frequency	5 GHz
Frequency Band Class	Dual-Band
Global Trade Identification Number	04897098682630
Is Modem Compatible	No
Item Dimensions L x W x H	26L x 13.5W x 4.2H centimetres
Item Weight	0.81 Kilograms
Item height	4.16 centimetres
LAN Port Bandwidth	3000 Mbps
Manufacturer	TP-Link
Maximum Upstream Data Transfer Rate	3000 Megabits Per Second
Model Name	Archer AX53
Model Number	Archer AX53
Number of Antennas	4
Number of Ports	6
Operating System	Windows
Other Special Features of the Product	Beamforming,Alexa Compatible,Access Point Mode,External Antanna
Security Protocol	WPA3, WPA2-PSK
Wireless Compability	802.11ax

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