User Guide
AC1200 Wireless MU-MIMO Gigabit Router
Archer A6
REV2.0.0 1910012499
Contents
About This Guide .........................................................................................................1
Chapter 1. Get to Know About Your Router . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1. 1. Product Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1. 2. Appearance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1. 2. 1. The Front Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1. 2. 2. The Back Panel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Chapter 2. Connect the Hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
2. 1. Position Your Router . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2. 2. Connect Your Router. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Chapter 3. Log In to Your Router. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Chapter 4. Set Up Internet Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
4. 1. Use Quick Setup Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
4. 2. Manually Set up Your Internet Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
4. 3. Set Up an IPv6 Internet Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
4. 4. Configure the Router in Access Point Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Chapter 5. Guest Network. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
5. 1. Create a Network for Guests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
5. 2. Customize Guest Network Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Chapter 6. Parental Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Chapter 7. QoS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
7. 1. Prioritize Internet Traffic with QoS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Chapter 8. Network Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
8. 1. Protect the Network from Cyber Attacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
8. 2. Access Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
8. 3. IP & MAC Binding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Chapter 9. NAT Forwarding. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
9. 1. Share Local Resources on the Internet by Virtual Servers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
9. 2. Open Ports Dynamically by Port Triggering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
9. 3. Make Applications Free from Port Restriction by DMZ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
9. 4. Make Xbox Online Games Run Smoothly by UPnP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Chapter 10. VPN Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
10. 1. Use OpenVPN to Access Your Home Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
10. 1. 1. Step1. Set up OpenVPN Server on Your Router . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
10. 1. 2. Step 2. Configure OpenVPN Connection on Your Remote Device . . . . 44
10. 2. Use PPTP VPN to Access Your Home Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
10. 2. 1. Step 1. Set up PPTP VPN Server on Your Router . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
10. 2. 2. Step 2. Configure PPTP VPN Connection on Your Remote Device. . . . 46
Chapter 11. Customize Your Network Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
11. 1. Change the LAN Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
11. 2. Configure to Support IPTV Service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
11. 3. Specify DHCP Server Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
11. 4. Set Up a Dynamic DNS Service Account . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
11. 5. Create Static Routes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
11. 6. Specify Wireless Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
11. 7. Use WPS for Wireless Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
11. 7. 1. Set the Router’s PIN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
11. 7. 2. Use the WPS Wizard for Wi-Fi Connections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
11. 8. Schedule Your Wireless Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
11. 9. TxBF, MU-MIMO. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Chapter 12. Manage the Router . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
12. 1. Set Up System Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
12. 2. Control LEDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
12. 3. Test the Network Connectivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
12. 4. Upgrade the Firmware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
12. 5. Backup and Restore Configuration Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
12. 6. Set the Router to Reboot Regularly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
12. 7. Change the Login Password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
12. 8. Password Recovery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
12. 9. Local Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
12. 10. Remote Management. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
12. 11. System Log. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
12. 12. Monitor the Internet Traffic Statistics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
12. 13. Configure the System Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
12. 13. 1. Wireless Advanced . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
12. 13. 2. WDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
12. 13. 3. WPS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
12. 13. 4. NAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
12. 13. 5. DoS Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
12. 13. 6. Duplex. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
FAQ ................................................................................................................................ 79
About This Guide
This guide is a complement of Quick Installation Guide. The Quick Installation Guide
instructs you on quick Internet setup, and this guide provides details of each function
and shows you the way to configure these functions appropriate to your needs.
When using this guide, please notice that features of the router may vary slightly
depending on the model and software version you have, and on your location, language,
and Internet service provider. All screenshots, images, parameters and descriptions
documented in this guide are used for demonstration only.
Conventions
In this guide the following conventions are used:
Convention Description
Underlined
Teal
>
Note:
Tips:
symbols on the web
page
*Maximum wireless signal rates are the physical rates derived from IEEE Standard 802.11 specifications.
Actual wireless data throughput and wireless coverage are not guaranteed and will vary as a result of
network conditions, client limitations, and environmental factors, including building materials, obstacles,
volume and density of traffic, and client location.
*Use of MU-MIMO requires clients to also support MU-MIMO.
Underlined words or phrases are hyperlinks. You can click to redirect to a
website or a specific section.
Contents to be emphasized and texts on the web page are in teal, including the
menus, items, buttons, etc.
The menu structures to show the path to load the corresponding page.
For example, Advanced > Wireless > MAC Filtering means the MAC Filtering
function page is under the Wireless menu that is located in the Advanced tab.
Ignoring this type of note might result in a malfunction or damage to the device.
Indicates important information that helps you make better use of your device.
click to edit the corresponding entry.
•
click to delete the corresponding entry.
•
click to enable or disable the corresponding entry.
•
click to view more information about items on the page.
•
More Info
The latest software, management app and utility can be found at Download Center at
https://www.tp-link.com/support.
Specifications can be found on the product page at https://www.tp-link.com.
A Technical Support Forum is provided for you to discuss our products at
https://forum.tp-link.com.
Our Technical Support contact information can be found at the Contact Technical
Support page at https://www.tp-link.com/support.
1
Chapter 1
Get to Know About Your
Router
This chapter introduces what the router can do and shows its appearance.
It contains the following sections:
• Product Overview
• Appearance
Chapter 1
Get to Know About Your Router
1. 1. Product Overview
The TP-Link router is designed to fully meet the need of Small Office/Home Office
(SOHO) networks and users demanding higher networking performance. The powerful
antennas ensure continuous Wi-Fi signal to all your devices while boosting widespread
coverage throughout your home, and the built-in Ethernet ports supply high-speed
connection to your wired devices.
Moreover, it is simple and convenient to set up and use the TP-Link router due to its
intuitive web interface and the powerful Tether app.
1. 2. Appearance
1. 2. 1. The Front Panel
The router’s LEDs (view from left to right) are located on the front panel. You can check
the router’s working status by following the LED Explanation table.
LED Explanation
Name Status Indication
On The system has started up successfully.
(Power)
Flashing
Off Power is off.
The system is starting up or the firmware is being upgraded. Do
not disconnect or power off your router.
3
Chapter 1
Name Status Indication
(2.4GHz Wireless)
(5GHz Wireless)
Get to Know About Your Router
On The 2.4GHz wireless band is enabled.
Off The 2.4GHz wireless band is disabled.
On The 5GHz wireless band is enabled.
Off The 5GHz wireless band is disabled.
On At least one Ethernet port is connected to a powered-on device.
(Ethernet)
(Internet)
(WPS)
Off
Green On Internet service is available.
Orange On
Off The router’s Internet port is unplugged.
On/Off
Flashing WPS connection is in progress. This may take up to 2 minutes.
1. 2. 2. The Back Panel
No powered-on device is connected to the router’s corresponding
Ethernet port.
The router’s Internet port is connected, but the internet service
is not available.
This light remains on for 5 minutes when a WPS connection is
established, then turns off.
The router’s ports (view from left to right) are located on the rear panel.
Item Description
Power Port For connecting the router to a power socket via the provided power adapter.
4
Chapter 1
Item Description
Power On/Off Button Press this button to power on or off the router.
Get to Know About Your Router
Reset Button
WPS/Wi-Fi On/Off
Internet Port For connecting to a DSL/Cable modem, or an Ethernet jack.
Ethernet Ports (1/2/3/4) For connecting your PC or other Ethernet network devices to the router.
Antennas
Press and hold this button for more than 2 seconds to reset the router to its
factory default settings.
Press this button, and immediately press the WPS button on your device. The
WPS LED of the router should change from flashing to solid on, indicating
successful WPS connection.
Press and hold the Wi-Fi button for about 3 seconds to turn on or off the
wireless function of your router.
Used for wireless operation and data transmit. Upright them for the best
Wi-Fi performance.
5
Chapter 2
Connect the Hardware
This chapter contains the following sections:
• Position Your Router
• Connect Your Router
Chapter 2
Internet
Power
On / O
Connect the Hardware
2. 1. Position Your Router
• The product should not be located in a place where it will be exposed to moisture or
excessive heat.
• Place the router in a location where it can be connected to multiple devices as well as
to a power source.
• Make sure the cables and power cord are safely placed out of the way so they do not
create a tripping hazard.
• The router can be placed on a shelf or desktop.
• Keep the router away from devices with strong electromagnetic reference, such as
Bluetooth devices, cordless phones and microwaves.
2. 2. Connect Your Router
Follow the steps below to connect your router.
If your internet connection is through an Ethernet cable directly from the wall instead
of through a DSL / Cable / Satellite modem, connect the Ethernet cable to the router’s
Internet port, and then follow Step 4 and 5 to complete the hardware connection.
Power adapter
Router
Internet
1
2
ModemPower adapter
4
3
1. Turn off the modem, and remove the backup battery if it has one.
2. Connect the modem to your router’s Internet port with an Ethernet cable.
3. Turn on the modem, and then wait about 2 minutes for it to restart.
7
Chapter 2
Connections are available
Wireless Network Connection
Connect the Hardware
4. Connect the power adapter to the router and turn on the router.
5. Verify that the following LEDs are on and solid to confirm the hardware is connected
correctly.
Power
On
Note:
If the 2.4G LED and 5G LED are off, press and hold the WPS/Wi-Fi On/Off button on the back for about 3 seconds and
then release the button. Both LEDs should turn solid on.
2.4G
On
5G
On
Internet
On
6. Connect your computer to the router.
• Method 1: Wired
Turn off the Wi-Fi on your computer and connect the devices as shown below.
Ethernet cable
• Method 2: Wirelessly
1 ) Find the SSID (Network Name) and Wireless Password printed on the label at
the bottom of the router.
2 ) Click the network icon of your computer or go to Wi-Fi Settings of your smart
device, and then select the SSID to join the network.
Smart DeviceComputer
< Settings
Wi-Fi
TP-Link_XXXX
TP-Link_XXXX_5G
√
Connect automatically Connect
CHOOSE A NETWORK...
TP-Link_XXXX
TP-Link_XXXX_5G
Other...
• Method 3: Use the WPS button
Wireless devices that support WPS, including Android phones, tablets, and most USB
network cards, can be connected to your router through this method.
Note:
• WPS is not supported by iOS devices.
Wi-Fi
8
Chapter 2
• The WPS function cannot be configured if the wireless function of the router is disabled. Also, the WPS function will be
disabled if your wireless encryption is WEP. Please make sure the wireless function is enabled and is configured with
the appropriate encryption before configuring the WPS.
Connect the Hardware
1 ) Tab the WPS icon on the device’s screen. Here we take an Android phone for
instance.
2 ) Within two minutes, press the Reset/WPS button on your router.
close to
9
Chapter 3
Log In to Your Router
Chapter 3
Log In to Your Router
With a web-based utility, it is easy to configure and manage the router. The web-based
utility can be used on any Windows, Mac OS or UNIX OS with a Web browser, such as
Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox or Apple Safari.
Follow the steps below to log in to your router.
1. Set up the TCP/IP Protocol in Obtain an IP address automatically mode on your
computer.
2. Visit http://tplinkwifi.net, and create a login password for secure management
purposes. Then click Let’s Get Started to log in.
Note:
If the login window does not appear, please refer to the FAQ Section.
11
Chapter 4
Set Up Internet Connection
This chapter introduces how to connect your router to the internet. The router is
equipped with a web-based Quick Setup wizard. It has necessary ISP information built
in, automates many of the steps and verifies that those steps have been successfully
completed. Furthermore, you can also set up an IPv6 connection if your ISP provides
IPv6 service.
It contains the following sections:
• Use Quick Setup Wizard
• Manually Set up Your Internet Connection
• Set Up an IPv6 Internet Connection
• Configure the Router in Access Point Mode
Chapter 4
Set Up Internet Connection
4. 1. Use Quick Setup Wizard
The Quick Setup Wizard will guide you to set up your router.
Tips:
If you need the IPv6 internet connection, please refer to the section of Set Up an IPv6 Internet Connection.
Follow the steps below to set up your router.
1. Visit http://tplinkwifi.net, and log in with the password you set for the router.
2. Click Quick Setup on the top of the page. Then follow the step-by-step instructions
to connect your router to the internet.
4. 2. Manually Set up Your Internet Connection
In this part, you can check your current internet connection settings. You can also
modify the settings according to the service information provided by your ISP.
Follow the steps below to check or modify your internet connection settings.
1. Visit http://tplinkwifi.net, and log in with the password you set for the router.
2. Go to Basic > Internet.
3. Select your internet connection type from the drop-down list.
Note:
If you are unsure of what your connection type is, click Auto Detect. Since different connection types require different
cables and connection information, you can also refer to the demonstrations in Step 4 to determine your connection
type.
4. Follow the instructions on the page to continue the configuration. Parameters on the
figures are just used for demonstration.
1 ) If you choose Dynamic IP, you need to select whether to clone the MAC address.
Dynamic IP users are usually equipped with a cable TV or fiber cable.
13
Chapter 4
Set Up Internet Connection
2 ) If you choose Static IP, enter the information provided by your ISP in the
corresponding fields.
3 ) If you choose PPPoE, enter the username and password provided by your ISP.
PPPoE users usually have DSL cable modems.
14
Chapter 4
Set Up Internet Connection
4 ) If you choose L2TP, enter the username and password and choose the
Secondary Connection provided by your ISP. Different parameters are needed
according to the Secondary Connection you have chosen.
5 ) If you choose PPTP, enter the username and password, and choose the
Secondary Connection provided by your ISP. Different parameters are needed
according to the Secondary Connection you have chosen.
15
Chapter 4
Set Up Internet Connection
5. Click Save.
6. To check your internet connection, click Network Map on the left of the page. After
the connection succeeds, the screen will display as follows. Here we take PPPoE as
an example.
Note:
It may take 1-2 minutes to make the settings valid.
Tips:
• If your internet connection type is BigPond Cable, please go to Advanced > Network > Internet to set your router.
16
Chapter 4
• If you use Dynamic IP and PPPoE and you are provided with any other parameters that are not required on the page,
please go to Advanced > Network > Internet to complete the configuration.
• If you still cannot access the internet, refer to the FAQ section for further instructions.
Set Up Internet Connection
4. 3. Set Up an IPv6 Internet Connection
Your ISP provides information about one of the following IPv6 internet connection types:
PPPoE, Dynamic IP(SLAAC/DHCPv6), Static IP, 6to4 tunnel, Pass-Through (Bridge).
1. Visit http://tplinkwifi.net, and log in with the password you set for the router.
2. Go to Advanced > IPv6.
3. Enable IPv6 and select the internet connection type provided by your ISP.
Tips:
If you do not know what your internet connection type is, contact your ISP or judge according to the already known
information provided by your ISP.
4. Fill in information as required by different connection types. Red blanks must be filled
in.
1 ) Static IP: Fill in blanks and click Save.
2 ) Dynamic IP (SLAAC/DHCPv6): Click Advanced to input further information if
your ISP requires. Click Save and then click Renew.
17
Chapter 4
Set Up Internet Connection
3 ) PPPoE: By default, the router uses the IPv4 account to connect to the IPv6
server. Click Advanced to input further information if your ISP requires. Click
Save and then click Connect.
Note:
If your ISP provides two separate accounts for the IPv4 and IPv6 connections, please untick the Use the same
session with IPv4 connection checkbox and manually enter the username and password for the IPv6 connection.
4 ) 6to4 Tunnel: An IPv4 internet connection type is a prerequisite for this
connection type (Manually Set up Your Internet Connection). Click Advanced to
input further information if your ISP requires. Click Save and then click Connect.
18
Chapter 4
Set Up Internet Connection
5 ) Pass-Through (Bridge): Click Save and skip to step 6.
5. Configure LAN ports. Windows users are recommended to choose from the first two
types. Fill in Address Prefix provided by your ISP, and click Save.
Tips:
Find Help on the management interface to know more about items.
6. Click Status to check whether you have successfully set up an IPv6 connection. The
following figure is an example of a successful PPPoE configuration.
19
Chapter 4
Tips:
Visit the FAQ section if there is no internet connection.
Set Up Internet Connection
4. 4. Configure the Router in Access Point Mode
In Access Point mode, the device can be connected to a wired network and transform
the wired access into wireless one to extend the wireless coverage of your existing
network. Advanced functions like NAT, Parental Controls and QoS are not supported in
this mode.
If you already have a wired router, you can use this mode. To switch to Access Point
mode:
1. Connect the router’s Internet port to your wired router’s Ethernet port via an Ethernet
cable as shown above. And power on the router.
2. Connect a computer to the router via an Ethernet cable or wirelessly by using the
SSID (network name) and Wireless Password printed on the label at the bottom of
the router.
3. Visit http://tplinkwifi.net, and log in with the password you set for the router.
4. Go to Advanced > Operation Mode, select Access Point and click Save. Log in to the
router via http://tplinkwifi.net after the router reboots.
5. Go to Quick Setup or Settings > Wireless > Wireless Settings and set the SSIDs and
passwords for the wireless network.
Now, you can connect to the SSIDs and enjoy your existing network.
20
Chapter 5
Guest Network
This function allows you to provide Wi-Fi access for guests without disclosing your
main network. When you have guests in your house, apartment, or workplace, you can
create a guest network for them. In addition, you can customize guest network options
to ensure network security and privacy.
It contains the following sections:
• Create a Network for Guests
• Customize Guest Network Options
Chapter 5
Guest Network
5. 1. Create a Network for Guests
1. Visit http://tplinkwifi.net, and log in with the password you set for the router.
2. Go to Advanced > Guest Network. Locate the Wireless section.
3. Create a guest network as needed.
1 ) Select 2.4GHz or 5GHz network and tick the Enable Guest Network checkbox.
2 ) Customize the SSID. Don‘t select Hide SSID unless you want your guests to
manually input the SSID for guest network access.
3 ) Set Security to WPA/WPA2 Personal, keep the default Version and Encryption
values, and customize your own password.
4. Click Save. Now your guests can access your guest network using the SSID and
password you set!
Tips:
To view guest network information, go to Advanced > Status and locate the Guest Network section.
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Chapter 5
Guest Network
5. 2. Customize Guest Network Options
1. Visit http://tplinkwifi.net, and log in with the password you set for the router.
2. Go to Advanced > Guest Network. Locate the Settings section.
3. Customize guest network options according to your needs.
• Allow guests to see each other
Tick this checkbox if you want to allow the wireless clients on your guest network
to communicate with each other via methods such as network neighbors and Ping.
• Allow guests to access my local network
Tick this checkbox if you want to allow the wireless clients on your guest network
to communicate with the devices connected to your router’s LAN ports or main
network via methods such as network neighbors and Ping.
4. Click Save. Now you can ensure network security and privacy!
Tips:
To view guest network information, go to Advanced > Status and locate the Guest Network section.
23
Chapter 6
Parental Controls
This function allows you to block inappropriate, explicit and malicious websites, and
control access to specified websites at specified time.
Chapter 6
Parental Controls
I want to:I want
How can I
do that?
Control the times of day my children or other home network
users are allowed to access the Internet and even types of
websites they can visit.
For example, I want to allow my children’s devices (e.g. a computer
or a tablet) to access only www.tp-link.com and Wikipedia.org
from 18:00 (6PM) to 22:00 (10PM) at the weekend and not other
times.
1. Visit http://tplinkwifi.net, and log in with the password you
set for the router.
2. Go to Advanced > Parental Controls and enable Parental
Controls.
3. Click Add. And then Click View Existing Devices, and select
the access device. Or, input the Device Name and MAC
Address manually.
4. Click the icon to set the Internet Access Time. Drag the
cursor over the appropriate cell(s) and click OK.
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Chapter 6
Parental Controls
5. Enter a Description for the entry, tick the Enable This Entry
checkbox, and then click OK.
6. Select Whitelist as the restriction policy.
Tips:
• With Blacklist selected, the controlled devices cannot access any websites
containing the specified keywords during the Internet Access Time period.
• With Whitelist selected, the controlled devices can only access websites containing
the specified keywords during the Internet Access Time period.
7. Click . Enter a website and click Save.
You can add up to 32 keywords for either Blacklist or Whitelist.
Below are some sample entries to allow access.
• For Whitelist: Enter a web address (e.g. wikipedia.org) to allow access
only to its related websites. If you wish to block all internet browsing
access, do not add any keyword to the Whitelist.
• For Blacklist: Specify a web address (e.g. wikipedia.org), a web address
keyword (e.g. wikipedia) or a domain suffix (eg. .edu or .org) to block
access only to the websites containing that keyword or suffix.
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Chapter 6
Parental Controls
Done!
Now you can control your children’s internet access as needed.
27
Chapter 7
QoS
This chapter introduces how to create a QoS (Quality of Service) rule to specify
prioritization of traffic and minimize the impact caused when the connection is under
heavy load.
It contains the following section:
• Prioritize Internet Traffic with QoS
Chapter 7
QoS
7. 1. Prioritize Internet Traffic with QoS
QoS (Quality of Service) is designed to ensure the efficient operation of the network
when come across network overload or congestion.
I want to:
How can I
do that?
Specify priority levels for some devices or applications.
For example, I have several devices that are connected to my
wireless network. I would like to set an intermediate speed on
the internet for my phone.
1. Enable QoS and set bandwidth allocation.
1 ) Visit http://tplinkwifi.net, and log in with the password you
set for the router.
2 ) Go to Advanced > QoS.
3 ) Select Enable QoS.
4 ) Input the maximum upload and download bandwidth
provided by your internet service provider. 1Mbps equals
to 1000Kbps.
5 ) Click Advanced and drag the scroll bar to set the
bandwidth priority percentage.
6 ) Click Save.
2. Add a middle priority QoS rule for the phone.
1 ) Select By Device and then click View Existing Devices.
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Chapter 7
QoS
2 ) Choose the respective device from the list.
Done!
3 ) Click OK.
Note:
If you want to delete a QoS rule, click to remove the responding rule from the list.
Now QoS is implemented to prioritize internet traffic.
30
Chapter 8
Network Security
This chapter guides you on how to protect your home network from cyber attacks
and unauthorized users by implementing these three network security functions. You
can protect your home network against DoS (Denial of Service) attacks from flooding
your network with server requests using DoS Protection, block or allow specific client
devices to access your network using Access Control, or you can prevent ARP spoofing
and ARP attacks using IP & MAC Binding.
It contains the following sections:
• Protect the Network from Cyber Attacks
• Access Control
• IP & MAC Binding
Chapter 8
Network Security
8. 1. Protect the Network from Cyber Attacks
The SPI (Stateful Packet Inspection) Firewall and DoS (Denial of Service) Protection
protect the router from cyber attacks.
The SPI Firewall can prevent cyber attacks and validate the traffic that is passing
through the router based on the protocol. This function is enabled by default, and it’s
recommended to keep the default settings.
DoS Protection can protect your home network against DoS attacks from flooding your
network with server requests. Follow the steps below to configure DoS Protection.
1. Visit http://tplinkwifi.net, and log in with the password you set for the router.
2. Go to Advanced > Security > Settings.
3. Enable DoS Protection.
4. Set the level (Off, Low, Middle or High) of protection for ICMP-FLOOD Attack
Filtering, UDP-FlOOD Attack Filtering and TCP-SYN-FLOOD Attack Filtering.
• ICMP-FLOOD Attack Filtering - Enable to prevent the ICMP (Internet Control
Message Protocol) flood attack.
• UDP-FlOOD Attack Filtering - Enable to prevent the UDP (User Datagram
Protocol) flood attack.
• TCP-SYN-FLOOD Attack Filtering - Enable to prevent the TCP-SYN (Transmission
Control Protocol-Synchronize) flood attack.
Tips:
The level of protection is based on the number of traffic packets. The protection will be triggered immediately
when the number of packets exceeds the preset threshold value (the value can be set on Advanced > System
Tools > System Parameters > DoS Protection Level Settings), and the vicious host will be displayed in the Blocked
DoS Host List.
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Chapter 8
5. If you want to ignore the ping packets from the WAN port, select Ignore Ping Packet
6. Click Save.
From WAN Port; if you want to ignore the ping packets form the LAN port, select
Ignore Ping Packet From LAN Port.
Network Security
8. 2. Access Control
Access Control is used to block or allow specific client devices to access your network
(via wired or wireless) based on a list of blocked devices (Blacklist) or a list of allowed
devices (Whitelist).
I want to:
How can I
do that?
Block or allow specific client devices to access my network (via
wired or wireless).
1. Visit http://tplinkwifi.net, and log in with the password you
set for the router.
2. Go to Advanced > Security > Access Control.
3. Enable Access Control.
4. Select the access mode to either block (recommended) or
allow the device(s) in the list.
To block specific device(s)
1 ) Select Blacklist and click Save.
2 ) Select the device(s) to be blocked in the Online Devices
table by ticking the box.
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Chapter 8
3 ) Click Block above the Online Devices table. The selected
devices will be added to Devices in Blacklist automatically.
To allow specific device(s)
1 ) Select Whitelist and click Save.
Network Security
Done!
2 ) Click Add in the Devices in Whitelist section. Enter the
Device Name and MAC Address (You can copy and paste
the information from the Online Devices list if the device
is connected to your network).
3 ) Click OK.
Now you can block or allow specific client devices to access your
network (via wired or wireless) using the Blacklist or Whitelist.
8. 3. IP & MAC Binding
IP & MAC Binding, namely, ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) Binding, is used to bind
network device’s IP address to its MAC address. This will prevent ARP Spoofing and
other ARP attacks by denying network access to an device with matching IP address in
the Binding list, but unrecognized MAC address.
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Chapter 8
Network Security
I want to:
How can I
do that?
Prevent ARP spoofing and ARP attacks.
1. Visit http://tplinkwifi.net, and log in with the password you
set for the router.
2. Go to Advanced > Security > IP & MAC Binding.
3. Enable ARP Binding.
4. Bind your device(s) according to your need.
To bind the connected device(s):
Click
To bind the unconnected device
1 ) Click Add in the Binding List section.
to add the corresponding device to the Binding List.
Done!
2 ) Enter the MAC address and IP address that you want to
bind. Enter a Description for this binding entry.
3 ) Tick the Enable This Entry checkbox and click OK.
Now you don’t need to worry about ARP spoofing and ARP
attacks!
35
Chapter 9
NAT Forwarding
The router’s NAT (Network Address Translation) feature makes devices on the LAN use
the same public IP address to communicate with devices on the internet, which protects
the local network by hiding IP addresses of the devices. However, it also brings about
the problem that an external host cannot initiatively communicate with a specified
device on the local network.
With the forwarding feature the router can penetrate the isolation of NAT and allows
devices on the internet to initiatively communicate with devices on the local network,
thus realizing some special functions.
The TP-Link router supports four forwarding rules. If two or more rules are set, the
priority of implementation from high to low is Virtual Servers, Port Triggering, UPNP and
DMZ.
It contains the following sections:
• Share Local Resources on the Internet by Virtual Servers
• Open Ports Dynamically by Port Triggering
• Make Applications Free from Port Restriction by DMZ
• Make Xbox Online Games Run Smoothly by UPnP
Chapter 9
NAT Forwarding
9. 1. Share Local Resources on the Internet by Virtual
Servers
When you build up a server on the local network and want to share it on the internet,
Virtual Servers can realize the service and provide it to internet users. At the same time
Virtual Servers can keep the local network safe as other services are still invisible from
the internet.
Virtual Servers can be used for setting up public services on your local network, such as
HTTP, FTP, DNS, POP3/SMTP and Telnet. Different services use different service ports.
Port 80 is used in HTTP service, port 21 in FTP service, port 25 in SMTP service and port
110 in POP3 service. Please verify the service port number before the configuration.
I want to:
How can I
do that?
Share my personal website I’ve built in local network with my
friends through the internet.
For example, the personal website has been built on my home
PC (192.168.0.100). I hope that my friends on the internet can
visit my website in some way. The PC is connected to the router
with the WAN IP address 218.18.232.154.
Personal Website
Home
1. Assign a static IP address to your PC, for example
192.168.0.100.
2. Visit http://tplinkwifi.net, and log in with the password you
set for the router.
3. Go to Advanced > NAT Forwarding > Virtual Servers.
Router
INTERNET
WAN: 218.18.232.154LAN
4. Click Add. Click View Existing Services and select HTTP. The
External Port, Internal Port and Protocol will be automatically
filled in. Enter the PC’s IP address 192.168.0.100 in the
Internal IP field.
5. Click OK.
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Chapter 9
Tips:
• It is recommended to keep the default settings of Internal Port and Protocol if you are
not clear about which port and protocol to use.
• If the service you want to use is not in the Service Type, you can enter the
corresponding parameters manually. You should verify the port number that the
service needs.
• You can add multiple virtual server rules if you want to provide several services in a
router. Please note that the External Port should not be overlapped.
NAT Forwarding
Done!
Users on the internet can enter http:// WAN IP (in this example:
http:// 218.18.232.154) to visit your personal website.
Tips:
• The WAN IP should be a public IP address. For the WAN IP is assigned dynamically by
the ISP, it is recommended to apply and register a domain name for the WAN referring
to Set Up a Dynamic DNS Service Account. Then users on the internet can use
http:// domain name to visit the website.
• If you have changed the default External Port, you should use
http:// WAN IP: External Port or http:// domain name: External Port to visit the website.
9. 2. Open Ports Dynamically by Port Triggering
Port Triggering can specify a triggering port and its corresponding external ports.
When a host on the local network initiates a connection to the triggering port, all the
external ports will be opened for subsequent connections. The router can record the
IP address of the host. When the data from the internet return to the external ports, the
router can forward them to the corresponding host. Port Triggering is mainly applied to
online games, VoIPs, video players and common applications including MSN Gaming
Zone, Dialpad and Quick Time 4 players, etc.
Follow the steps below to configure the Port Triggering rules:
1. Visit http://tplinkwifi.net, and log in with the password you set for the router.
2. Go to Advanced > NAT Forwarding > Port Triggering and click Add.
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Chapter 9
NAT Forwarding
3. Click View Existing Applications, and select the desired application. The Triggering
Port, External Port and Protocol will be automatically filled in. The following picture
takes application MSN Gaming Zone as an example.
4. Click OK.
Tips:
• You can add multiple port triggering rules according to your network need.
• The triggering ports can not be overlapped.
• If the application you need is not listed in the Existing Applications list, please enter the parameters manually. You
should verify the external ports the application uses first and enter them into External Port field according to the
format the page displays.
9. 3. Make Applications Free from Port Restriction
by DMZ
When a PC is set to be a DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) host on the local network, it is totally
exposed to the internet, which can realize the unlimited bidirectional communication
between internal hosts and external hosts. The DMZ host becomes a virtual server with
all ports opened. When you are not clear about which ports to open in some special
applications, such as IP camera and database software, you can set the PC to be a DMZ
host.
Note:
When DMZ is enabled, the DMZ host is totally exposed to the internet, which may bring some potential safety hazards. If
DMZ is not in use, please disable it in time.
I want to:
Make the home PC join the internet online game without port
restriction.
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Chapter 9
NAT Forwarding
For example, due to some port restriction, when playing the
online games, you can login normally but cannot join a team with
other players. To solve this problem, set your PC as a DMZ host
with all ports open.
How can I
do that?
Done!
1. Assign a static IP address to your PC, for example
192.168.0.100.
2. Visit http://tplinkwifi.net, and log in with the password you
set for the router.
3. Go to Advanced > NAT Forwarding > DMZ and select Enable
DMZ.
4. Enter the IP address 192.168.0.100 in the DMZ Host IP
Address filed.
5. Click Save.
The configuration is completed. You’ve set your PC to a DMZ
host and now you can make a team to game with other players.
9. 4. Make Xbox Online Games Run Smoothly by
UPnP
The UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) protocol allows applications or host devices
to automatically find the front-end NAT device and send request to it to open the
corresponding ports. With UPnP enabled, the applications or host devices on the
local network and the internet can freely communicate with each other thus realizing
the seamless connection of the network. You may need to enable the UPnP if you
want to use applications for multiplayer gaming, peer-to-peer connections, real-time
communication (such as VoIP or telephone conference) or remote assistance, etc.
Tips:
• UPnP is enabled by default in this router.
• Only the application supporting UPnP protocol can use this feature.
• UPnP feature needs the support of operating system (e.g. Windows Vista/ Windows 7/ Windows 8, etc. Some of
operating system need to install the UPnP components).
For example, when you connect your Xbox to the router which has connected to
the internet to play online games, UPnP will send request to the router to open the
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Chapter 9
NAT Forwarding
corresponding ports allowing the following data penetrating the NAT to transmit.
Therefore, you can play Xbox online games without a hitch.
LAN WAN
Internet
XBOX Router
If necessary, you can follow the steps to change the status of UPnP.
1. Visit http://tplinkwifi.net, and log in with the password you set for the router.
2. Go to Advanced > NAT Forwarding > UPnP and toggle on or off according to your
needs.
41
Chapter 10
VPN Server
The VPN (Virtual Private Networking) Server allows you to access your home network in
a secured way through internet when you are out of home. The router offers two ways
to setup VPN connection: OpenVPN and PPTP (Point to Point Tunneling Protocol) VPN.
OpenVPN is somewhat complex but with greater security and more stable. It is suitable
for restricted environment, such as campus network and company intranet.
PPTP VPN is more easily used and its speed is faster, it’s compatible with most
operating systems and also supports mobile devices. Its security is poor and your
packets may be cracked easily, and PPTP VPN connection may be prevented by some
ISP.
It contains the following sections, please choose the appropriate VPN server
connection type as needed.
• Use OpenVPN to Access Your Home Network
• Use PPTP VPN to Access Your Home Network
Chapter 10
VPN Server
10. 1. Use OpenVPN to Access Your Home Network
In the OpenVPN connection, the home network can act as a server, and the remote
device can access the server through the router which acts as an OpenVPN Server
gateway. To use the VPN feature, you should enable OpenVPN Server on your router,
and install and run VPN client software on the remote device. Please follow the steps
below to set up an OpenVPN connection.
INTERNET
Home Network Router
Remote Device
10. 1. 1. Step1. Set up OpenVPN Server on Your Router
1. Visit http://tplinkwifi.net, and log in with the password you set for the router.
2. Go to Advanced > VPN Server > OpenVPN, and select Enable VPN Server.
Note:
• Before you enable VPN Server, we recommend you configure Dynamic DNS Service (recommended) or assign a
static IP address for router’s WAN port and synchronize your System Time with internet.
• The first time you configure the OpenVPN Server, you may need to Generate a certificate before you enable the VPN
Server.
3. Select the Servive Type (communication protocol) for OpenVPN Server: UDP, TCP.
4. Enter a VPN Service Port to which a VPN device connects, and the port number
should be between 1024 and 65535.
5. In the VPN Subnet/Netmask fields, enter the range of IP addresses that can be leased
to the device by the OpenVPN server.
6. Select your Client Access type. Select Home Network Only if you only want the
remote device to access your home network; select Internet and Home Network if
you also want the remote device to access internet through the VPN Server.
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Chapter 10
VPN Server
7. Click Save.
8. Click Generate to get a new certificate.
Note:
If you have already generated one, please skip this step, or click Generate to update the certificate.
9. Click Export to save the OpenVPN configuration file which will be used by the remote
device to access your router.
10. 1. 2. Step 2. Configure OpenVPN Connection on Your Remote
Device
1. Visit http://openvpn.net/index.php/download/community-downloads.html to
download the OpenVPN software, and install it on your device where you want to run
the OpenVPN client utility.
Note:
You need to install the OpenVPN client utility on each device that you plan to apply the VPN function to access your
router. Mobile devices should download a third-party app from Google Play or Apple App Store.
2. After the installation, copy the file exported from your router to the OpenVPN client
utility’s “config” folder (for example, C:\Program Files\OpenVPN\config on Windows).
The path depends on where the OpenVPN client utility is installed.
3. Run the OpenVPN client utility and connect it to OpenVPN Server.
10. 2. Use PPTP VPN to Access Your Home Network
PPTP VPN Server is used to create a VPN connection for remote device. To use the VPN
feature, you should enable PPTP VPN Server on your router, and configure the PPTP
connection on the remote device. Please follow the steps below to set up a PPTP VPN
connection.
10. 2. 1. Step 1. Set up PPTP VPN Server on Your Router
1. Visit http://tplinkwifi.net, and log in with the password you set for the router.
2. Go to Advanced > VPN Server > PPTP VPN, and select Enable VPN Server.
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Chapter 10
Note:
Before you enable VPN Server, we recommend you configure Dynamic DNS Service (recommended) or assign a static
IP address for router’s WAN port and synchronize your System Time with internet.
VPN Server
3. In the Client IP Address filed, enter the range of IP addresses (up to 10) that can be
leased to the devices by the PPTP VPN server.
4. Click Advanced to set the PPTP connection permission according to your needs.
• Select Allow Samba (Network Place) access to allow your VPN device to access
your local Samba server.
• Select Allow NetBIOS passthrough to allow your VPN device to access your
Samba server using NetBIOS name.
• Select Allow Unencrypted connections to allow unencrypted connections to
your VPN server.
5. Click Save.
6. Configure the PPTP VPN connection account for the remote device, you can create
up to 16 accounts.
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