TP-Link Archer C50 User Manual

User Guide
AC1200 Dual Band Wi-Fi Router
REV6.0.0 1910012866 © 2020 TP-Link
Contents
About This Guide .........................................................................................................1
Chapter 1. Get to Know About Your Router . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1. 1. Product Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1. 2. Panel Layout. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1. 2. 1. Top View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1. 2. 2. The Back Panel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Chapter 2. Connect to the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
2. 1. Position Your Router . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2. 2. Connect Your Router. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Chapter 3. Log In. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
4. 1. Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
4. 2. Quick Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
4. 3. Operation Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
4. 4. Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
4. 4. 1. WAN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
4. 4. 2. LAN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
4. 4. 3. IPTV. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
4. 4. 4. MAC Clone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
4. 5. Dual Band Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
4. 6. Wireless (2.4GHz or 5GHz) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
4. 6. 1. Wireless Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
4. 6. 2. WPS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
4. 6. 3. Wireless Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
4. 6. 4. Wireless Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
4. 6. 5. Wireless MAC Filtering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
4. 6. 6. Wireless Advanced. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
4. 6. 7. Wireless Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
4. 7. Guest Network. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
4. 8. DHCP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
4. 8. 1. DHCP Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
4. 8. 2. DHCP Client List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
4. 8. 3. Address Reservation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
4. 9. Forwarding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
4. 9. 1. Virtual Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
4. 9. 2. Port Triggering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
4. 9. 3. DMZ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
4. 9. 4. UPnP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
4. 10. Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
4. 10. 1. Basic Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
4. 10. 2. Advanced Security. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
4. 11. Parental Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
4. 12. Access Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
4. 13. Advanced Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
4. 13. 1. Static Route List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
4. 13. 2. System Routing Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
4. 14. Bandwidth Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
4. 14. 1. Control Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
4. 14. 2. Rule List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
4. 15. IP & MAC Binding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
4. 15. 1. Binding Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
4. 15. 2. ARP List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
4. 16. Dynamic DNS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
4. 17. IPv6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
4. 17. 1. IPv6 Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
4. 17. 2. IPv6 WAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
4. 17. 3. IPv6 LAN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
4. 18. System Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
4. 18. 1. Time Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
4. 18. 2. LED Control. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
4. 18. 3. Feedback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
4. 18. 4. Diagnostic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
4. 18. 5. Firmware Upgrade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
4. 18. 6. Factory Defaults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
4. 18. 7. Backup & Restore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
4. 18. 8. Reboot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
4. 18. 9. Password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
4. 18. 10. Local Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
4. 18. 11. Remote Management. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
4. 18. 12. System Log . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
4. 18. 13. Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
4. 19. Log Out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
5. 1. Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
5. 2. Quick Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
5. 3. Operation Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
5. 4. Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
5. 5. Dual Band Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
5. 6. Wireless (2.4GHz or 5GHz) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
5. 6. 1. Wireless Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
5. 6. 2. WPS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
5. 6. 3. Wireless Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
5. 6. 4. Wireless Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
5. 6. 5. Wireless MAC Filtering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
5. 6. 6. Wireless Advanced. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
5. 6. 7. Wireless Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
5. 6. 8. Throughput Monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
5. 7. Guest Network. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
5. 8. DHCP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
5. 8. 1. DHCP Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
5. 8. 2. DHCP Client List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
5. 8. 3. Address Reservation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
5. 9. System Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
5. 9. 1. Time Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
5. 9. 2. LED Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
5. 9. 3. Feedback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
5. 9. 4. Diagnostic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
5. 9. 5. Firmware Upgrade. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
5. 9. 6. Factory Defaults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
5. 9. 7. Backup & Restore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
5. 9. 8. Reboot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
5. 9. 9. Password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
5. 9. 10. Local Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
5. 9. 11. System Log. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
5. 9. 12. Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
5. 10. Log Out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
6. 1. Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
6. 2. Quick Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
6. 3. Operation Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
6. 4. Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
6. 5. Wireless (2.4GHz or 5GHz) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
6. 5. 1. Connect to Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
6. 5. 2. Extended Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100
6. 5. 3. Wireless Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100
6. 5. 4. Wireless MAC Filtering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101
6. 5. 5. Wireless Advanced. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102
6. 5. 6. Wireless Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104
6. 6. DHCP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104
6. 6. 1. DHCP Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104
6. 6. 2. DHCP Client List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105
6. 7. System Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106
6. 7. 1. Time Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106
6. 7. 2. LED Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107
6. 7. 3. Feedback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107
6. 7. 4. Diagnostic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108
6. 7. 5. Firmware Upgrade. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109
6. 7. 6. Factory Defaults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
6. 7. 7. Backup & Restore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
6. 7. 8. Reboot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111
6. 7. 9. Password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111
6. 7. 10. Local Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112
6. 7. 11. System Log. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113
6. 8. Log Out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113
FAQ ............................................................................................................................. 114

About This Guide

This guide is a complement to Quick Installation Guide. The Quick Installation Guide provides instructions for quick internet setup, while this guide contains details of each function and demonstrates how to configure them.
Features available in the router may vary by model and software version. Router availability may also vary by region or ISP. All images, steps, and descriptions in this guide are only examples and may not reflect your actual Router experience.
Conventions
In this guide the following conventions are used:
Convention Description
Underlined
Teal
>
Note:
Tips:
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 and so on.
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.
*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 1) environmental factors, including building materials, physical objects, and obstacles, 2) network conditions, including local interference, volume and density of traffic, product location, network complexity, and network overhead, and 3) client limitations, including rated performance, location, connection, quality, and client condition.
More Info
The latest software, management app and utility can be found at Download Center at
https://www.tp-link.com/support/download/.
The Quick Installation Guide can be found where you find this guide or inside the package of the router.
Specifications can be found on the product page at https://www.tp-link.com.
TP-Link Community is provided for you to discuss our products and share knowledge at
https://community.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
Panel Layout
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. Panel Layout

1. 2. 1. Top View

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.
3
Chapter 1
LED Explanation
Name Status Indication
Get to Know About Your Router
On The system has started up successfully.
(Power)
(2.4GHz Wireless)
(5GHz Wireless)
(Ethernet)
(Internet)
Flashing
Off Power is off.
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.
Off No Ethernet port is connected to a powered-on device.
Green On Internet service is available.
Orange On The router’s Internet port is connected, but the internet is not available.
Off The router’s Internet port is not connected.

1. 2. 2. The Back Panel

The system is starting up or firmware is being upgraded. Do not
disconnect or power off your router.
The following parts (view from left to right) are located on the rear panel.
4
Chapter 1
Item Description
Wi-Fi/WPS Button
Get to Know About Your Router
Press this button for 1 second, and immediately press the WPS button on your
device. The Wi-Fi LED of the router should change from flashing to solid on, indicating
successful WPS connection.
Press and hold this button for about 3 seconds to turn on or off the wireless function
of your router.
Reset Button
WAN Port For connecting to a DSL/Cable modem, or an Ethernet port.
LAN Ports (1/2/3/4) For connecting your PCs or other wired network devices to the router.
Power On/Off Button
Power Port For connecting the router to a power socket via the provided power adapter.
Antennas
Press and hold this button for 2 seconds until all LEDs turn off to reset the router to
its factory default settings.
Press this button to power on or off the router.
Used for wireless operation and data transmitting. Upright them for the best Wi-Fi
performance.
5
Chapter 2

Connect to the Internet

This chapter contains the following sections:
Position Your Router
Connect Your Router
Chapter 2 Connect to the Internet
WAN

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 strong devices with strong electromagnetic interference, such as Bluetooth devices, cordless phones and microwaves.

2. 2. Connect Your Router

This mode enables multiple users to share internet connection via ADSL/Cable Modem.
1. 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.
WAN LAN1 LAN2 LAN3 LAN4
POWER
Power adapter
Router
Important
Unplug your modem, and remove
the backup battery if it has one.
Modem
Connect to the power socket
1 ) Unplug your modem, and remove the backup battery if it has one.
2 ) Connect the powered-off modem to the router’s WAN port with an Ethernet
cable.
3 ) Turn on the modem and then wait about 2 minutes for it to restart.
4 ) Connect the power adapter to the router and turn on the router.
7
Chapter 2 Connect to the Internet
Connections are available
Wireless Network Connection
Computer Smart Device
5 ) Verify that the hardware connection is correct by checking these LEDs.
Power
2.4G
On
On
Note:
If the 2.4G and 5G Wi-Fi LEDs are off, press and hold the Wi-Fi/WPS button on the rear panel for about 3 seconds, then
release the button. Both LEDs will turn on.
Internet
5G
On
On
2. 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
LAN1 LAN2 LAN3 LAN4
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
Wi-Fi
TP-Link_XXXX
TP-Link_XXXX_5G
Connect automatically Connect
OR
< Settings
Wi-Fi
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 ( not supported by iOS devices).
Note:
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.
1 ) Tap the WPS icon on the device’s screen. Here we take an Android phone as an
example.
8
Chapter 2 Connect to the Internet
2 ) Immediately press the WPS button on your router.
WLAN
On
TP-LINK
YSL
David
Hotdog
Ts_5G
Sunny
WPS/Reset
WAN LAN1 LAN2 LAN3 LAN4
Close to
Test
9
Chapter 3

Log In

This chapter introduces how to log in to the web management page of router.
Chapter 3
Log In
With the web management page, it is easy to configure and manage the router. The web management page can be used on any Windows, Macintosh or UNIX OS with a Web browser, such as Microsoft the 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 password to log in.
Note:
If the login window does not appear, please refer to the “FAQ” section.
11
Chapter 4

Configure the Router in Wireless Router Mode

This chapter presents how to configure the various features of the router working as a wireless router.
It contains the following sections:
Status
Quick Setup
Operation Mode
Network
Dual Band Selection
Wireless (2.4GHz or 5GHz)
Guest Network
DHCP
Forwarding
Security
Parental Controls
Access Control
Advanced Routing
Bandwidth Control
IP & MAC Binding
Dynamic DNS
IPv6
System Tools
Log Out
Chapter 4 Congure the Router in Wireless Router Mode

4. 1. Status

1. Visit http://tplinkwifi.net, and log in with the password you set for the router.
2. Go to Status. You can view the current status information of the router.
Firmware Version - The version information of the router’s firmware.
Hardware Version - The version information of the router’s hardware.
LAN - This field displays the current settings of the LAN, and you can configure them on the Network > LAN page.
MAC address - The physical address of the router.
IP address - The LAN IP address of the router.
Subnet Mask - The subnet mask associated with the LAN IP address.
Wireless 2.4GHz/5GHz - This field displays the basic information or status of the wireless function, and you can configure them on the Wireless > Basic Settings page.
Operation Mode - The current wireless working mode in use.
Wireless Radio - Indicates whether the wireless radio feature of the Router is enabled or disabled.
13
Chapter 4 Congure the Router in Wireless Router Mode
Name(SSID) - The SSID of the Router.
Mode - The current wireless mode which the router works on.
Channel - The current wireless channel in use.
Channel Width - The current wireless channel width in use.
MAC Address - The physical address of the router.
WAN - This field displays the current settings of the WAN, and you can configure them on the Network > WAN page.
MAC Address - The physical address of the WAN port.
IP Address - The current WAN (Internet) IP Address. This field will be blank or 0.0.0.0 if the IP Address is assigned dynamically and there is no internet connection.
Subnet Mask - The subnet mask associated with the WAN IP Address.
Default Gateway - The Gateway currently used is shown here. When you use Dynamic IP as the internet connection type, click Renew or Release here to obtain new IP parameters dynamically from the ISP or release them.
DNS Server - The IP addresses of DNS (Domain Name System) server.
Ethernet - This field displays the current settings of the WAN and LAN ports.
Internet - This shows whether the WAN (Internet) port of the router is connected.
LAN1/LAN2/LAN3/LAN4 - This shows whether the LAN port is connected to a powered-on device and the negotiation speed of the LAN port.
System Up Time - The length of the time since the router was last powered on or reset.
Click Refresh to get the latest status and settings of the router.

4. 2. Quick Setup

1. Visit http://tplinkwifi.net, and log in with the password you set for the router.
2. Go to Quick Setup.
3. Click Next to start. Then follow the step-by-step instructions to connect your router
to the internet.
14
Chapter 4 Congure the Router in Wireless Router Mode

4. 3. Operation Mode

The router supports three operation modes: Wireless Router mode, Access Point mode, and Range Extender Mode.
The default mode is Wireless Router mode, which is required most commonly. In this mode, the device enables multiple users to share the internet connection via ADSL/ Cable Modem.
For hardware connection, refer to Connect Your Router.

4. 4. Network

4. 4. 1. WAN

1. Visit http://tplinkwifi.net, and log in with the password you set for the router.
2. Go to Network > WAN.
3. Configure the IP parameters of the LAN and click Save.
Dynamic IP
If your ISP provides the DHCP service, please select Dynamic IP, and the router will automatically get IP parameters from your ISP.
Click Renew to renew the IP parameters from your ISP.
Click Release to release the IP parameters.
MTU Size - The normal MTU (Maximum Transmission Unit) value for most Ethernet networks is 1500 Bytes. It is not recommended that you change the default MTU size unless required by your ISP.
Get IP with Unicast - A few ISPs’ DHCP servers do not support the broadcast applications. If you cannot get the IP address normally, you can choose this option. (It is rarely required.)
15
Chapter 4 Congure the Router in Wireless Router Mode
Set DNS server manually - If your ISP gives you one or two DNS addresses, select Set DNS server manually and enter the primary and secondary addresses into the correct fields. Otherwise, the DNS servers will be assigned automatically from your ISP.
Host Name - This option specifies the name of the router.
Static IP
If your ISP provides a static or fixed IP address, subnet mask, default gateway and DNS settings, please select Static IP.
IP Address - Enter the IP address in dotted-decimal notation provided by your ISP.
Subnet Mask - Enter the subnet mask in dotted-decimal notation provided by your ISP. Normally 255.255.255.0 is used as the subnet mask.
Gateway - Enter the gateway IP address in dotted-decimal notation provided by your ISP.
Primary/Secondary DNS Server - (Optional) Enter one or two DNS addresses in dotted-decimal notation provided by your ISP.
MTU (Bytes) - The normal MTU (Maximum Transmission Unit) value for most Ethernet networks is 1500 Bytes. It is not recommended that you change the default MTU size unless required by your ISP.
PPPoE
If your ISP provides PPPoE connection, select PPPoE.
16
Chapter 4 Congure the Router in Wireless Router Mode
Username/Password - Enter the user name and password provided by your ISP. These fields are case-sensitive.
Confirm Password - Enter the password provided by your ISP again to ensure the password you entered is correct.
Secondary Connection - It’s available only for PPPoE connection. If your ISP provides an extra connection type, select Dynamic IP or Static IP to activate the secondary connection.
Connection Mode
Always On - In this mode, the internet connection will be active all the time.
Connect on Demand - In this mode, the internet connection can be terminated automatically after a specified inactivity period (Max Idle Time) and be re­established when you attempt to access the internet again. If you want to keep your internet connection active all the time, please enter 0 in the Max Idle Time field. Otherwise, enter the number of minutes you want to have elapsed before your internet access disconnects.
Connect Manually - You can click Connect/Disconnect to connect/disconnect immediately. This mode also supports the Max Idle Time function as Connect
on Demand mode. The internet connection can be disconnected automatically
after a specified inactivity period (Max Idle Time) and not be able to re-establish when you attempt to access the internet again.
Authentication Type - Choose an authentication type.
Note:
Sometimes the connection cannot be terminated although you have specified the Max Idle Time because some applications are visiting the internet continually in the background.
If you want to do some advanced configurations, please click Advanced.
Service Name/Server Name - The service name and server name should not be configured unless you are sure it is necessary for your ISP. In most cases, leaving these fields blank will work.
MTU (Bytes) - The default MTU size is 1480 bytes. It is not recommended that you change the default MTU size unless required by your ISP.
17
Chapter 4 Congure the Router in Wireless Router Mode
ISP Specified IP Address - If your ISP does not automatically assign IP addresses to the router, please select Use IP address specified by ISP and enter the IP address provided by your ISP in dotted-decimal notation.
Detect Online Interval - The router will detect Access Concentrator online at every interval. The default value is 0. You can input the value between 0 and 120. The value 0 means no detect.
Primary DNS/Secondary DNS - If your ISP does not automatically assign DNS addresses to the router, please select Set DNS server manually and enter the IP address in dotted-decimal notation of your ISP’s primary DNS server. If a secondary DNS server address is available, enter it as well.
L2TP
If your ISP provides L2TP connection, please select L2TP.
Username/Password - Enter the user name and password provided by your ISP. These fields are case-sensitive.
Addressing Type - Choose the addressing type given by your ISP, either Dynamic IP or Static IP. Click the Connect button to connect immediately. Click the Disconnect button to disconnect immediately.
MTU(Bytes) - The default MTU size is “1460” bytes, which is usually fine. It is not recommended that you change the default MTU Size unless required by your ISP.
Enable IGMP Proxy - IGMP (Internet Group Management Protocol) is used to manage multicasting on TCP/IP net works. Some ISPs use IGMP to perform remote configuration
18
Chapter 4 Congure the Router in Wireless Router Mode
for client devices, such as the modem router. The default value is enabled, and if you are not sure, please contact your ISP or just leave it.
Connection Mode
Always On - In this mode, the internet connection will be active all the time.
Connect on Demand - In this mode, the internet connection can be terminated automatically after a specified inactivity period (Max Idle Time) and be re­established when you attempt to access the internet again. If you want to keep your internet connection active all the time, please enter 0 in the Max Idle Time field. Otherwise, enter the number of minutes you want to have elapsed before your internet access disconnects.
Connect Manually - You can click Connect/Disconnect to connect/disconnect immediately. This mode also supports the Max Idle Time function as Connect
on Demand mode. The internet connection can be disconnected automatically
after a specified inactivity period (Max Idle Time) and not be able to re-establish when you attempt to access the internet again.
Note: Sometimes the connection cannot be terminated although you have specified the Max Idle Time because some
applications are visiting the internet continually in the background.
PPTP
If your ISP provides PPTP connection, please select PPTP.
Username/Password - Enter the user name and password provided by your ISP. These fields are case-sensitive.
19
Chapter 4 Congure the Router in Wireless Router Mode
Addressing Type - Choose the addressing type given by your ISP, either Dynamic IP or Static IP. Click the Connect button to connect immediately. Click the Disconnect button to disconnect immediately.
MTU(Bytes) - The default MTU size is “1460” bytes, which is usually fine. It is not recommended that you change the default MTU Size unless required by your ISP.
Connection Mode
Always On - In this mode, the internet connection will be active all the time.
Connect on Demand - In this mode, the internet connection can be terminated automatically after a specified inactivity period (Max Idle Time) and be re­established when you attempt to access the internet again. If you want to keep your internet connection active all the time, please enter 0 in the Max Idle Time field. Otherwise, enter the number of minutes you want to have elapsed before your internet access disconnects.
Connect Manually - You can click Connect/Disconnect to connect/disconnect immediately. This mode also supports the Max Idle Time function as Connect
on Demand mode. The internet connection can be disconnected automatically
after a specified inactivity period (Max Idle Time) and not be able to re-establish when you attempt to access the internet again.
Note: Sometimes the connection cannot be terminated although you have specified the Max Idle Time because some
applications are visiting the internet continually in the background.
BigPond Cable
If your ISP provides BigPond cable connection, please select BigPond Cable.
Username/Password - Enter the user name and password provided by your ISP. These fields are case-sensitive.
20
Chapter 4 Congure the Router in Wireless Router Mode
Auth Server - Enter the authenticating server IP address or host name.
Auth Domain - Type in the domain suffix server name based on your location.
MTU(Bytes) - The default MTU size is 1480 bytes. It is not recommended that you change the default MTU size unless required by your ISP.
Connection Mode
Always On - In this mode, the internet connection will be active all the time.
Connect on Demand - In this mode, the internet connection can be terminated automatically after a specified inactivity period (Max Idle Time) and be re­established when you attempt to access the internet again. If you want to keep your internet connection active all the time, please enter 0 in the Max Idle Time field. Otherwise, enter the number of minutes you want to have elapsed before your internet access disconnects.
Connect Manually - You can click Connect/Disconnect to connect/disconnect immediately. This mode also supports the Max Idle Time function as Connect
on Demand mode. The internet connection can be disconnected automatically
after a specified inactivity period (Max Idle Time) and not be able to re-establish when you attempt to access the internet again.

4. 4. 2. LAN

1. Visit http://tplinkwifi.net, and log in with the password you set for the router.
2. Go to Network > LAN.
3. Configure the IP parameters of the LAN and click Save.
MAC Address - The physical address of the LAN ports. The value can not be changed.
IP Address - Enter the IP address in dotted-decimal notation of your router.
Subnet Mask - An address code that determines the size of the network. Normally
255.255.255.0 is used as the subnet mask.
Note:
• If you have changed the IP address, you must use the new IP address to log in.
• If the new IP address you set is not in the same subnet as the old one, the IP address pool in the DHCP Server will be configured automatically, but the Virtual Server and DMZ Host will not take effect until they are re-configured.
21
Chapter 4 Congure the Router in Wireless Router Mode

4. 4. 3. IPTV

1. Visit http://tplinkwifi.net, and log in with the password you set for the router.
2. Go to Network > IPTV.
3. Configure IPTV settings and click Save.
IGMP Snooping - IGMP snooping is designed to prevent hosts on a local network from receiving traffic for a multicast group they have not explicitly joined. IGMP snooping is especially useful for bandwidth-intensive IP multicast applications such as IPTV.
IGMP Proxy - Select to enable IGMP Proxy.
IGMP Version - Select the IGMP(Internet Group Management Protocol) Proxy Version, either V2 or V3, according to your ISP.
IPTV - Select to enable the IPTV feature.
Mode - Select the appropriate mode according to your ISP.
LAN 1/2/3/4 - Assign your LAN port to whether function as the Internet supplier or as the IPTV supplier.

4. 4. 4. MAC Clone

1. Visit http://tplinkwifi.net, and log in with the password you set for the router.
2. Go to Network > MAC Clone.
3. Configure the WAN MAC address and click Save.
22
Chapter 4 Congure the Router in Wireless Router Mode
WAN MAC Address - This field displays the current MAC address of the Internet port. If your ISP requires you to register the MAC address, please enter the correct MAC address in this field. Click Restore Factory MAC to restore the MAC address of Internet port to the factory default value.
Your PC’s MAC Address - This field displays the MAC address of the PC that is managing the router. If the MAC address is required, you can click Clone MAC Address and this MAC address will be filled in the WAN MAC Address field.
Note:
• You can only use the MAC Address Clone function for PCs on the LAN.
• If you have changed the WAN MAC address when the WAN connection is PPPoE, it will not take effect until the connection is re-established.

4. 5. Dual Band Selection

1. Visit http://tplinkwifi.net, and log in with the password you set for the router.
2. Go to Dual Band Selection.
3. Select the working radio band as needed and click Save.

4. 6. Wireless (2.4GHz or 5GHz)

4. 6. 1. Wireless Settings

1. Visit http://tplinkwifi.net, and log in with the password you set for the router.
2. Go to Wireless > Basic Settings.
3. Configure the basic settings for the wireless network and click Save.
23
Chapter 4 Congure the Router in Wireless Router Mode
Wireless - Enable or disable wireless network.
Wireless Network Name - Enter a value of up to 32 characters. The same Name (SSID) must be assigned to all wireless devices in your network.
Mode - You can choose the appropriate “Mixed” mode.
Channel - This field determines which operating frequency will be used. The default channel is set to Auto. It is not necessary to change the wireless channel unless you notice interference problems with another nearby access point.
Channel Width - This field determines which operating frequency will be used. It is not necessary to change the wireless channel unless you notice interference problems with another nearby access point. If you select auto, then AP will choose the best channel automatically.

4. 6. 2. WPS

WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) can help you to quickly and securely connect to a network. This section will guide you to add a wireless device to your router’s network via WPS.
Note: The WPS function cannot be configured if the wireless function of the router is disabled. Please make sure the
wireless function is enabled before configuration.
1. Visit http://tplinkwifi.net, and log in with the password you set for the router.
2. Go to Wireless > WPS.
3. Follow a method below to connect your client device to the router’s Wi-Fi network.
Method 1: Press the WPS Buttons on the Router and Client Device
For details, refer to Method 3: Use the WPS button of Connect Your Router.
Method 2: Press the WPS Button on Your Client Device
1. Keep the WPS Status as Enabled and click Add Device.
24
Chapter 4 Congure the Router in Wireless Router Mode
2. Select Press the WPS button of the new device within the next two minutes and click
Connect.
3. Within two minutes, press the WPS button on your client device.
4. A success message will appear on the WPS page if the client device has been
successfully added to the router’s network.
Method 3: Enter the Client’s PIN
1. Keep the WPS Status as Enabled and click Add Device.
2. Select Enter new device PIN, enter your client device’s current PIN in the PIN filed and
click Connect.
25
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