[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q: How to configure Wireless MAC Filtering on Archer C50/C20/A5 (new logo)
A:

[Assistant]
Wireless MAC Filtering is used to deny or allow specific wireless client devices to access your network by their MAC addresses.
I want to: Deny or allow specific wireless client devices to access my network by their MAC addresses.
For example, you want the wireless client A with the MAC address 00-0A-EB-B0-00-0B and the wireless client B with the MAC address 00-0A-EB-00-07-5F to access the router, but other wireless clients cannot access the router.
How can I do that?
Here takes Archer C20_V4 as demonstration:
1. Log in the router’s management interface. If you don’t know how to do that, please refer toHow do I log into the web-based Utility (Management Page) of TP-Link wireless router?
2. Go to Wireless > Wireless MAC Filtering.
3. Click Enable to enable the Wireless MAC Filtering function.
4. Select Allow the stations specified by any enabled entries in the list to access as the filtering rule.
5. Delete all or disable all entries if there are any entries already.
6. Click Add New and fill in the blank.
1) Enter the MAC address 00-0A-EB-B0-00-0B/00-0A-EB- 00-07-5F in the MAC Address field.
2) Enter wireless client A/B in the Description field.
3) Select Enabled in the Status drop-down list.
4) Click Save and click Back.
7. The configured filtering rules should be listed as the picture shows below.
Now only client A and client B can access your network.
Get to know more details of each function and configuration please go to Download Center to download the manual of your product.


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q: How to configure Wireless MAC Filtering on TP-Link 11N wireless router (new logo)
A:

[Assistant]
Step 1
Open the web browser and type http://tplinkwifi.net or IP address in the address bar (default is http://192.168.0.1). Press Enter. The username and password are both “admin”.
Step 2
Go to IP & MAC Binding->ARP List page, you can find the MAC address of the all the devices which are connected to the router.
Step 3
Go to Wireless->Wireless MAC Filtering page, click the Add New button.
Step 4
Type in the MAC address you want to allow or deny to access the router, and give a description for this item. The status should be Enabled and at last, click the Save button.
You need add items in this way one by one.
Step 5
At last, about the Filtering Rules, please choose Allow/Deny and Enable the Wireless MAC Filtering function.
If you choose Allow the stations specified by any enabled entries in the list to access as the filtering rule, the wireless client A with the MAC address XX-XX-XX-A1-0C-78 can access the router, but other wireless clients cannot access the router.
If you choose Deny the stations specified by any enabled entries in the list to access as the filtering rule, only the wireless client A with the MAC address XX-XX-XX-A1-0C-78 cannot access the router.
Get to know more details of each function and configuration please go to Download Center to download the manual of your product.


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q: How to configure Wireless MAC address filter on wireless router
A:

[Assistant]
Step 1
Open the web browser and type http://tplinkwifi.net or IP address in the address bar (default is http://192.168.0.1 or http://192.168.1.1). Press Enter. The username and password are both “admin”.
Step 2
Go to IP & MAC Binding->ARP List page, you can find the MAC address of the all the devices which are connected to the router.
Step 3
Go to Wireless->Wireless MAC Filtering page, click the Add New button.
Step 4
Type in the MAC address you want to allow or deny to access the router, and give a description for this item. The status should be Enabled and at last, click the Save button.
You need add items in this way one by one.
Step 5
At last, about the Filtering Rules, please choose Allow/Deny and Enable the Wireless MAC Filtering function.
Get to know more details of each function and configuration please go to Download Center to download the manual of your product.


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q: How to connect to wireless networks and remove its profile on windows 10
A:

[Assistant]
How to connect to wireless networks
Please refer to How to connect to wireless networks on various operating systems?
How to remove the profile
Method 1
Step1 Click the Wi-Fi icon at the lower right corner in the task tray, and click “Network settings”.
Step2Then please click on “Wi-Fi” and find “Manage known networks”/ “Manage Wi-Fi settings” on the left menu.
Step3 Highlight your Wi-Fi and click on “Forget”;
Method 2
Step 1 Click the Search symbol and then type Control Panel on the search bar and select.
Step 2 On the Control Panel page, please click on “Network and Internet” -> “Network and Sharing Center” -> “Change Adapter Settings” (on the left menu).
Step 3 Then right-click on “Wi-Fi” and go to “Connect/disconnect”.
You will see the same “Settings” window showed on the Step2 of the Method 1, so please go through the same process to forget your profile.


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q: How to connect to wireless networks on various operating systems
A:

[Assistant]
For Windows 10
For Windows 8

For Windows 7/Vista
For Windows XP
For MAC OS
For iPhone
For Android


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q: How to Connect iPad to a Wireless Network
A:

[Assistant]
There are two methods.
Method 1:
Step1 Start the Ipad
Step2 Tap on settings
Step 3 Tap on the WLAN; make sure Wi-Fiis Green On and then tap on your own wifi network
Step 4 key in your wifi password---tap on Join
Step 5 Once the wifi is connected, there will be a checkmark beside the wifi network.
Method 2: Sometimes, your wifi network name might not show up for certain reason, like wifi broadcasting is hidden, and you may add a wifi network by yourself, please refer to the following:
Preparation: Confirm wireless network name, wireless security type, wireless password of your router’s.
Step1: Tap on other
Step 2
1) Key in the wireless network name of your wifi network.
2) tap on security, you will see the options below, choose your router’s security---then go to key in the password of your wifi network.
The wifi network will have a checkmark after it’s connected.


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q: How do I connect to WiFi with an Android Phone?
A:

[Assistant]
This article tells you how to connect a wireless network on an Android phone. Please refer to the following steps:
    Step1: go to settings and turn on Wlan or wireless and networks or WiFi.
  Step 2: Click on wireless and network or Wlan/WiFi--choose your own WiFi network and then input your WiFi password (the password was made up previously on your wireless router )which is case sensitive, go to connect:
  Step 3: It will say “connected” after successfully connected and the WiFi symbol would be in blue color.


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q: How do I connect to the WiFi on MacBook?
A:

[Assistant]
There are two methods to connect to the wireless network on MacBook, as follows:
  Method 1:
  Step 1: click on the “WiFi icon” on the very top of your MacBook and then choose your own WiFi network and connect to it.
  Step 2: Then put your WiFi password(the password was made up previously on your wireless router) which is case sensitive and click on Join.
    Method 2:
  Step 1
Click on apple icon-à system preferences-à network
  Step 2
Go to WiFi, click on network, then on the dropdown menu, and choose your own WiFi network. Here we take “tplinkwifi” as an example.
    Step 3
Fill in the password which is case sensitive and connect to your own wireless network.
  Finally, the WiFi status would say connected when it’s successfully connected to the “tplinkwifi”.


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q: How to connect to a wireless network on Windows 8
A:

[Assistant]
Solution 1
Step 1
Click on the Wi-Fi icon at the right-hand corner in the task tray, and it will bring out all the available wireless signals;
Step 2
Choose your network signal and press “connect”;
Step 3
If your wireless network is secured, please type in your Wireless password;
Now it is connected.
Note: If your Wi-Fi network is open, you may see a box like below, just select “No, just connect”.
Now it is connected.
Solution 2
You can also bring out all the wireless networks by a way of control panel.
Step 1
Go to Control Panel;
Press “windows key +X”, and click on “Control Panel”;
Step 2 Click on “Network and InternetàNetwork and Sharing CenteràChange Adapter Settings (on the left)”;
Step 3
Right click on “Wi-Fi” and then “Connect/Disconnect”;
Now you can see all the wireless networks available, please continue as mentioned in Solution 1 above.


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q: How to connect your MAC OSX computer to a Wi-Fi Network
A:

[Assistant]
Our wireless devices can work very well with MAC OS devices, and it is very easy to connect wireless network on MAC OS, below is a guide that can help you.
System Information: Mac OS X Version 10.7.3
Method 1: Connecting procedure
Step 1
On the top bar, at the right side, click the Wi-Fi button.
If your Wi-Fi is turned off, please turn it first.
Step 2
Select your wireless network and click it. If it is secured, a window will pop out like the picture below, type in the password. You must know what is your password, please mark Show password to check whether you password is correct.
*Note: If you want to connect this network automatically next time, please mark Remember this network.
Method 2: Adding a wireless network profile
Step 1
On the left side of the top menu, click the apple button and go to System Preferences.
Step 2
Click Network.
Step 3
On the left side menu, click Wi-Fi, then click Advanced.
Step 4
Below the middle box, click the “+” button.
Step 5
Type in the Network Name, it must be correct.
Select the correct Security type. Here we take WPA/WPA2 Personal as example.
At last, click the OK button.
Step 6
After you successfully created a wireless network, it will be shown in the box below. Click OK button to finish the procedure.


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q: How to connect to wireless network by using built-in Utility/Client on Windows 7
A:

[Assistant]
Step 1
Right click "My computer" and select "Manage".
Step 2
Select "Services" in the left menu and find/enable "WLAN AutoConfig".
Step 3
Click Start -> Control Panel, Select and click Network and Sharing Center or Network and Internet-> View network status and tasks, then click Change adapter settings.
Step 4
Select the wireless connection, right click it and select Connect/Disconnect.
Step 5
At the right side corner, a small popup show the wireless networks. Click Refresh button to view the wireless network. Select the correct one, then double click it or click Connect.
Step 6
If the wireless network is secured, you will be requested to enter the password to connect to it, then click OK.
After a few minutes, it will connect to the wireless network.


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q: How to fix Validating identity error in windows XP
A:

[Assistant]
Step 1
ClickStart ->Control panel ->double click Network Connections.
  Step 2
Right click on Wireless Network Connection and go to Properties.
  Step 3
On the Wireless Connection Properties Window, click on Wireless Networks,select your network and go to Properties.
  Step 4
In the next window, click on the Authentication tab, Make sure "Enable IEEE 802.1x...." check box is Unchecked -> click OK.
  Step 5
Then right click Wireless Network Connection and click View Available Wireless Networks.
  Step 6
Click Refresh Network list to view available wireless networks. Select the correct network which you want to connect, double click it or click Connect button.
  Step 7
If the wireless network is secured, it will pop up a window asking for the key/password. Enter the correct Key/Password then click Connect, wait for a while, you will connect to this wireless network.
  Step 8
If the same problem occurs again, please follow the instructions FAQ186 to remove the profile and try to connect again.


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q: How to fix “Windows can not find a certificate to log you on the network” error on Windows XP
A:

[Assistant]
When you try to log onto a wireless network, you may see this error message: “Windows was unable to find a certificate to log you onto the network xxxx”.
This error is typically related to wireless network authentication and often appears because your Windows device is mistakenly searching for an 802.1x connection. To correct this error, follow the steps below.
Step 1
Select Start Menu>Control Panel.
  Step 2
Double-click Network Connections in the new window.
  Step 3
Right-click wireless network connection, then select Properties.
  Step 4
Select the Wireless Networks tab, and then select the network from the bottom list. Select Properties once you locate the wireless network causing the error.
  Step 5
Select the Authentication tab and uncheck the Enable IEEE 802.1x authentication for this network box.
  If the Enable IEEE 802.1x authentication for this network box is checked, it will trigger the “unable to find a certificate to log you on to the network” message because Windows is looking for a certificate but your wireless router is not set up for certificate security.
  Step 6
Select the Connection tab and check the Connect when this network is in range box.
  Step 7
Select the Association tab and uncheck the “The key is provided for me automatically” box, then select Network Authentication & Data encryption and type in the Network key according to the wireless settings on your router.
  Note: If you are not able to locate the Network key, contact your router’s technical support for assistance.
  Step 8
Select OK, and then OK again to save your settings.
  Once the error is fixed, Windows can automatically log you onto the network.


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q: How to remove the existing wireless network profile on Windows 8
A:

[Assistant]
Removing wireless network profile may become necessary when you try to connect to a wireless network after you changed its password (without renaming it), so that it can identify the new one.
Solution 1
Step1 Click on the Wi-Fi icon at the right-hand corner in the task tray, and it will bring out all the available wireless signals;
Step 2 Right click on the existing wireless network name and select forget this network;
Step 3 Reconnect to the wireless network.
Solution 2
Step 1 You can also bring out all the wireless networks by a way of control panel;
Press ‘Windows key +X’, and click on Control Panel:
Step 2 Then click on Network and InternetàNetwork and Sharing CenteràChange Adapter Settings (on the left):
Step 3 Right click on Wi-Fi icon and locate on Connect/Disconnect, then you will see the existing wireless network:
Step 4 Remove the existing profile as mentioned in Solution 1.
Step 5 Reconnect to the wireless network.


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q: How to remove existing wireless network profile on Mac
A:

[Assistant]
Step 1
Click the Apple icon, from the Apple drop-down list, select System Preferences.
Or Click the System Preferences button on the bottom.
Step 2
Click the Network icon.
Step 3
In the left column, select Wi-Fi, then click on “Advanced”.
Step 4
Under the Wi-Fi tab, select the network which you want to remove and click on button “-”. Then click OK.


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q: How to remove the existing wireless network profile in Windows 7
A:

[Assistant]
Step 1
Click Start->Control Panel, Select Network and Internet, and then click Network and Sharing Center
  Step 2
In the task list, please choose Manage wireless networks.
  Step 3
In the Network table, please select the existing profiles and click Remove.
  Step 4
You may see a warning dialog box, just click OK.
  Step 5
Then please go back to Network and Sharing Center and choose Change adapter settings -> right click Wireless Network Connection -> click Connect/Disconnect.
  Step 6
Click the refresh button to view available wireless networks. Highlight the network which you want to connect, double click it or click Connect button.


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q: How to remove the existing wireless network profile in Windows Vista
A:

[Assistant]
Step 1
Click start button on the task bar, open Control Panel -> (click Network and Internet, if you can´t find it, please go next) -> double click Network and Sharing Center.
  Step 2
In the task list, please choose Manage wireless networks.
  Step 3
In the Network table, please select the existing profiles and click Remove.
  Step 4
You may see a warning dialog box, just click OK.
  Step 5
Then you go back to Network and Sharing Center dialog box, and choose Manage network connections -> right click Wireless Network Connection -> click Connect/Disconnect.
  Step 6
Click the refresh button to view available wireless networks. Select the correct network which you want to connect, double click it or click Connect button.
  Step 7
If the wireless network is secured, it will pop up a window asking for the security key or passphrase. Enter the correct key then click Connect.
  Step 8
Save the network and connection, and click Close.
  Note:
1. If it keeps connecting to the network or acquiring IP address, please check if you had entered the correct security key/passphrase.
  2. If it shows that the connection is Limited or no connectivity, please ensure that you had enabled DHCP server on the wireless router/access point.


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q: How to remove existing wireless network profile in Windows XP
A:

[Assistant]
Step 1
Open Control panel, select and double click Network Connections.
  Step 2
Select Wireless Network Connection, right click it and select Properties.
  Step 3
Choose “Wireless Networks” tab and select existing network in preferred networks, then click Remove.
  Step 4
Click OK.
  Step 5
Then Select Wireless Network Connection, right click it, select and click View Available Wireless Networks.
  Step 6
Click Refresh Network list to view available wireless networks. Select the correct network which you want to connect, double click it or click Connect button.
  Step 7
If the wireless network is secured, it will pop up a window asking for the key/password.
  Step 8
Enter the correct Key then click Connect, wait for a while, you will connect to this wireless network.
  NOTE:
1. If it keeps connecting to the network or acquiring IP address, please check if you had entered the correct key/password.
  2. If it shows that the connection is Limited or no connectivity, please ensure that you had enabled DHCP server on the wireless router/access point.


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q: How to add a Wireless network profile in Windows 7
A:

[Assistant]
Step 1
Click on Start->Control Panel.
  Step 2
Click on Network and Internet->View network status and tasks or Network and Sharing Center.
  Step 3
In Network and Sharing Center, Click on Manage wireless networks in the left side menu.
  Step 4
Click on Add, then another window will pop out.
  Step 5
Click on Manually create a network profile.
  Step 6
Put in the Network name and Security Key and choose the correct Security type and Encryption type according to the actual wireless settings on your wireless router/AP. Here we take WPA2-Personal/AES as an example.
Press Next button after putting in all the information.
  At last, a profile will be shown in Networks you can view modify and reorder. Please double click the profile to do the corresponding change if you have changed the security of your wireless network.


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q: How to add a wireless profile manually on MAC OS
A:

[Assistant]
Step 1
Click the Apple menu  then go to System Preferences.
  Step 2
When the System Preferences screen appears, please go to the Internet &Wireless section and choose Network.
  Step 3
On the Network screen, please select Airport/WI-FI, and then click Advanced.
  Step 4
Under the Airport tab, click the button “+”.
  Step 5
A windowwillpop up, please type the network name->select the security type->input the password->Click Add->click OK.
  Or you can click show Networks to search for the network->select the network and type the password->click Add.


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q: How to add a wireless network profile on Windows XP
A:

[Assistant]
Step 1
Click on Start-> Control panel, double click on Network Connections.
  Step 2
Select Wireless Network Connection, right click it and select Properties.
  Step 3
Choose "Wireless Networks" tab and click Add.
  Step 4
Uncheck The key is provided for me automatically.
  Step 5
Type in the Network name (SSID), Network authentication, Data Encryption and Network key according to the wireless settings on your wireless router. Please contact the technician of your wireless router if you have no idea about these information.
  Step 6
Clickon OK.
  Step 7
After that, you will see the icon at the bottom of the right corner which means that the wireless networking is working.


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q: What should I pay attention to when choose antennas?
A:

[Assistant]
There are several things you need pay attention to:
1. The original antennas of the TP-link products comply with local regulations. Using some higher gain antennas, especially for outdoor products, may violate local law. Therefore, please consult the local authorities before you buy antennas.
2. High gain out-door directional antenna is usually used for long distance point-to-point transmission, while omni-directional antenna is for covering an area.
3. The connector type of the antenna. The connector type of TP-Link routers and APs is RP-SMA. Make sure your antenna has RP-SMA connector.
4. The impedance of the antenna. The impedance should be 50 Ohms. Impedance mismatch will not improve the signal quality, or even make the signal strength worse. Consult the vendor if you are not sure about it.
5. The frequency of the antenna. Make sure you choose antenna frequency according to the working frequency of the products.
6. For dual-band routers such as TL-WDR4300, TL-WDR3600 and TL-WDR3500 you need to replace the antennas with dual-band ones. Currently TP-Link does not provide such antennas.
7. For routers with more than 1 antenna, it is recommended to replace them all.


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q: How to place your wireless router for optimal reception and performance
A:

[Assistant]
When you buy a router, you may be confused about the best place to put your router for the best performance. This article will give you a few tips.
To better understand how a router's wireless works, it's important to first understand how antenna signals are transmitted.
In general, our antenna signals are radiated vertically and outward from the antenna. Therefore, in order for our antenna signal to be able to transmit better, we need to pay attention to the following problems when placing the router.
(Left) Scenarios that are not suitable for common level use
(Right) The router has better wireless coverage with horizontal use
Tip 1. Place your wireless router in a central location.
The router's impact on network speed is critical, so keep your router as close to the center of the room as possible. Let it cover the surrounding signal as evenly as possible so that the signal can be maximized. If your wireless router is against an outside wall of your home, the signal will be weak on the other side of your home.
Tip 2. Put your wireless router at a certain height
It is better to place the wireless router on a table or shelf and keep it at a certain height so that the omnidirectional antenna's transmitting ability can be utilized.
According to our actual situation, we suggest that the table should be about 1-1.5 ft so that the signal of the router is on the same horizontal plane as the equipment you usually use.
Actual test case sharing:
For an actual height test, we placed the router at a height of 6 ft.
On Android, when we use the phone at a normal height On Android, when we hold the phone up to a 6 feet level

On iOS, when we use the phone at a normal height On iOS, when we hold the phone up to a 6ft level
The device will get a stronger wireless signal when it’s at the same altitude as the router.
Note: The smaller negative number is better performance, eg, the Signal Strength -32 will be better than the Signal Strength -50.
Tip 3. Pay attention to your wireless router’s antennas.
As we know, our antenna signals are radiated vertically and outward. If you only need to use it on the first floor of your home, we recommend you place antennas vertically, so that the antenna coverage can achieve the best on the same level.
If you need to go upstairs or downstairs in your home, and the wireless needs to cover different floors, we suggest that you turn on the antenna at an Angle of 30°.
Actual test case sharing:
We did a test on the effect of antenna placement on horizontal radio. If your router needs to be hung on the wall for use.
The antenna is placed vertically and then the wireless signal strength is received by the iPhone in the horizontal plane. (Signal Strength -26)
The antenna is tilted forward at an Angle of 45°. (Signal Strength -35)
The antenna is completely horizontal. (Signal Strength -39)
So, if you only need to use it on the first floor in your home, or hanging on the wall to use the router in a horizontal direction, we recommend that you put the router antenna vertically.
Considering various requirements, we recommend the following antenna placement methods.
What’s more, for AX11000 and other products whose antenna cannot change direction, we do not recommend you to mount it on the wall. Because it is not conducive to wireless model transmission in the horizontal direction.
Tip 4. Stay away from high-powered appliances
When the router transmitting signals, the high-power electrical appliances, and iron products may cause interference to Wi-Fi, so try to avoid microwave oven, weak current box, TV, and other electrical appliances.
Tip 5. Avoid obstructions
In order to keep it neat, a lot of friends put the router in a cabinet. Putting it in the cabinet will block the signal, the overall signal will be weakened. Besides, the position of the router should not pass through too many walls, because the walls are made of concrete, which is very strong in shielding the router's signals. The closer your wireless router is to these obstructions, the more severe the interference, and the weaker your connection will be.
Tip 6. Avoid overexposed areas
Keep it as cool as possible. Because the long-term sun exposure will cause damage to the router, which will affect the stability and the network speed.
Note: If you want to hang it on the wall, make sure it doesn't shake or fade, because if the device is hit, it may be damaged and it won't work properly.
To get to know more details of each function and configuration please go to Download Center to download the manual of your product.


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q: Do I still have wireless connection after removing antennas?
A:

[Assistant] Antenna is only used for boosting the wireless signal. Even without antenna, you will still have wireless connection from the wireless routers or APs, but the wireless coverage will be shortened.


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q: Question and Answers for 802.11n Technology
A:

[Assistant]
Q: What is 802.11n?
A: 802.11n is a developing new-generation Wi-Fi standard for wide area wireless networks. Devices built to the 802.11n specification will provide significantly higher performance levels than is possible with legacy 802.11b, 802.11a and 802.11g technologies.
  Q: Why do I need 802.11n products?
A:  802.11n is a breakthrough technology that enables Wi-Fi networks to do more, faster, over a larger area. 802.11n Wi-Fi provides the very best connection available for computer networking and home entertainment applications alike – delivering the range, bandwidth, and performance today’s multimedia applications and products demand.
Key features of 802.11n products include:
• A strong Wi-Fi signal that can blanket the entire home
• The whole family sharing an internet connection on a wide array of devices without degradation
• Plenty of bandwidth to move high-definition video and audio streams from device to device, throughout the home
• The best user experience with voice calls, video games, and other multimedia applications
• Back up large files in a snap
• Confidence that devices from different manufacturers will work together
  Q: What levels of performance can be expected from 802.11n?
A: Initial products using will operate at up to 300 Mbps physical data rates, this data rate translates into actual end-user throughput of more than 160 Mbps, nearly six times the rate of 802.11a and 802.11g.
  Q: The highest internet download speed possible with Cable and DSL is 3 Mbps. Why do I need more than the 54 Mbps my 802.11g router provides to handle such traffic?
A: While the throughput of Cable and DSL connections is limited to a maximum of 3 Mbps, devices connected within a network have the throughput capacity of the devices themselves.
The 54 Mbps physical rate delivered by 802.11g and 802.11a devices is more than enough to support standard internet activities such as web browsing, email and average data transfers. However, 54 Mbps physical rate translates into 24 Mbps of actual end-user throughput. This throughput level is not capable of supporting simultaneous; high-bandwidth applications on a single network such as streaming of multiple HD video transmissions from a wireless media server to a set-top box. And, while many 802.11g and 802.11a networks offer good coverage, none can provide the robust connectivity and coverage required to operate high-bandwidth applications that extend to every room and corner of the home.
  Q: Which applications require throughput levels not easily supported by legacy Wi-Fi networks?
A: The emergence of the 802.11n standard signals the wireless industry’s move beyond traditional PC networking into consumer electronics including high definition (HD) and standard definition (SD) video disc players, PVRs,, gaming systems, media servers and players.
A greatly increased level of throughput is required by consumers and product manufacturers to support the growing number of consumer and business applications demanding much greater wireless bandwidth than currently available with legacy devices.  Higher throughput supports multiple applications on a single network.  These applications are multimedia transmissions including HD (high-definition) video streams and wireless gaming.
Many of the applications growing in popularity require steady, reliable bandwidth. So while voice over internet protocol (VoIP), for example, does not require extremely high throughput levels, it needs a constant supply of uninterrupted bandwidth to avoid jitters and frozen or dropped calls. This is also true of video or gaming transmissions.
Some of the bandwidth requirements of these applications:
·         MPEG 2 HDTV 1080i - 19 to 20 Mbps for a channel
·         WM 9* and MPEG 4 - 8 Mbps per single stream
·         Microsoft Media Center standard TV stream – 8 to 10 Mbps per stream
·         Video Gaming – 10 Mbps per console
·         VoIP calls – 1 Mbps
·         Audio files/MP3 – 2 Mbps
·         Digital photography – 1+ Mbps
*It should be noted that digital content delivered by cable and satellite operators is provided in MPEG 2 format. Also, broadcast ATSC HD standard and cable and satellite HD is encoded in MPEG 2. While WM 9 and MPEG 4 require lower bandwidth for effective operation, they are not yet widely deployed.
Given the relatively limited bandwidth of legacy devices, it is clear that high bandwidth multimedia applications and latency intolerant applications cannot operate effectively on legacy networks.
  Q: Can I use 802.11n products with my old Wi-Fi gear?
A: Yes. 802.11n products are tested for backward compatibility with 802.11 a/b/g gear. Users should match the letters on the logo for the new product to the standard in their old product.
  Q: If I have a mixed network of 802.11n and previous generation Wi-Fi gear (802.11 a/b/g), can I still get the benefits of 802.11n?
A: 802.11n gear is backward-compatible with 802.11 a/b/g gear that operates in the same frequency bands. When using an 802.11n router (access point), you will probably see some performance improvements on a mixed network, but the dramatic range and throughput improvements are only possible when both client and network devices are 802.11n.
  Mix-Mode Scenarios:
  Scenario One: The access point is based on 802.11n, the client is 802.11g.
The access point will communicate with the client in 802.11g mode, and the devices will deliver 802.11g performance.

Figure 1: 802.11g client on 802.11n network.
  Scenario Two: The access point is based on 802.11n and there are one or more 802.11n clients, and one or more 802.11g clients.
The access point will communicate in 802.11n to the 802.11n clients; the access point will speak 802.11g to the 802.11g clients. The devices should deliver the performance expected from 802.11n and 802.11g, respectively.

Figure 2: 802.11n and 802.11g clients operating on an 802.11n network.
  Scenario Three: The router/access point is 802.11a or 802.11g and it is connected to an 802.11n client.
Again, the negotiation of protocols will be completely seamless. The 802.11n client will communicate in either legacy 802.11a or 802.11g mode to the legacy AP.

Figure 3: 802.11n client on an 802.11g network
  Q: What is MIMO?
A: Multiple-input and multiple-output, or MIMO, (pronounced mee-moh or mai-moh) refers to the use of multiple antennas both at the transmitter and receiver to improve the performance of radio communication systems. It is one of several forms of smart antenna (SA) in a narrow sense or the state of the art of SA technology. The MIMO technology enlarges the scope and penetration of the wireless signal and eliminates dead zones.
It is similar to having two FM radios tuned to the same channel at the same time – the signal becomes louder and clearer. This multiplies the performance of the Wi-Fi signal, and is reflected in the two, three, or even more antennas found on some 802.11n routers.
  Q: Why can’t my wireless device connect that 300 Mbps?
A: 1) If you are using encryption the router must be configured to use AES cipher. In some firmware versions/models, the only way to get the AES cipher is to run WPA2-PSK.
2) The channel width needs to be set to 20/40 Auto, if it is not, the adapter will report a connection speed of 130Mbps. This is a feature that was added for compatibility with Intel 802.11n adapters, as they only operate on a channel width of 20.


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q:
A:

[Assistant]
What is an MTU: MTU or Maximum Transmission unit, is the largest size packet that can be delivered in bytes without fragmentation. The largest size allowed over Ethernet and most of internet service providers is 1500 bytes. This means the maximum size a data packet can transmit is 1500 bytes.
What is Fragmentation:  Fragmentation is the deconstruction of a packet too large to send through a network connection. The packet must then be reconstructed at the endpoint of the data transfer once all parts are received. This can contribute to network lag and speed issues.
Troubleshooting MTU issues: If you are experiencing increased network lag and speed issues, you may have an MTU issue. If your MTU is set higher than what your network can handle, packets will be fragmented. This demands additional work from your device and network, thus decreasing your network’s speed and stability.
Correcting a MTU issue: The First step in correcting a possible MTU issue is to contact your ISP (Internet service provider).  Ask them what their MTU is set to.  This way you can adjust your router to the same settings.  Adjusting the router’s MTU is the best solution because it avoids the need to adjust individual devices.
Example: Your ISP states your internet access MTU is set to 1472. Your Router is however set to 1500 (default). Your network devices are sending packets at 1500 bytes when your network can only handle 1472 bytes. This causes packets to be fragmented, creating a significant slowdown to your network as a result.
Adjust the MTU settings in your TP-Link Router:

Step 1:  Log into your router via URL or IP (tplinkwifi.net or 192.168.0.1/192.168.1.1/192.168.0.254). The username and password will be admin.

Step 2:  (depending on your GUI interface) Click on Network >WAN > MTU.
    Or Advanced > Network > WAN > MTU
New Logo:
Click Advanced > Network > Internet, then click Advanced button, and you can see and change MTU.
NOTE: Power cycle/reboot your router for the changes to take effect.
VPN:  VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) can (and most of the time do) have their own settings interface.  If you can connect and authenticate but applications stall, timeout, or fail to load, your MTU may be incorrect.  In this case, you will need to refer to your VPN admin for their MTU settings.  Once obtained, you can adjust your Router with the steps above.


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q:
A:

[Assistant]
Causation
In previous firmware, we use like “TP-Link_2.4GHz_130918” and “TP-Link_5GHz_130917” to define the default SSID of 2.4GHz and 5GHz, which may cause that some smart phone cannot display the whole part of the SSID. Therefore, it’s unable to make a distinction between 2.4GHz and 5GHz.Latter firmware have shorten the default SSID to eliminate this issue.
How to find the new wireless network name/SSID?
1. As per the LAN MAC address on the back of the label.
This is the label of Archer C5 as an example.
LAN MAC address of Archer C5 is “XX-XX-XX-83-4C-AA” The last digit A stands for 10.
The original 2.4GHz SSID is “TP-Link_2.4GHz_834CA9”;
The original 5GHz SSID is “TP-Link_5GHz_834CA8”.
Compared with the original default SSID:
The new 2.4GHz SSID is TP-Link_4CAA, which is defined by the last 4 digits of the MAC Address.
The new 5GHz SSID is TP-Link_4CA9_5G, which is defined by the last 4 digits of MAC address-1_5G of the MAC Address.
2. Login to the management page of router. Please refer to [FAQ ID: 87] , if you don’t know how to login.
Click Wireless 2.4GHz/5GHz to find the new SSID.


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q:
A:

[Assistant]
Precondition:
1. Please be sure that when the computer is connected to your internet modem, the internet works fine without dropping. If the internet is not stable, please contact your internet service provider to do some troubleshooting. If it’s a modem/router, please contact your ISP to ensure the internet line is good.
2. Please check whether the internet is stable or not when the computer is connected to the router with the Ethernet cable. If not, please refer to Troubleshooting: Unstable connection on the TP-Link router
Symptoms:
Wireless devices intermittently disconnect from the wireless network, while wired devices are still connected and working fine.
For possible solutions, please see the following:
Keep the router away from microwave ovens and other interference sources (refrigerators, ovens, Bluetooth devices, etc.)
Reduce the number of wireless clients and optimize the router’s position.
Try to adjust the orientation of the antennas for maximum performance. We recommend placing it up high and also placing its antennas at 45 degrees (diagonally) or 0 degrees (straight out parallel to the floor), which will be more effective. Since antennas always transmit weakly at the base, do not place your wireless client device at the bottom of TP-LINK wireless device.
If your Wi-Fi's signal strength is weak, try moving the router to another location. Minimize obstructions between your router and your computer or other devices. Obstructions such as walls between your router and device can affect Wi-Fi signal quality.
If your Wi-Fi signal is strong but the connection is still unstable, try connecting to the router's 5G Wi-Fi. There are fewer interference sources on 5G networks. (If your router does not support 5G Wi-Fi, please skip this step.)
Disable the smart connect on your router. (If your router does not support it, please skip this step.)
If there are multiple Wi-Fi networks in the area, please change the router's Wi-Fi channel and channel width. This avoids multiple Wi-Fi signals on the same channel, and reduces Wi-Fi interference sources.
You may refer to Changing Channel and Channel Width on a TP-Link Router (new logo). (You may change 2.4G channel width to 20MHZ, 5G channel width to 20MHZ)
Upgrade your router to the latest version.
You may refer to How to Upgrade the Firmware on the TP-Link Wi-Fi Routers?
Tips: How to disable the smart connect on the router?
Login to the webpage following the FAQ:
How do I log into the web-based Utility (Management Page) of TP-Link wireless router?
Go to Advanced> Wireless> Wireless Settings and disable Smart Connect.


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q:
A:

[Assistant]
Q: What does speed of Signal Rate mean?
A: It means the maximum wireless associated/link speed the router can provide. It is the internal WLAN connection speed between the computer and the router, not the internet speed.
Click here to get more detail of associated/link speed.
Q: How do I know my actual internet speed?
A: There are various speed-test tools online .You can try with the most popular site: Speedtest® (http://speedtest.net) Although this test is Flash based. For an accurate test you can look for an HTML5 speed test like: speedof.me.
Q: Why I can only get 1.2 Mbps download speed for instance, when the router says it is a 300 Mbps device?
A: As stated above, 300 Mbps refers to the WLAN internal link speed between the router and the computer, it is different from the actual internet speed. The internet speed is mainly decided by your ISP.

Q: Why I am getting 1MBytes/s download speed while my ISP provide a 8M network, for instance.
A: Usually here 8M means 8Mbps Mbps or Mb/s means megabits per second while MBps or MB/s means Megabytes per second, there are 8 bits per Byte. It is important to clarify whether it is Mb or MB since they differ by a factor of 8.
Q: My Fiber internet is 200Mbps but I can only get a maximum 90 Mbps with a TP-LINK router like 300Mbps TL-WR841ND, why?
A: The real internet speed depends on the following: The Speed you pay for, serivce connection type, the capability of the router, the current load on the provider's network and the types of cables used. Different routers have different capabilities to handle internet data (NAT Throughput of WAN to LAN ), the maximum bandwidth TL-WR841ND can handle is about 90 Mbps. For
NAT Throughput of WAN to LAN direction of TP-link routers please refer to:
https://www.tp-link.com/support/faq/465/
Q: Why my link speed on the computer shows 54 Mbps when the router says it is 300 Mbps capable, for instance?
A: Different wireless clients negotiate different link speeds with the wireless router, based on the wireless modes, distance, and noise level (the level of interference from other wireless transmissions).
To get IEEE 802.11n speed, both the wireless router and wireless client have to support 11n mode. If either the wireless router or the wireless client can support only 11a or 11g, the link rate would be a maximum of 54 Mbps.
Q： Why my wired local network link speed on the computer shows 100 Mbps when the router says it is 150 Mbps/300 Mbps capable?
A: As we explained above, 150 Mbps/300Mbps refers to the maximum wireless link speed. The wired local network link speed is decided on the capability of router’s LAN ports, the characteristics of Ethernet cables and the Ethernet Adapter of the computer. If the router has 100mbps LAN ports, the local network link speed will show 100Mbps.


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q:
A:

[Assistant]
1.   How to disable NAT?
Step 1 Login the management page of router. Please refer to [FAQ ID: 87] , if you don’t know how to login on the management page.
Step 2 Click NAT on the left panel
Step 3 Find the radio button of “Current NAT Status”

  2.   What’s the function of “Disable NAT”?
If NAT is turned off, the device will work on pure-router mode which can transmit data only. Please DO NOT turn it off unless your ISP supports this mode, otherwise you will lose Internet connection.
  Notice:
The default status of NAT is Enabled, so without special demand, please don't select the Disable option.


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q:
A:

[Assistant]
1. The following speed is based on NAT Throughput of WAN to LAN direction. It is the maximum speed that the device can reach in the test networking environment.
  2. The real Internet speed and the speed to access to local resources will be different, depending on the type of your Internet contract, connection type, the enable function of the router, the current load on the provider's network and the characteristics of cables.
  3. How to find the Hardware Version of my TP-LINK device? Please refer to FAQ46:


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q:
A:

[Assistant]
As we know, wireless signal is transmitted through the air, it can be very unstable. There are many facts may affect the transmission.
1. Wall:
Inside a building, wall is the most common impediment that makes the signal weak. Usually, it is very hard for a wireless router to transmit three thick concrete walls.
2. Mirror and metal:
As we all, mirror can reflect the light, it can also reflect the wireless signal. Meanwhile Metal can totally block the transmission.
Please avoid such things when you place your wireless devices. If you find your wireless signal is weak and there are some places can’t be cover, you can change a place or change the direction of the antenna. Or you can consider of our Range Extenders and Powerline devices to extend the coverage.


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q:
A:

[Assistant]
Helpful hint: One way to verify whether if it is an MTU problem is to try and access the application or website via dial up access. Since dial up uses a default MTU of 576 bytes you will not have the same problems as broadband. If you have problems with both broadband and dial up access then the problem is probably something else.
Summary
One of the easy and most accurate ways to test for optimum MTU is to do a simple DOS Ping test. You will simply send out ping requests and progressively lower your packet size until the packet no longer needs to be fragmented. Although this simple test is accurate for testing end points, users may find that a lower MTU may be better for their particular circumstances. Important Note: MTU must be 1492 (or lower) when using PPPoE connectivity. More detailed information about the effects of MTU can be found here.

Important Notes:
•Due to additional complications, VPNs require a different type of MTU test. Please refer to the end of this article.

•If you have a network with multiple PCs every computer should be set up with the same MTU. Additionally, some PCs may use several Network Adapters or a VPN client adapter on one PC so you must verify you are changing the Network Adapter associated with your broadband service or VPN client.

• The built in PPPoE client for Windows XP uses an MTU that is set to 1480. For more information please reference this XP MTU article. This only applies if you are running the built in XP PPPoE client!

Finding the Correct MTU
To find the correct MTU for your configuration you must run a simple DOS Ping test. You will simply send out ping requests and progressively lower your packet size until the packet no longer needs to be fragmented. Please reference the following steps:

The command for this ping test is ping www.tp-link.com -f -l xxxx.
•You can use any well known, pingable domain like ping www.google.com -f -l xxxx in place of www.tp-link.com for the test.
•There is a single space between each command.
•"-l" is a lower case letter L, not the number one.
•The last four numbers are the test packet size.

Step 1
Open a DOS prompt screen by clicking on Start>Programs>MSDOS-PROMPT. You can also use the Run Command by clicking on Start>Run then type in "cmd" for Windows 2000/XP/Vista or "command" for Windows 95/98/ME.
Step 2
At the DOS Prompt type in ping www.tp-link.com -f -l 1472 and hit Enter. Notice that the packet needs to be fragmented. (Figure 1)
Step 3
Drop the test packet size down (10 or 12 bytes) and test again. Notice that the packet still needs to be fragmented. (Figure 2)
Step 4
Drop the test packet size down more and test again until your reach a packet size that does not fragment. (Figure 3)
Step 5
Once you have a test packet that is not fragmented increase your packet size in small increments and retest until you find the largest possible packet that doesn´t fragment.

Step 6
Take the maximum packet size from the ping test and add 28. You add 28 bytes because 20 bytes are reserved for the IP header and 8 bytes must be allocated for the ICMP Echo Request header. Remember: You must add 28 to your results from the ping test!

An example:
1440 Max packet size from Ping Test
+ 28 IP and ICMP headers
1468 is your optimum MTU Setting
Problems connecting to my VPN or my applications stall and time out.
There are usually two common problems associated with VPN connectivity.

You can´t connect to the VPN server at all.
-If you can not connect to your VPN server at all and have a router the VPN application may require you to either open certain ports, assign an IP to a specific computer, or use a separate PPPoE client directly on the computer.
You can connect and authenticate to the VPN server but nothing else happens and applications stall, time out, or fail to load.
-If you can connect and authenticate but applications stall, time out, or fail to load your MTU (Maximum Transfer Unit) may be incorrect.


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q:
A:

[Assistant]
Step 1
Open the web browser and in the address bar type in: http://192.168.1.1 or http://192.168.0.1 or http://tplinklogin.net.Then press Enter.
Note:
The LAN IP changes by model. Please find it on the bottom label of the product.
  Step 2
Type the username and password in the login page. They are both admin by default.
  Step 3
Click Network->WAN on the left side. Select the correct WAN Connection Type for your Internet connection.
  Step 4
Change the MTU size if necessary.
  For WAN Connection Type: Dynamic IP/Static IP
  For WAN Connection Type: PPPoE
1. Click Advanced button to open PPPoE advanced settings page.
  2. Change the MTU Size, and then click Save to save your settings.
  For WAN Connection Type: BigPond Cable
  For WAN Connection Type: L2TP/PPTP
  Step 5
Click Save button to save the settings.
  Note:
Please leave the MTU Size as default value unless you are requested to change it by the ISP or the router technician.
  Get to know more details of each function and configuration please go to Download Center to download the manual of your product.


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q: How to Change the MTU Settings in TP-Link Wi-Fi Routers
A:

[Assistant]
What is an MTU: MTU or Maximum Transmission unit, is the largest size packet that can be delivered in bytes without fragmentation. The largest size allowed over Ethernet and most of internet service providers is 1500 bytes. This means the maximum size a data packet can transmit is 1500 bytes.
What is Fragmentation:  Fragmentation is the deconstruction of a packet too large to send through a network connection. The packet must then be reconstructed at the endpoint of the data transfer once all parts are received. This can contribute to network lag and speed issues.
Troubleshooting MTU issues: If you are experiencing increased network lag and speed issues, you may have an MTU issue. If your MTU is set higher than what your network can handle, packets will be fragmented. This demands additional work from your device and network, thus decreasing your network’s speed and stability.
Correcting a MTU issue: The First step in correcting a possible MTU issue is to contact your ISP (Internet service provider).  Ask them what their MTU is set to.  This way you can adjust your router to the same settings.  Adjusting the router’s MTU is the best solution because it avoids the need to adjust individual devices.
Example: Your ISP states your internet access MTU is set to 1472. Your Router is however set to 1500 (default). Your network devices are sending packets at 1500 bytes when your network can only handle 1472 bytes. This causes packets to be fragmented, creating a significant slowdown to your network as a result.
Adjust the MTU settings in your TP-Link Router:

Step 1:  Log into your router via URL or IP (tplinkwifi.net or 192.168.0.1/192.168.1.1/192.168.0.254). The username and password will be admin.

Step 2:  (depending on your GUI interface) Click on Network >WAN > MTU.
    Or Advanced > Network > WAN > MTU
New Logo:
Click Advanced > Network > Internet, then click Advanced button, and you can see and change MTU.
NOTE: Power cycle/reboot your router for the changes to take effect.
VPN:  VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) can (and most of the time do) have their own settings interface.  If you can connect and authenticate but applications stall, timeout, or fail to load, your MTU may be incorrect.  In this case, you will need to refer to your VPN admin for their MTU settings.  Once obtained, you can adjust your Router with the steps above.


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q: What are the most frequent asked questions about the TP-Link devices' speed?
A:

[Assistant]
Q: What does speed of Signal Rate mean?
A: It means the maximum wireless associated/link speed the router can provide. It is the internal WLAN connection speed between the computer and the router, not the internet speed.
Click here to get more detail of associated/link speed.
Q: How do I know my actual internet speed?
A: There are various speed-test tools online .You can try with the most popular site: Speedtest® (http://speedtest.net) Although this test is Flash based. For an accurate test you can look for an HTML5 speed test like: speedof.me.
Q: Why I can only get 1.2 Mbps download speed for instance, when the router says it is a 300 Mbps device?
A: As stated above, 300 Mbps refers to the WLAN internal link speed between the router and the computer, it is different from the actual internet speed. The internet speed is mainly decided by your ISP.

Q: Why I am getting 1MBytes/s download speed while my ISP provide a 8M network, for instance.
A: Usually here 8M means 8Mbps Mbps or Mb/s means megabits per second while MBps or MB/s means Megabytes per second, there are 8 bits per Byte. It is important to clarify whether it is Mb or MB since they differ by a factor of 8.
Q: My Fiber internet is 200Mbps but I can only get a maximum 90 Mbps with a TP-LINK router like 300Mbps TL-WR841ND, why?
A: The real internet speed depends on the following: The Speed you pay for, serivce connection type, the capability of the router, the current load on the provider's network and the types of cables used. Different routers have different capabilities to handle internet data (NAT Throughput of WAN to LAN ), the maximum bandwidth TL-WR841ND can handle is about 90 Mbps. For
NAT Throughput of WAN to LAN direction of TP-link routers please refer to:
https://www.tp-link.com/support/faq/465/
Q: Why my link speed on the computer shows 54 Mbps when the router says it is 300 Mbps capable, for instance?
A: Different wireless clients negotiate different link speeds with the wireless router, based on the wireless modes, distance, and noise level (the level of interference from other wireless transmissions).
To get IEEE 802.11n speed, both the wireless router and wireless client have to support 11n mode. If either the wireless router or the wireless client can support only 11a or 11g, the link rate would be a maximum of 54 Mbps.
Q： Why my wired local network link speed on the computer shows 100 Mbps when the router says it is 150 Mbps/300 Mbps capable?
A: As we explained above, 150 Mbps/300Mbps refers to the maximum wireless link speed. The wired local network link speed is decided on the capability of router’s LAN ports, the characteristics of Ethernet cables and the Ethernet Adapter of the computer. If the router has 100mbps LAN ports, the local network link speed will show 100Mbps.


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q: What’s the Function of 'Disable NAT'?
A:

[Assistant]
1.   How to disable NAT?
Step 1 Login the management page of router. Please refer to [FAQ ID: 87] , if you don’t know how to login on the management page.
Step 2 Click NAT on the left panel
Step 3 Find the radio button of “Current NAT Status”

  2.   What’s the function of “Disable NAT”?
If NAT is turned off, the device will work on pure-router mode which can transmit data only. Please DO NOT turn it off unless your ISP supports this mode, otherwise you will lose Internet connection.
  Notice:
The default status of NAT is Enabled, so without special demand, please don't select the Disable option.


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q: Performance Comparison Chart of TP-Link Wireless Router
A:

[Assistant]
1. The following speed is based on NAT Throughput of WAN to LAN direction. It is the maximum speed that the device can reach in the test networking environment.
  2. The real Internet speed and the speed to access to local resources will be different, depending on the type of your Internet contract, connection type, the enable function of the router, the current load on the provider's network and the characteristics of cables.
  3. How to find the Hardware Version of my TP-LINK device? Please refer to FAQ46:


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q: How to find the proper MTU size for my network
A:

[Assistant]
Helpful hint: One way to verify whether if it is an MTU problem is to try and access the application or website via dial up access. Since dial up uses a default MTU of 576 bytes you will not have the same problems as broadband. If you have problems with both broadband and dial up access then the problem is probably something else.
Summary
One of the easy and most accurate ways to test for optimum MTU is to do a simple DOS Ping test. You will simply send out ping requests and progressively lower your packet size until the packet no longer needs to be fragmented. Although this simple test is accurate for testing end points, users may find that a lower MTU may be better for their particular circumstances. Important Note: MTU must be 1492 (or lower) when using PPPoE connectivity. More detailed information about the effects of MTU can be found here.

Important Notes:
•Due to additional complications, VPNs require a different type of MTU test. Please refer to the end of this article.

•If you have a network with multiple PCs every computer should be set up with the same MTU. Additionally, some PCs may use several Network Adapters or a VPN client adapter on one PC so you must verify you are changing the Network Adapter associated with your broadband service or VPN client.

• The built in PPPoE client for Windows XP uses an MTU that is set to 1480. For more information please reference this XP MTU article. This only applies if you are running the built in XP PPPoE client!

Finding the Correct MTU
To find the correct MTU for your configuration you must run a simple DOS Ping test. You will simply send out ping requests and progressively lower your packet size until the packet no longer needs to be fragmented. Please reference the following steps:

The command for this ping test is ping www.tp-link.com -f -l xxxx.
•You can use any well known, pingable domain like ping www.google.com -f -l xxxx in place of www.tp-link.com for the test.
•There is a single space between each command.
•"-l" is a lower case letter L, not the number one.
•The last four numbers are the test packet size.

Step 1
Open a DOS prompt screen by clicking on Start>Programs>MSDOS-PROMPT. You can also use the Run Command by clicking on Start>Run then type in "cmd" for Windows 2000/XP/Vista or "command" for Windows 95/98/ME.
Step 2
At the DOS Prompt type in ping www.tp-link.com -f -l 1472 and hit Enter. Notice that the packet needs to be fragmented. (Figure 1)
Step 3
Drop the test packet size down (10 or 12 bytes) and test again. Notice that the packet still needs to be fragmented. (Figure 2)
Step 4
Drop the test packet size down more and test again until your reach a packet size that does not fragment. (Figure 3)
Step 5
Once you have a test packet that is not fragmented increase your packet size in small increments and retest until you find the largest possible packet that doesn´t fragment.

Step 6
Take the maximum packet size from the ping test and add 28. You add 28 bytes because 20 bytes are reserved for the IP header and 8 bytes must be allocated for the ICMP Echo Request header. Remember: You must add 28 to your results from the ping test!

An example:
1440 Max packet size from Ping Test
+ 28 IP and ICMP headers
1468 is your optimum MTU Setting
Problems connecting to my VPN or my applications stall and time out.
There are usually two common problems associated with VPN connectivity.

You can´t connect to the VPN server at all.
-If you can not connect to your VPN server at all and have a router the VPN application may require you to either open certain ports, assign an IP to a specific computer, or use a separate PPPoE client directly on the computer.
You can connect and authenticate to the VPN server but nothing else happens and applications stall, time out, or fail to load.
-If you can connect and authenticate but applications stall, time out, or fail to load your MTU (Maximum Transfer Unit) may be incorrect.


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q: How do I reduce the MTU size on my TP-Link Router?
A:

[Assistant]
Step 1
Open the web browser and in the address bar type in: http://192.168.1.1 or http://192.168.0.1 or http://tplinklogin.net.Then press Enter.
Note:
The LAN IP changes by model. Please find it on the bottom label of the product.
  Step 2
Type the username and password in the login page. They are both admin by default.
  Step 3
Click Network->WAN on the left side. Select the correct WAN Connection Type for your Internet connection.
  Step 4
Change the MTU size if necessary.
  For WAN Connection Type: Dynamic IP/Static IP
  For WAN Connection Type: PPPoE
1. Click Advanced button to open PPPoE advanced settings page.
  2. Change the MTU Size, and then click Save to save your settings.
  For WAN Connection Type: BigPond Cable
  For WAN Connection Type: L2TP/PPTP
  Step 5
Click Save button to save the settings.
  Note:
Please leave the MTU Size as default value unless you are requested to change it by the ISP or the router technician.
  Get to know more details of each function and configuration please go to Download Center to download the manual of your product.


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q: Why my default wireless network name/SSID has been changed after upgrading the firmware?
A:

[Assistant]
Causation
In previous firmware, we use like “TP-Link_2.4GHz_130918” and “TP-Link_5GHz_130917” to define the default SSID of 2.4GHz and 5GHz, which may cause that some smart phone cannot display the whole part of the SSID. Therefore, it’s unable to make a distinction between 2.4GHz and 5GHz.Latter firmware have shorten the default SSID to eliminate this issue.
How to find the new wireless network name/SSID?
1. As per the LAN MAC address on the back of the label.
This is the label of Archer C5 as an example.
LAN MAC address of Archer C5 is “XX-XX-XX-83-4C-AA” The last digit A stands for 10.
The original 2.4GHz SSID is “TP-Link_2.4GHz_834CA9”;
The original 5GHz SSID is “TP-Link_5GHz_834CA8”.
Compared with the original default SSID:
The new 2.4GHz SSID is TP-Link_4CAA, which is defined by the last 4 digits of the MAC Address.
The new 5GHz SSID is TP-Link_4CA9_5G, which is defined by the last 4 digits of MAC address-1_5G of the MAC Address.
2. Login to the management page of router. Please refer to [FAQ ID: 87] , if you don’t know how to login.
Click Wireless 2.4GHz/5GHz to find the new SSID.


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q: Troubleshooting: Unstable wireless connection on TP-Link router
A:

[Assistant]
Precondition:
1. Please be sure that when the computer is connected to your internet modem, the internet works fine without dropping. If the internet is not stable, please contact your internet service provider to do some troubleshooting. If it’s a modem/router, please contact your ISP to ensure the internet line is good.
2. Please check whether the internet is stable or not when the computer is connected to the router with the Ethernet cable. If not, please refer to Troubleshooting: Unstable connection on the TP-Link router
Symptoms:
Wireless devices intermittently disconnect from the wireless network, while wired devices are still connected and working fine.
For possible solutions, please see the following:
Keep the router away from microwave ovens and other interference sources (refrigerators, ovens, Bluetooth devices, etc.)
Reduce the number of wireless clients and optimize the router’s position.
Try to adjust the orientation of the antennas for maximum performance. We recommend placing it up high and also placing its antennas at 45 degrees (diagonally) or 0 degrees (straight out parallel to the floor), which will be more effective. Since antennas always transmit weakly at the base, do not place your wireless client device at the bottom of TP-LINK wireless device.
If your Wi-Fi's signal strength is weak, try moving the router to another location. Minimize obstructions between your router and your computer or other devices. Obstructions such as walls between your router and device can affect Wi-Fi signal quality.
If your Wi-Fi signal is strong but the connection is still unstable, try connecting to the router's 5G Wi-Fi. There are fewer interference sources on 5G networks. (If your router does not support 5G Wi-Fi, please skip this step.)
Disable the smart connect on your router. (If your router does not support it, please skip this step.)
If there are multiple Wi-Fi networks in the area, please change the router's Wi-Fi channel and channel width. This avoids multiple Wi-Fi signals on the same channel, and reduces Wi-Fi interference sources.
You may refer to Changing Channel and Channel Width on a TP-Link Router (new logo). (You may change 2.4G channel width to 20MHZ, 5G channel width to 20MHZ)
Upgrade your router to the latest version.
You may refer to How to Upgrade the Firmware on the TP-Link Wi-Fi Routers?
Tips: How to disable the smart connect on the router?
Login to the webpage following the FAQ:
How do I log into the web-based Utility (Management Page) of TP-Link wireless router?
Go to Advanced> Wireless> Wireless Settings and disable Smart Connect.


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q: What physical impediments can interfere with the wireless network?
A:

[Assistant]
As we know, wireless signal is transmitted through the air, it can be very unstable. There are many facts may affect the transmission.
1. Wall:
Inside a building, wall is the most common impediment that makes the signal weak. Usually, it is very hard for a wireless router to transmit three thick concrete walls.
2. Mirror and metal:
As we all, mirror can reflect the light, it can also reflect the wireless signal. Meanwhile Metal can totally block the transmission.
Please avoid such things when you place your wireless devices. If you find your wireless signal is weak and there are some places can’t be cover, you can change a place or change the direction of the antenna. Or you can consider of our Range Extenders and Powerline devices to extend the coverage.


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q:
A:

[Assistant]
You may have a number of files such as word, photo (jpg) or video (avi) on your hard drive. It happens that you cannot read some files when you access the hard driver with it plugged into the USB of our router and sharing function enabled.
Case 1
Case 2


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q:
A:

[Assistant]
Since there are too many USB flash drive/HDD drive from different manufacturers in the market, it is hard to make our routers compatible with all the devices.
  Before troubleshooting, please make sure that the hard drive works fine when it is connected directly to your computer.
Case 1
Case 2


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q:
A:

[Assistant]
The Media Server feature allows to view photos, play music and watch movies on the USB drive directly with DLNA-supported devices, such as on your computer, pad and PS2/3/4.
Insert your USB storage device into the router’s USB port directly or using a USB cable. Wait several seconds until the USB LED becomes solid on.
Tips:
• If you use USB hubs, make sure no more than 2 devices are connected to the router.
• If the USB storage device requires using bundled external power, make sure the external power has been connected.
• If you use a USB hard drive, make sure its file system is FAT32 or NTFS.
• Before you physically disconnect a USB device from the router, safely remove it to avoid data damage: Go to USB Settings > USB Mass Storage and click Disconnect.
To share specific folders:
1. Visit http://tplinkwifi.net, and log in with the username and password you set for the router.
2. Go to USB Settings > Media Server.
3. Click Enable to enable the Media Server.
4. Click Add New Folder. Specify a name for the folder to be shared in the Share Name field. And select the folder you want to share.
5. Click Apply.
To access the USB disk:
Now the DLNA-supported devices (such as your computer and pad) connected to the router can detect and play the media files on the USB disk.
Go to Computer > Network, and click the Media Server Name in the Media Devices section.
Note: Here we take Windows 8 as an example.
Get to know more details of each function and configuration please go to Download Center to download the manual of your product.


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q:
A:

[Assistant]
You can share specific folders on you USB drive on the LAN or access your USB drive outside the local area network.
For example:
• Only share specific folders with clients on the LAN.
• Share photos and other large files with your friends without logging in to (and paying for) a photo-sharing site or email system.
• Get a safe backup for the material for a presentation.
Insert your USB storage device into the router’s USB port directly or using a USB cable. Wait several seconds until the USB LED becomes solid on.
Tips:
• If you use USB hubs, make sure no more than 2 devices are connected to the router.
• If the USB storage device requires using bundled external power, make sure the external power has been connected.
• If you use a USB hard drive, make sure its file system is FAT32 or NTFS.
• Before you physically disconnect a USB device from the router, safely remove it to avoid data damage: Go to USB Settings > USB Mass Storage and click Disconnect.
To set user accounts:
1. Visit http://tplinkwifi.net, and log in with the username and password you set for the router.
2. Go to USB Settings > User Accounts.
3. Choose the Index for the account and specify a new username and password in the New Username and New Password fields, and reenter the password for confirmation.
Note: For an account with Index 1, it is the Super User with full access to all active volumes and shared folders.
4. Click Set.
5. You can check the newly added account and also edit or delete the account.
To set up your FTP server:
1. Visit http://tplinkwifi.net, and log in with the username and password you set for the router.
2. Go to USB Settings > FTP Server.
3. Click Enable to enable the FTP Server.
4. Click Enable to enable the internet access to the FTP server.
5. Specify a port number for the Service Port. The default value is 21.
6. Click Apply.
To specify a folder to be accessed via the FTP server:
1. Go to USB Settings > FTP Server.
2. Click Add New Folder.
3. Specify a name for the folder to be shared in the Share Name field. And select the folder you want to share. And determine the access right of user accounts.
4. Click Apply.
5. You can check which folder is shared and also edit or delete the folder.
To access the USB disk locally:
For Windows:
Open the Windows Explorer (or go to Computer), type the server address ftp://tplinkwifi.net in the address bar, enter a username and password and then press [Enter].
Note: Here we take Windows 8 as an example.
For Mac:
1) Click Go in the top left corner of the desktop and go to Connect to Server.
2) Type the server address ftp://tplinkwifi.net.
3) Click Connect.
4) When prompted, select the Registered User radio box and enter a username and password.
To access the USB disk remotely:
For Windows:
1) Open the Windows Explorer (or go to Computer, only for Windows users) or open a web browser.
2) Type the server address in the address bar:
Type in ftp://<WAN IP address of the router>:<port number> (such as ftp://59.40.2.243:21). If you have specified a domain name for the router, you can also type in ftp://<domain name>:<port number> (such as ftp://MyDomainName:21)
3) Press [Enter].
4) Access with the username and password.
Tips: You can also access the USB disk via a third-party app for network files management, which can resume broken file transfers.
Get to know more details of each function and configuration please go to Download Center to download the manual of your product.


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q:
A:

[Assistant]
Share your USB storage device with different users on the network.
To set user accounts:
1. Visit http://tplinkwifi.net, and log in with the username and password you set for the router.
2. Go to USB Settings > User Accounts.
3. Choose the Index for the account and specify a new username and password in the New Username and New Password fields, and reenter the password for confirmation.
Note: For an account with Index 1, it is the Super User with full access to all active volumes and shared folders.
4. Click Set.
5. You can check the newly added account and also edit or delete the account.
To access the USB disk:
1. Connect Your USB Disk
Insert your USB storage device into the router’s USB port directly or using a USB cable. Wait several seconds until the USB LED becomes solid on.
Tips:
• If you use USB hubs, make sure no more than 2 devices are connected to the router.
• If the USB storage device requires using bundled external power, make sure the external power has been connected.
• If you use a USB hard drive, make sure its file system is FAT32 or NTFS.
• Before you physically disconnect a USB device from the router, safely remove it to avoid data damage: Go to USB Settings > USB Mass Storage and click Disconnect.
2. Access Your USB Disk
By default, all the network clients can access your USB disk. Refer to the following table for access instructions.
For Windows:
Open the Windows Explorer (or go to Computer), type the server address \\tplinkwifi.net in the address bar, enter a username and password if required and then press [Enter].
Note: Here we take Windows 8 as an example.
For Mac:
1) Click Go in the top left corner of the desktop and go to Connect to Server.
2) Type the server address smb://tplinkwifi.net/volume1.
3) Click Connect.
Note: Here we take volume1 (share name of the folder) for example.
4) When prompted, select the Guest radio box (If you have set up a username and password to deny anonymous access to the USB disk, you should select the Registered User radio box.
To customize your settings:
1. Visit http://tplinkwifi.net, and log in with the username and password you set for the router.
2. Go to USB Settings > Storage Sharing.
1) Enable Server Status.
2) Anonymous access to all volumes - This function is enabled by default, so users can access all activated volumes of Storage Sharing without accounts. If you want to add a shared folder which does not allow anonymous login, uncheck the box to disable this function. And Folder Table will be displayed as shown below.
• User Access - The authorization of the user is displayed. * users mean Super Users who have the full-access permission to all activated volumes and share folders. Grey users mean the users who have no right to use this function. Others are common users.
3) Click Add New Folder to add in a folder here. Browser and add the folder and create a Share Name. And set authorization access for the user accounts. Directory shows the real full path of the specified folder.
Get to know more details of each function and configuration please go to Download Center to download the manual of your product.


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q:
A:

[Assistant]
With Time Machine function, you can select the USB drive connecting to TP-Link router as the backup disk of your MacBook.
Settings on router
Step 1
Go to Advanced – USB Settings – Time Machine and then enable the function.
Step 2
Select a backup disk and set up the size limit for backup and then save it.
Step 3
Go to Advanced – USB Settings – Sharing Access, set up your Sharing Account and then save it.
Settings on MacBook
Step 4
Make sure your MacBook is connected to the router. Open System Preferences and click on Time Machine on your MacBook.
Step 5
Select BackupTM on Archer C9 as Backup Disk.
Step 6
Enter the Sharing Account of the router and then Connect.
Step 7
Succeed! You can back up your data to the external disk now.
Get to know more details of each function and configuration please go to Download Center to download the manual of your product.


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q:
A:

[Assistant]
If your printer has Ethernet port or Wi-Fi function please ignore this article, and contact technical support of your printer's company.
The feature of Printer Sharing helps you share a printer with different computers connected to the router.
1. Install the Driver of the Printer
Make sure you have installed the driver of the printer on each computer that needs printer service. If you do not have the driver, contact the printer manufacturer.
2. Connect the Printer
Connect a printer to the USB port with the USB cable. Wait several seconds until the USB LED becomes solid on.
3. Install the TP-Link USB Printer Controller Utility
TP-Link USB Printer Controller Utility helps you access the shared printer. Download and Install the utility on each computer that needs printer service.
1) Visit https://www.tp-link.com/technology-library/tp-link-router-with-versatile-usb-connectivity/.
2) Click PC Utility (for Windows users) or Mac Utility to download the installation file and extract it.
3 ) Open the uncompressed folder, then click TP-Link USB Printer Controller Setup (for Windows users) or TP-Link UDS Printer Controller Installer (for Mac users) to install the utility.
4. Access the Printer
You should set the shared printer as Auto-Connect Printer on every computer that needs printer service.
1) Double-click the icon on your desktop to launch the USB Printer Controller.
2) Highlight the printer you share.
3) Click the Auto-Connect for printing tab to pull down a list, then select Set Auto-Connect Printer.
4) Select the printer you share, then click Apply.
5) You will see the printer marked as Auto-Connect Printer. Now you can print with this printer.
Note:
1. The Print Server also allows different clients to share the scan feature of MFPs (Multi-Function Printers). To scan with TP-Link USB Printer Controller, right-click the printer and select Network Scanner. Then, a scanning window will pop up. Finish the scanning process by following on-screen instructions.
2. Our TP-Link would be compatible with a large proportion of USB printers from most of main brands, like HP, Canon, Epson, Brother, Samsung and Lenovo, etc. If your printer is still not working with our router, it might be the compatibility issue.
Get to know more details of each function and configuration please go to Download Center to download the manual of your product.


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q:
A:

[Assistant]
The feature of Media Sharing allows you to view photos, play music and watch movies stored on the USB disk directly from DLNA-supported devices, such as your computer, tablet and PS2/3/4.
1. When your USB disk is inserted into the router, your DLNA-supported devices (such as your computer and pad) connected to the router can detect and play the media files on the USB disks.
2. Refer to the following table for detailed instructions.
Get to know more details of each function and configuration please go to Download Center to download the manual of your product.


[System] You are a Wi-Fi router support assistant. Use the following community forum threads as your only knowledge source. Internalize each question and answer pair. When asked a new question, respond based solely on these threads and justify your answer by referencing specific insights from the discussion. If the information isn’t covered, reply “Unknown.”

[User]
Q:
A:

[Assistant]
Some customers reviewed that their win10 computers were unable to access HDD via USB Storage Sharing function. When this problem happens, computers would show error message as below:
What caused this issue?
This problem only happens on win10 computers which use Microsoft account to Login, if change to use local account, it won’t happen again. Win10 with Microsoft accounts use NTLMSSP version 10.0 in Samba request, while our SOHO routers only supports version 6.1. Win10 computers will no longer send Samba requests to our SOHO routers, when it finds routers using old version NTLMSSP. It seems like NTLMSSP version 10.0 is not compatible with 6.1. NTLMSSP is a private protocol defined by Microsoft itself, unless Microsoft includes a backwards compatibility, win10 computers with MS account Login can’t access HDD via USB Storage Sharing.
What should I do if this problem happens?
Currently, the only way to access HDD normally is to use Local account to Login win10 computers.
How to exchange Microsoft account to local account?
Step 1
Click on the left corner, then click “Settings”.
Step 2
Click “Accounts” , and you will find your Microsoft account.
Step 3
Add Local account. Click “Add someone else to this PC”.
Step 4
Right click “Users”, and New User.
Then, you will see the new local account as below.
Sign out your PC, and exchange to use local account to Login.