TP-Link PHAROS SERIES User manual

"
"
"
User Guide "
For TP-LINK Pharos Series Products
"
"
"
REV1.0.1
1910011568

CONTENTS
About This Guide .................................................................................................................................1
Chapter 1 Overview ........................................................................................................................2
Introduction................................................................................................................................................................................ 2
System Requirements ............................................................................................................................................................. 2
Getting Started .......................................................................................................................................................................... 2
Navigation ................................................................................................................................................................................... 4
Chapter 2 Operation Modes ...........................................................................................................5
Access Point ................................................................................................................................................................................ 5
Client.............................................................................................................................................................................................. 6
Repeater (Range Extender) ................................................................................................................................................... 7
Bridge............................................................................................................................................................................................ 7
AP Router ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 8
AP Client Router (WISP Client) ............................................................................................................................................. 8
Chapter 3 Quick Setup Guide .........................................................................................................9
Access Point ................................................................................................................................................................................ 9
Client............................................................................................................................................................................................11
Repeater (Range Extender) .................................................................................................................................................13
Bridge..........................................................................................................................................................................................16
AP Router ...................................................................................................................................................................................19
AP Client Router (WISP Client) ...........................................................................................................................................21
Chapter 4 Status Tab .....................................................................................................................26
Status Information..................................................................................................................................................................27
Monitor.......................................................................................................................................................................................31
Chapter 5 Network Tab .................................................................................................................36
WAN .............................................................................................................................................................................................37
LAN...............................................................................................................................................................................................43
Forwarding ................................................................................................................................................................................45
Security.......................................................................................................................................................................................49
Access Control..........................................................................................................................................................................51
Static Routing...........................................................................................................................................................................52
Bandwidth Control .................................................................................................................................................................53
IP&MAC Binding ......................................................................................................................................................................54
Chapter 6 Wireless Tab..................................................................................................................56
I

II
Wireless Basic Settings..........................................................................................................................................................57
Wireless Client Settings ........................................................................................................................................................59
Wireless AP Settings...............................................................................................................................................................60
Multi-SSID ..................................................................................................................................................................................65
Wireless MAC Filtering ..........................................................................................................................................................66
Wireless Advanced Settings................................................................................................................................................67
Chapter 7 Management Tab .........................................................................................................69
System Log ................................................................................................................................................................................70
Miscellaneous...........................................................................................................................................................................71
Ping Watch Dog.......................................................................................................................................................................72
Dynamic DNS............................................................................................................................................................................73
Web Server ................................................................................................................................................................................74
SNMP Agent..............................................................................................................................................................................75
SSH Server .................................................................................................................................................................................76
RSSI LED Thresholds...............................................................................................................................................................77
Chapter 8 System Tab....................................................................................................................78
Device..........................................................................................................................................................................................79
Location......................................................................................................................................................................................79
User Account ............................................................................................................................................................................79
Time Setting..............................................................................................................................................................................80
Firmware Update ....................................................................................................................................................................82
Configuration ...........................................................................................................................................................................83
Chapter 9 Tools List.......................................................................................................................84
Ping ..............................................................................................................................................................................................84
Traceroute..................................................................................................................................................................................85
Speed Test..................................................................................................................................................................................85
Survey..........................................................................................................................................................................................87
Spectrum Analysis ..................................................................................................................................................................88
Appendix A: Pharos MAXtream TDMA .............................................................................................89
Appendix B: Glossary ........................................................................................................................90

About This Guide
This User Guide contains information for setup and management of TP-LINK Pharos series products. Please
read this guide carefully before operation.
When using this guide, please notice that features of the product may vary slightly depending on the
model and software version you have, and on your location, language, and Internet service provider. All
screenshots, images, parameters and descriptions documented in this guide are used for demonstration
only.
The information in this document is subject to change without notice. Every effort has been made in the
preparation of this document to ensure accuracy of the contents, but all statements, information, and
recommendations in this document do not constitute the warranty of any kind, express or implied. Users
must take full responsibility for their application of any products.
More Info
The latest software, management app and utility can be found at Download Center at http://www.tp-
link.com/support.
The Installation Guide can be found where you find this guide or inside the package of the product.
Specifications can be found on the product page at http://www.tp-link.com.
A Technical Support Forum is provided for you to discuss our products at http://forum.tp-link.com.
Our Technical Support contact information can be found at the Contact Technical Support page at
http://www.tp-link.com/support.
- 1-

Chapter 1 Overview
Chapter 1"Overview
Introduction
is TP-LINK's next generation outdoor product series dedicated to long-distance outdoor
wireless networking solutions.
is a powerful Web-based operating system, which is integrated into all Pharos series
products.
New features of Pharos series products are listed as follows:
Provides User-friendly UI design.
TP-LINK Pharos MAXtream (Time-Division-Multiple-Access) technology improves product
performance in throughput, capacity and latency, which are ideal for Point-to-multipoint applications.
Supports multiple operation modes: Access Point, Client, Repeater (Range Extender), Bridge, AP
Router and AP Client Router (WISP Client).
Provides system-level optimization for long-distance wireless transmission.
Supports adjustable transmit power by 1dBm.
Supports selectable bandwidth of 5/10/20/40MHz.
Supports easy antenna alignment with Wireless Signal Indicators on Web interface.
Provides Throughput Monitor, Spectrum Analyzer, Speed Test and Ping tools.
Supports discovery and management via Pharos Control application.
System Requirements
Operating system:
Microsoft Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Linux, or Mac OS X
Web Browser:
Google Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Apple Safari. IE browsers are not recommended.
Getting Started
To access the PharOS Configuration Interface, perform the following steps:
1."Configure the Ethernet adapter on your computer with a static IP address on the 192.168.0.x subnet
(for example, IP address: 192.168.0.100 and subnet mask: 255.255.255.0).
2."Launch your Web browser. Enter the default IP address of your device in the address field. Press Enter
(PC) or Return (Mac).
For Example, enter 192.168.0.254 to access the PharOS.
- 2-

Chapter 1 Overview
3."Upon initial login, enter admin in the Username and Password fields, and select the appropriate
language from the Language drop-down lists. Check the box next to I agree to these terms of use,
and click Login.
4."We recommend you change the device’s user name and password from its default settings for
network security. Enter and confirm new user name and password, then click Finish.
5."For subsequent logins, you only need to enter the user name and password that you have set to log
in.
- 3-

Chapter 1 Overview
- 4-
Navigation
The PharOS Web Interface contains six main tabs, each of which provides a Web-based management page
to configure the specific parameters of the Pharos series products.
Quick Setup
On Quick Setup Guide, you can quickly configure your device through the step-by-step Quick Setup
Wizard.
Status
The Status Tab displays a summary of the link status information, current values of the basic configuration
settings (depending on the operating mode), network settings and information, and traffic statistics.
Network
The Network Tab configures the function of WAN, LAN, forwarding, security, access control, static routing,
bandwidth control and IP&MAC binding.
Wireless
On The Wireless Tab, you can configure the related wireless parameters in different modes.
Management
The Management Tab configures system management services: System Log, Miscellaneous, Ping Watch
Dog, and Dynamic Domain Name System (DDNS). Web server, Simple Network Management Protocol
(SNMP), SSH server, RSSI LED Thresholds are also available.
System
The System Tab controls system maintenance routines, device customization, location management, user
account management, firmware update, Time setting and configuration backup.
Tools
The Tools list provides some useful tools including Ping, Traceroute, Speed Test, Survey and Spectrum
Analysis.

Chapter 2 Operation Modes
Chapter 2"Operation Modes
The Pharos series products support six modes to satisfy user’s diversified network requirements including
Access Point mode, Client mode, Repeater (Range Extender) mode, Bridge mode, AP Router mode and AP
Client Router (WISP Client) mode. This chapter introduces typical usage scenarios of each mode. You can
choose the desired scenario according to your needs, and refer to the Installation Guide for hardware
connection instruction and Chapter 3 Quick Setup Guide for software configuration.
Access Point
In AP mode, the device acts as a central hub and provides wireless access point for wireless clients, thus
the AP mode is very applicable to the following three scenarios. Meanwhile, Multi-SSID function can be
enabled in this mode, providing up to four wireless networks with different SSIDs and passwords.
Scenario 1
Network requirements: Establish the network coverage in the remote areas without long-distance cabling.
The device in the network: In the adjacent town covered by wired network, ISP (Internet Service Provider)
can put up a device in AP mode with the access to ISP network by connecting to ISP’s router to transform
wired signal into wireless one. The remote users can put up a device in AP Client Router mode to access
the Internet the AP device provides wirelessly.
Advantages: Transmit data wirelessly across a long distance and reduce the cabling cost.
Network diagram:
Scenario 2
Network requirements: Combine two separate office networks as one.
The device in the network: Two devices in AP and Client mode respectively connect to the switches in two
office networks so as to connect two office networks.
Advantages: Establish a point-to-point WLAN across a long distance to achieve the connectivity between
two networks and avoid the cabling trouble.
- 5-

Chapter 2 Operation Modes
Network diagram:
Scenario 3
Network requirements: Establish wireless network coverage in the campus, community, industrial park or
public places to provide wireless access points for wireless users.
The device in the network: With the access to campus wired network or other wired local area networks,
the device in AP mode provides the wireless access point based on the existing wired network for wireless
clients, such as smart phones, laptops and tablets.
Advantages: Increase wireless access points and enrich the access ways of local area network.
Network diagram:
Client
Network requirements: The most common usage scenario of Client is point-to-point networking with AP
for combining two separate office networks. Please refer to Scenario 2 of Access Point for detailed
information.
The device in the network: In this mode, the device actually serves as a wireless adapter to receive the
wireless signal from root AP or Station. In the case, wired devices can access the network provided by root
AP or Station through connecting to Client.
- 6-

Chapter 2 Operation Modes
Network diagram:
Repeater (Range Extender)
The device in Repeater mode can extend wireless coverage of an existing wireless network. The SSID and
encryption type of the device should be the same as those of root AP.
Network requirements: Repeat wireless signal.
The device in the network: If you want to combine two networks via wireless connection but the distance
is beyond the networks’ wireless coverage range, you can put one or more devices in Repeater mode
along the path to repeat the wireless signal and extend the wireless transmission range.
Network diagram:
Bridge
Network requirements: Reinforce the wireless signal strength of the root AP device to eliminate the
wireless signal-blind areas. Meanwhile, the wireless users can use the SSID and encryption type different
from those of the root AP device to access the network.
The device in the network: Similar to the Repeater mode, the Bridge mode is used to reinforce the exiting
wireless signal. However, the very difference is that the Bridge has its own SSID and encryption type
different from those of root AP.
- 7-

Chapter 2 Operation Modes
- 8-
Network diagram:
AP Router
Network requirements: Establish the wireless network coverage in the campus, community, industrial park
or other public places and so on.
The device in the network: Similar to the home wireless router, the device in AP Router mode connects to
root ADSL/Cable Modem. The difference lies in that the coverage area of this device is wider. Smart
phones, laptops, and other wireless clients can share wide area network via the access to wireless network
this device provides.
Network diagram:
AP Client Router (WISP Client)
In AP Client Router mode, after accessing the wireless network provided by WISP, the device provides
wireless network service for downstream wireless clients. Meanwhile, the device allows wired devices,
such as desktop computer, to access it via LAN1 port or PoE adapter’s LAN port. In this way, all members of
a home user can share the Internet using one account applied from WISP.

Chapter 3 Quick Setup Guide
Chapter 3"Quick Setup Guide
Quick Setup wizard allows you to quickly configure your device step by step. Choose the suitable
operation mode according to your network environment and follow the step-by-step instructions.
Access Point
If Access Point is selected, click Next and take the following steps:
1."The LAN Settings page will appear as shown below. The default IP Address is 192.168.0.254 and the
default Subnet Mask is 255.255.255.0. You can change the IP Address and Subnet Mask on this page
when there is an IP conflict with other devices. We recommend you keep it by default. Click Next.
- 9-

Chapter 3 Quick Setup Guide
2."The Wireless AP Settings page will appear as shown below. Create an easy-to-remember name for
your wireless network. We recommend to select WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK in the Security box and enter
the PSK Password below to prevent unauthorized access to your AP. Enter the distance between this
device and the furthest client in Distance Setting. Then click Next.
3."The Finish page will appear and display what you’ve configured previously. If you want to modify any
parameter, click Back to reconfigure it. If all are confirmed, click Finish to complete the configuration.
- 10 -

Chapter 3 Quick Setup Guide
Client
If Client is selected, click Next and take the following steps:
1."The LAN Settings page will appear as shown below. The default IP Address is 192.168.0.254 and the
default Subnet Mask is 255.255.255.0. You can change the IP Address and Subnet Mask on this page
when there is an IP conflict with other devices. We recommend you keep it by default. Click Next.
2."The Wireless Client Settings page will appear as shown below. Click Survey to search for wireless
networks.
- 11 -

Chapter 3 Quick Setup Guide
3."The AP list will appear as shown below. Select the desired wireless network and click Connect. It’s
possible that two or more networks use the same SSID in the AP list. Lock to AP can make the device
connect to the specified AP you had connected before the next time.
4."If the root AP needs password to be connected, you should select the same Mode, Channel Width
and Security type and enter the same PSK Password as entered on the root AP/router. Enter the
distance between this device and the root AP in Distance setting. Then click Next.
- 12 -

Chapter 3 Quick Setup Guide
5."The Finish page will appear and display what you’ve configured previously. If you want to modify any
parameter, click Back to reconfigure it. If all are confirmed, click Finish to complete the configuration.
Repeater (Range Extender)
If Repeater (Range Extender) is selected, click Next and take the following steps:
1."The LAN Settings page will appear as shown below. The default IP Address is 192.168.0.254 and the
default Subnet Mask is 255.255.255.0. You can change the IP Address and Subnet Mask on this page
when there is an IP conflict with other devices. We recommend you keep it by default. Click Next.
- 13 -

Chapter 3 Quick Setup Guide
2."The Wireless Client Settings page will appear as shown below. Click Survey to search for wireless
networks.
3."The AP list will appear as shown below. Select the desired wireless network and click Connect. It’s
possible that two or more networks use the same SSID in the AP list. Lock to AP can make the device
connect to the specified AP you had connected before the next time.
- 14 -

Chapter 3 Quick Setup Guide
4."If the root AP needs password to be connected, you should select the same Mode, Channel Width
and Security type and enter the same PSK Password as entered on the root AP/router. Enter the
distance between this device and the root AP/router in Distance setting. Then click Next.
5."The Finish page will appear and display what you’ve configured previously. If you want to modify any
parameter, click Back to reconfigure it. If all are confirmed, click Finish to complete the configuration.
- 15 -

Chapter 3 Quick Setup Guide
Bridge
If Bridge is selected, click Next and take the following steps:
1."The LAN Settings page will appear as shown below. The default IP Address is 192.168.0.254 and the
default Subnet Mask is 255.255.255.0. You can change the IP Address and Subnet Mask on this page
when there is an IP conflict with other devices. We recommend you keep it by default. Click Next.
2."The Wireless Client Settings page will appear as shown below. Click Survey to search for wireless
networks.
- 16 -

Chapter 3 Quick Setup Guide
3."The AP list will appear as shown below. Select the desired wireless network and click Connect. It’s
possible that two or more networks use the same SSID in the AP list. Lock to AP can make the device
connect to the specified AP you had connected before the next time.
4."If the root AP needs password to be connected, you should select the same Mode, Channel Width
and Security type and enter the same PSK Password as entered on the root AP. Enter the distance
between this device and the root AP/router in Distance setting. Then click Next.
- 17 -