TP-Link Archer C7 Series Installation guide

FAQ
What should I do if I cannot find my wireless
network or I cannot connect the wireless
network ?
If you fail to find any wireless network, please follow the steps below:
• Make sure the wireless function of your device is enabled if you’re using a laptop with built-in
wireless adapter. You can refer to the relevant document or contact the laptop manufacturer.
• Make sure the wireless adapter driver is installed successfully and the wireless adapter is
enabled.
• On Mac
(1)Turn off and on Wi-Fi/Airport.
(2) Reinstall or update driver of the wireless adapter.
• On Windows 7/8/10
1) If you see the message No connections are available, it is usually because the wireless
function is disabled or blocked somehow.
2) Click Troubleshoot and windows might be able to fix the problem by itself.
• On Windows XP
1) If you see the message Windows cannot configure this wireless connection, this is usually
because windows configuration utility is disabled or you are running another wireless
configuration tool to connect the wireless.
2) Exit the wireless configuration tool (the TP-Link Utility, for example).

3) Select and right click on My Computer on desktop, select Manage to open Computer
Management window.
4) Expand Services and Applications > Services, find and locate Wireless Zero Configuration
in the Services list on the right side.
5) Right click Wireless Zero Configuration, and then select Properties.
6) Change Startup type to Automatic, click on Start button and make sure the Service status is
Started. And then click OK.
If you can find other wireless network except your own, please follow the steps below:
• Check the WLAN LED indicator on your wireless router/modem.
• Make sure your computer/device is still in the range of your router/modem. Move it closer if it
is currently too far away.
• Go to Advanced > Wireless > Wireless Settings, and check the wireless settings. Double
check your Wireless Network Name and SSID is not hided.
If you can find your wireless network but fail to connect, please follow the steps below:
Authenticating problem/password mismatch:
1) Sometimes you will be asked to type in a PIN number when you connect to the wireless
network for the first time. This PIN number is different from the Wireless Password/Network
Security Key, usually you can only find it on the label of your router.
2) If you cannot find the PIN or PIN failed, you may choose Connecting using a security key
instead, and then type in the Wireless Password/Network Security Key.

3) If it continues to show note of Network Security Key Mismatch, it is suggested to confirm
the wireless password of your wireless router.
Note: Wireless Password/Network Security Key is case sensitive.
Windows unable to connect to XXXX/cannot join this network/Taking longer than usual to
connect to this network:
• Check the wireless signal strength of your network. If it is weak (1~3 bars), please move the
router closer and try again.
• Change the wireless Channel of the router to 1, 6 or 11 to reduce interference from other
networks.
• Re-install or update the driver for your wireless adapter of the computer.
Setting up parental controls on TP-Link
wireless routers via Tether APP
I want to: Control what types of websites my children or other home network users can visit and
the time of day they are allowed to access the internet.
For example, I want to allow my children’s devices (for example, a computer or a tablet) to access
all websites except only www.tp-link.com and amazon.com from 08:00 to 20:00 every day on
Tether APP.
How can I do that?
Here takes Archer C7 V4 as demonstration.
Step 1:
Launch the Tether APP.

Step 2:
Log in your TP-Link ID. If you don’t have one, please click on Sign Up to create a TP-LINK
Cloud ID.

Step 3:
Once logged, please click the icon of your TP-LINK device and access it. Then tap on Tools.

Step 4:
Tap on Parental Controls and enable it.

Step 5:
Add your controlled devices and set a schedule for these devices.
Note: this schedule is the Effective Time for Parental Control Rules not internet access time for
your controlled devices.
Step 6:
Set the restriction Policy for the controlled devices. There has two
rules, Blacklist and Whitelist. Click Blocked Websites, you can add many keywords or websites
(for example, TP-Link.com or Amazon.com) for both Blacklist and Whitelist to only allow or
block access to the websites containing that keyword.
1) In Blacklist mode, the controlled devices cannot access any websites containing the specified
keywords during the Effective Time period.
2) In Whitelist mode, the controlled devices can only access websites containing the specified
keywords during the Effective Time period.

Step 7:
Click Save and now you can control your children’s internet access according to your needs.
What can I do if I forget the password of my
cloud account bound to the TP-Link wireless
router?(New Logo)
Note:
1. This FAQ is suitable for TP-Link wireless router with cloud functions, such as Archer C8 V3,
Archer C9 V3/V4 and etc.
2. Currently most of the applicable models only support the online upgrade feature, and other
cloud functions will be added in the future firmware.
3. As for Archer C5400 V1, only the EU version supports the cloud services. Please check
the hardware version on the label at the back of the router.
A TP-Link account is bound to the TP-Link wireless router so that the customer can manage
their router remotely.
If you forget the password of your TP-Link cloud account, please follow the steps below to reset
your password.
On the web management page:
1. Connect your computer to the router either via Ethernet or wirelessly. Then open a browser
and type http://tplinkwifi.net in the address bar, press Enter.
2. On the web management page of TP-Link router, please click Forgot password.
3. Enter the email address you used to for your TP-Link cloud account, then click Next.

4. A request email will be sent to your mailbox. If you don’t receive the email, please
tap Resend. Go to the bottom of this FAQ and follow on Reset password by email.
On the Tether APP:
1. Go to the Login page of the Tether APP, click Forgot Password. Then enter the email used for
your TP-Link cloud account in the Email box, and tap Submit.

2. A request email will be sent to your mailbox. If you don’t receive the email, please
tap Resend after one minute. Then go to the bottom of this FAQ and follow on Reset password
by email.

On the TP-Link cloud website:
1. Open a browser, type https://www.tplinkcloud.com in the address bar and press Enter. You
will see the login page of TP-Link cloud account, just click Forgot password.

2. On the pop-up webpage, please type in your registered email address, and click OK. A request
email will be sent to your mailbox. Then go to the bottom of this FAQ and follow on Reset
password by email.
Reset password by email:
1. Open the request email, and then tap Click to Reset Password.

2. On the pop-up webpage, please enter and confirm your new password, then click Save. Now
you can login the router with your new password.
How to improve my wireless speed or range?
Overview:
To improve the wireless speed or range, it is highly recommended to work on the following common solutions:
Choosing the best location
Optimizing configuration of the device

Upgrade the equipment
Symptom:
Weak wireless signal showed, low wireless speed or range.
Cause:
The factors most frequently affecting the wireless signal:
1) Intrinsic factors:
·Transmission Distance.
Regarding on the wireless device particularly working on 5GHz band, it will be more sensitive to the obstacle.
Though there will be more clear channels than those of 2.4GHz bands, the wireless signal will be reduced
significantly and transmit in shorter range due to higher frequency.
·Antenna.
Omni-directional antennas and directional antennas
Omni-directional antennas are resembled in our home products like wireless router or wireless ADSL2+ Modem
Routers, they radiate horizontally all around, but are weaker upward or downward as the picture shows.
While a directional antennas radiate strongly in a particular direction which are usually used for high power
outdoor products. The gain of a directional antenna increases, also with the coverage distance, but the effective
coverage angle decreases. Generally, the higher gain value of an antenna, the better directional ability will be.
For directional antennas, the lobes are pushed in a certain direction and little energy is there on the back side of
the antenna. Please refer the picture below.

This phenomenon will be more significant once you deploy the High-Gain antenna, so we recommend that to
confirm precise on horizon direction otherwise there be unexpected dramatic signal loss.
·Wireless Communication Performance.
Higher transmission rates, better performance
2) Extrinsic factors:
- Physical Barriers, such as wall or clapboard and so on;
- Other similar devices and other sources such as microwave ovens, cordless phones or other technologies that use the
same band as Bluetooth
- There are more than one AP or wireless routers working in the same Channel.
- The location where an AP or wireless router is placed. You'd better to place the device at a higher location to reduce
the barrier’s countercheck.
Solution:
l Choosing the best location
1) Antennas should be positioned for best location and direction
- Deploy the antenna in good location and correct angle, and also make sure your wireless client devices are in the
coverage;

- For multi-story buildings wireless coverage, we recommend to placing 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 router or access point.
2) Try best to avoid the extrinsic interference
- Avoiding the physical interference in the wireless coverage, each wall or ceiling will have a negative effect on
wireless radio particularly the ones built by solid metal material ;
- Keep your device away from various electromagnetic noise sources that generate RF noise, like microwaves,
Monitors, electric motors, copying and fax machines, etc.
l Optimize configuration of the device
- For TP-Link wireless products, we recommend to do corresponding settings to avoid the interference from other
networking and radio frequency equipment.
First, please log into the product and you can refer to this link as guidance. Here we take TL-WR1043ND user
interface as an example and then please go to Wireless->Wireless settings and change the channel settings, the
default value is Auto and here we recommend select 1, 6 or 11 if you suffer high wireless interference.
For 802.11b&g, there are 14 channels designated in the 2.4 GHz range and three non-overlapping channels
recommended: 1, 6 and 11 (1, 7 and 13 in part European region, please obey your local regulations or laws).
Sometimes the “well-known” channels will be also crowded and we recommend to select the appropriate one
adjusted to your local environment.
Why my default wireless network name/SSID
has been changed after upgrading the
firmware?

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 “E8-DE-27-83-4C-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.

How to enable Media Sharing on the Wi-Fi
Routers (new logo)?
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.