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Router Question
#54422 05/02/20 03:31 AM
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I am trying to set up a new TP-LInk 1750 router. I am having nothing but trouble. I am not asking for help just yet because my step-son is supposed to help me Monday.

My questions is this: In trying to set this router up, I am being told to connect my modem to my computer during the process. Of course, my Mac does not have an ethernet port which my modem would have to connect to. I do have an ethernet adapter (which I used), but is this step necessary in setting up a router since not all computers have ethernet ports anymore?

Last edited by cyn; 05/03/20 04:57 PM. Reason: Topic moved from Peripherals to Networking.

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Re: Router Question
plantsower #54426 05/02/20 01:21 PM
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So let's clarify your system just a bit more.....

As I understand things, you have three primary gizmos:

- a modem provided by your ISP to convert the WAN Wide Area Network (internet) into an ethernet wired LAN Local Area Network...

- a new TP-Link 1750 WiFi router that connects to the modem with an ethernet cable to distribute that wired LAN which your modem (otherwise called a gateway) has converted from the WAN....

- and ultimately, your computer to display the information wirelessly over the WiFi LAN that the new TP-Link 1750 router is broadcasting throughout your house.

So with that being the case, you should only need to configure the new router to replace the functions of your aged Belkin WiFi router that is going away.

I think I need one more detail for my understanding, but it's an easy question....how does your internet come into the house? Over the phone line, or through your cable TV cable? .....or some other way? Didn't you mention a microwave link somewhere in a prior post?

While you are reading through my description and confirming or adjusting it, I will go look up a user manual on the internet to see what your next steps with the new router will require.


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Re: Router Question
MacManiac #54433 05/02/20 04:34 PM
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Yes, we use microwave technology. I've followed the instructions included with the new router. I've watched several videos for the TP-Link router and followed those. I finally called TP-Link and waited an hour on the phone just to be told it's probably my modem. What?? It works fine with Belkin. Shouldn't it work with any other router?
Anyway, I am going to try it again in a few minutes. if you come up with some simple steps, I will try those if I can't get it to work. Otherwise, my step-son should be able to help me on the phone. Thanks so much for your interest and time.

**********

Originally Posted By: MacManiac
So let's clarify your system just a bit more.....

As I understand things, you have three primary gizmos:

- a modem provided by your ISP to convert the WAN Wide Area Network (internet) into an ethernet wired LAN Local Area Network...

- a new TP-Link 1750 WiFi router that connects to the modem with an ethernet cable to distribute that wired LAN which your modem (otherwise called a gateway) has converted from the WAN....

- and ultimately, your computer to display the information wirelessly over the WiFi LAN that the new TP-Link 1750 router is broadcasting throughout your house.

So with that being the case, you should only need to configure the new router to replace the functions of your aged Belkin WiFi router that is going away.

I think I need one more detail for my understanding, but it's an easy question....how does your internet come into the house? Over the phone line, or through your cable TV cable? .....or some other way? Didn't you mention a microwave link somewhere in a prior post?

While you are reading through my description and confirming or adjusting it, I will go look up a user manual on the internet to see what your next steps with the new router will require.


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Re: Router Question
plantsower #54435 05/02/20 05:44 PM
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Can you send me a link to the manual for the gizmo that brings the internet into your house using the microwave link? (or at least the device make and model so I can do a little research on what it actually gives you)


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Re: Router Question
MacManiac #54436 05/02/20 07:00 PM
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I asked for that info but was told you wouldn't need it for this. Anyway, he may not have it because I told him you were curious about microwave technology and I still didn't get the info.

Anyway, I need to get into http://tplinkwifi.net to configure my wireless internet since I can only work now with ethernet attached. I can't get into the site. I cleared my cache and cookies but can't get in right now. Hopefully, the site is just jammed. Maybe you can try and see if it will let you in. Thanks.




Originally Posted By: MacManiac
Can you send me a link to the manual for the gizmo that brings the internet into your house using the microwave link? (or at least the device make and model so I can do a little research on what it actually gives you)


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Re: Router Question
plantsower #54439 05/02/20 10:56 PM
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AAAAAaaaahhhhhh.....now I know what you're facing.

Looking in your user manual, in Chapter 2, page 8, Section 2.2, you will need to complete steps 1 thru 5 just as described, however, on page 9, Step 6, - SKIP METHOD 1: Wired - and take a good look at Method 2: Wirelessly.....there are two steps:

- first look on the bottom of the new TP-Link 1750 router and see what the name (SSID) is that your new router will be transmitting, and take note of the default password that is also written there....

- now go to your computer, pull down the WiFi fan to find that SSID (TP-Link_XXXX -or- TP-Link_XXXX_5G), click on it to join and use the password that you just took note of from the label on the bottom of the router.

Once you complete those two steps you are ready to move directly to Chapter 3.

In Chapter 3 there are two steps listed on page 12.....the first step is done on your computer in the Networking PrefPane of System Preferences, however, you are most likely ALREADY configured just as they describe - to get an IP address automatically - so really you can probably just skip this step and everything should work just fine.

The second step is where you got confused in your first (and subsequent) attempt(s) to get the new router online....the URL you are pointing your browser at <http://tplinkwifi.net> is NOT found on the internet, it is found inside the firmware of your new router and is a web-based configuration tool that your new router is broadcasting just for you.....it is only accessible from your Local Area Network, not from the internet side.

The first thing it will present you with after you click on "Let's get started" will be a place to set a password for logging back into the control tool later....don't worry about any of the other stuff about having a TP-Link account, as you don't have one and won't need one unless you want to start adding on those other features later.

Once your password is set, you are in Chapter 4 and you should now see an option to setup your internet connection - choose the Setup Wizard and it will lead you through the rest of your setup process.

When you are done with the wizard, you should be able to reach out on the internet to let us all know how it all went. If that doesn't seem to work, then have your stepson do his phone service with you on Monday to answer any questions for you.

....and for your safety net, simply keep the old Belkin WiFi router close at hand to plug back into your system and regain your old setup that was working before. This should not be needed, but it is an easy fix if things don't go the way you want with the new router.

So what do you think? Hit it, or wait for Monday?

Let us know.


Last edited by MacManiac; 05/03/20 03:46 AM. Reason: fixed typos...

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Re: Router Question
MacManiac #54440 05/03/20 02:06 AM
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Hi Rita,

I've gotten enough info now to bypass most of the geek-speak configuration stuff from the post above.

Looking at the modem your ISP provides, it brings the internet into your house through an ethernet cable connection to your router.....your router gets that internet connection by grabbing an IP address assignment from the modem (so it can communicate with your ISP), then it distributes your internet access to you by creating a WiFi Local Area Network. Your router connects wirelessly to your computer by assigning your computer an IP address (that only your LAN uses) so they can communicate.....the wireless connection that your new router will offer straight out of the box has an SSID (wireless network name) and password and these 2 pieces of information are actually printed on a label on the bottom of your new router.

So here's where it starts to get simple.....the router needs to get an IP address from the modem - it comes preconfigured to do this automatically by default. No action should be required on your part.

Your computer needs to get an IP address from the new router - it should already be configured to do that automatically. No action needed on your part to configure that part either.

What you need to do is simply this.....physically connect the router to the modem using the ethernet cable that used to connect to the old Belkin router. For the sake of consistency (to ensure a clean connection) you should have both the router and the modem powered off to start with, then turn on the modem and let it get happy - once the lights on the modem show a good connection to the WAN (internet), then turn on the new TP-Link 1750 and let it get happy....should only take a couple minutes for the lights on the router to show you that it has a connection to the modem and that the two WiFi networks are being transmitted.

Now on your computer you should look for one of the 2 WiFi networks (TP-Link_XXXX -or- TP-Link_XXXX_5G) that your new router is transmitting (remember the name of the network (SSID) and the password to join that network are both written on that label on the bottom of your new router). Click on the default WiFi name that your new router is broadcasting, then finish joining that wireless network by using the password that is also written on the label on the bottom of the new router.

You should now have full internet access from your computer, through the WiFi network to your router, and from there through the ethernet cable to the modem which connects to your ISP and the internet over the microwave Remotely Located service.

This should be enough for now....you can do the rest of the configuration stuff on Monday with your stepson over the phone. That part of the process is going to be where you give your wireless network a different name (SSID) of your choosing, change the wireless password to one of your own choosing, and set a password to secure access to your router's built-in web based configuration tool.

The geek-speak directions in my earlier post should help you get that part done when you're ready to go there....one thing to remember, computers are literal and stupid! When you change the network name (SSID) and the network password, your computer will need to be told to go join the NEW WiFi network you just made.....it will still be trying to rejoin the old network that was on the label on the bottom of the router (which no longer exists after you rename it)

Last edited by MacManiac; 05/03/20 03:45 AM. Reason: changed son-in-law to stepson...

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Re: Router Question
MacManiac #54441 05/03/20 03:30 AM
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Hi:

For whatever reason, my wireless internet is now working. I don't know what I did to make it work. This was before I got your very detailed instructions which I am going to keep for the future! If all goes well, I won't have to get help from my step-son on Monday. I will let him know this.

I just want to thank you for going out of your way to give me all the information I need if my router fouls up, or when I get a new one some day hopefully in the distant future.

As far as manuals, I didn't get one for my router. I just got a cheat sheet which wasn't very good. Is there a download for it that you were looking at?

Rita


Originally Posted By: MacManiac
Hi Rita,

I've gotten enough info now to bypass most of the geek-speak configuration stuff from the post above.

Looking at the modem your ISP provides, it brings the internet into your house through an ethernet cable connection to your router.....your router gets that internet connection by grabbing an IP address assignment from the modem (so it can communicate with your ISP), then it distributes your internet access to you by creating a WiFi Local Area Network. Your router connects wirelessly to your computer by assigning your computer an IP address (that only your LAN uses) so they can communicate.....the wireless connection that your new router will offer straight out of the box has an SSID (wireless network name) and password and these 2 pieces of information are actually printed on a label on the bottom of your new router.

So here's where it starts to get simple.....the router needs to get an IP address from the modem - it comes preconfigured to do this automatically by default. No action should be required on your part.

Your computer needs to get an IP address from the new router - it should already be configured to do that automatically. No action needed on your part to configure that part either.

What you need to do is simply this.....physically connect the router to the modem using the ethernet cable that used to connect to the old Belkin router. For the sake of consistency (to ensure a clean connection) you should have both the router and the modem powered off to start with, then turn on the modem and let it get happy - once the lights on the modem show a good connection to the WAN (internet), then turn on the new TP-Link 1750 and let it get happy....should only take a couple minutes for the lights on the router to show you that it has a connection to the modem and that the two WiFi networks are being transmitted.

Now on your computer you should look for one of the 2 WiFi networks (TP-Link_XXXX -or- TP-Link_XXXX_5G) that your new router is transmitting (remember the name of the network (SSID) and the password to join that network are both written on that label on the bottom of your new router). Click on the default WiFi name that your new router is broadcasting, then finish joining that wireless network by using the password that is also written on the label on the bottom of the new router.

You should now have full internet access from your computer, through the WiFi network to your router, and from there through the ethernet cable to the modem which connects to your ISP and the internet over the microwave Remotely Located service.

This should be enough for now....you can do the rest of the configuration stuff on Monday with your son-in-law over the phone. That part of the process is going to be where you give your wireless network a different name (SSID) of your choosing, change the wireless password to one of your own choosing, and set a password to secure access to your router's built-in web based configuration tool.

The geek-speak directions in my earlier post should help you get that part done when you're ready to go there....one thing to remember, computers are literal and stupid! When you change the network name (SSID) and the network password, your computer will need to be told to go join the NEW WiFi network you just made.....it will still be trying to rejoin the old network that was on the label on the bottom of the router (which no longer exists after you rename it)


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Re: Router Question
plantsower #54442 05/03/20 03:43 AM
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Yes Rita, there is a Santa Claus.....

Oh, different story-line!

https://www.tp-link.com/us/support/download/archer-c7/

I used this link to download the user manual, the quick start guide and to access the emulator that TP-Link has created as an online aid to review the actual web-based tool that you access in your router when you set it up. The emulator doesn't really connect to anything, but it will let you see and use the same web-based pages that you would be accessing for real when you use the tool that is built into your router....sort of an easy dress-rehearsal if you know what I mean.


Freedom is never free....thank a Service member today.
Re: Router Question
MacManiac #54454 05/03/20 05:13 PM
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Thank you! I downloaded the PDF of the full manual. That quick start really didn't help me much. This will be a great help. Thanks, Santa...


Originally Posted By: MacManiac
Yes Rita, there is a Santa Claus.....

Oh, different story-line!

https://www.tp-link.com/us/support/download/archer-c7/

I used this link to download the user manual, the quick start guide and to access the emulator that TP-Link has created as an online aid to review the actual web-based tool that you access in your router when you set it up. The emulator doesn't really connect to anything, but it will let you see and use the same web-based pages that you would be accessing for real when you use the tool that is built into your router....sort of an easy dress-rehearsal if you know what I mean.


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