TP-Link TL-WR841N Setup Manual

TP-Link TL-WR841N Setup Manual

300 mbps wireless n router
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WISP Setup Guide for TP-Link TL-WR841N 300 Mbps Wireless N Router

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide Colorado Technology Specialist

Summary

This document explains how to configure the TP-Link WR841N router to provide a secure private
network for Tax-Aide work. It is based on the document titled "WISP Setup Guide for TP-Link TL-
WR810N, produced by the Tax-Aide National Technology Committee.
Contents
WISP Setup Guide for TP-Link TL-WR841N 300 Mbps Wireless N Router .................................................... 1
Summary ................................................................................................................................................... 1
Overview ................................................................................................................................................... 1
Collect Information, Set Up Your Computer and Connect the Router ..................................................... 1
Router Setup ............................................................................................................................................. 2
Accessing the Router after Configuration ................................................................................................. 7
Recommended Configuration ....................................................................................................................... 8
Set Time Zone and Time ........................................................................................................................... 8
Check for New Firmware .......................................................................................................................... 9
Set the DHCP IP Pool Address Range ...................................................................................................... 15
Backup Configuration .............................................................................................................................. 16

Overview

This setup must be performed for first-time connection to the host site wireless network or
AARP hotspot, or if the host site's or hotspot's network name or password changes.
This setup makes the router work at one site or for hotspot only.
If connecting to a host site internet connection, the setup must be done at that site.

Collect Information, Set Up Your Computer and Connect the Router

1. Get the SSID (network name) and password for the network to which you are going to connect
(host site or AARP hotspot.)
2. Use a recently reimaged AARP laptop for the setup.
3. Get the SSID and the wireless password for the TP-Link TL-WR841N router from the label on its
bottom site. Note that the label is very small, smaller than pictured here.
September 7, 2018
1

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Summary of Contents for TP-Link TL-WR841N

  • Page 1: Table Of Contents

    2. Use a recently reimaged AARP laptop for the setup. 3. Get the SSID and the wireless password for the TP-Link TL-WR841N router from the label on its bottom site. Note that the label is very small, smaller than pictured here.
  • Page 2: Router Setup

    5. Connect to the router. Left click the WiFi symbol in the Windows system tray (normally in the lower-right corner of the Windows desktop), select the SSID for the TP-Link router, click the “Connect” button, type in the router’s factory wireless password (printed on the label on the bottom of the router), then press the “Next”...
  • Page 3 9. Quick Setup – Operation Mode: Select “Hotspot Router” or “WISP” then click the “Next” button: 10. Quick Setup – WAN Connection Type. Select “Dynamic IP” then click the “Next” button: 11. AP List. A list of WiFi networks will appear. (Your list will be different than illustrated here and may have only one WiFi network, the public network at the facility where you do taxes.) 12.
  • Page 4 13. Client Setting. If the host WiFi network at your facility requires a password to connect to, enter it in the Wireless Password field. Otherwise, leave this field blank: 14. AP Setting. (You will likely need to scroll down to see this entry field.) a.
  • Page 5 16. Reconnect to the router. Left click the WiFi symbol in the Windows system tray, select the name of the Tax-Aide network (TA, for example) from step 14, and click the “Connect” button. Next, enter the password created in step 14, then press the “Next” button. 17.
  • Page 6 18. Change the router administration credentials. a. Click on “System Tools” near the bottom of the left menu column, then on “Password” in the expanded menu. b. Enter the factory default router’s (“old”) username and (“old”) password (admin for both), then enter a “New User Name”, “New Password” and “Confirm Password”, then click the “Save”...
  • Page 7: Accessing The Router After Configuration

    19. Change the router IP address (optional but recommended). This will minimize issues related to IP address conflicts. a. Login using the new router administration Username and Password defined in the previous step. b. Click on “Network” in the left-hand menu, then “LAN”. Change the IP Address to 192.168.234.1, or to the IP address you prefer for your site.
  • Page 8: Recommended Configuration

    Recommended Configuration We recommend the following to further configure your router: • Set the correct time zone and time. Enable daylight savings time. • Update firmware to the latest available version • Backup configuration settings Set the DHCP IP Pool address range •...
  • Page 9: Check For New Firmware

    3. Change Time Settings: a. Change the time zone to your time zone. b. Ensure the date and time are set correctly in Windows on your computer. Then press the “Get from PC” button. c. Press the top “Save” button. d.
  • Page 10 2. Select “System Tools” then “Firmware Upgrade” from the left-hand menu: The router’s current firmware version will be displayed: 3. Check for a new firmware version on TP-Link’s Web. Click on the link shown in the help section on the right-hand side of the page:...
  • Page 11 4. Select “Support” on TP-Link’s Web site: 5. Enter the model number of your router (e.g. TL-WR841N), then press the search icon: 6. Click on “300Mbps Wireless N Router” next to the photo of the router: 7. Click on “Support” in the “Overview | Specifications | Support” submenu:...
  • Page 12 Note the version of the latest firmware and compare it to your current version: If the versions installed on your router is the same as the latest version offered on TP-Link’s site, you do not need to do anything. If it is newer, click on the blue text to download the new version.
  • Page 13 11. Select the “Choose File” button on the Firmware Upgrade page: 12. Locate the “bin” file in the location on your computer where you unzipped the download from TP-Link, click the filename to select it, then press the “Open” button: September 7, 2018...
  • Page 14 13. Press the “Upgrade” button: The upgrade will be installed on the router. Once complete, the router will automatically reboot. September 7, 2018...
  • Page 15: Set The Dhcp Ip Pool Address Range

    Set the DHCP IP Pool Address Range By default, the TP-Link WR841N router enables one-hundred computers at one time to connect. If you set the Default Gateway address to 192.168.234.1 as described in step 19 on page 7, the range of IP addresses that will be assigned to computers and other devices (cell phones, tablets, etc.) is from...
  • Page 16: Backup Configuration

    “192.168.234.10”, which is outside the range of 192.168.123.20 to 192.168.123.50. Using this technique, the IP address of the printer will remain the same, so that all laptops on your network will be able to assume that the printer has the same address as the last time the router was restarted. To set a fixed IP address for a printer, you use either the printer’s front panel controls, or the printer’s Web page.
  • Page 17 You may want to rename this to something more meaningful using the model of the router and today’s date, for example: “TP-Link TL-WR841N Router Backup 2018-09-18.bin”. 5. At a later time, or with a different router of the same model, you can use the Restore button on this screen to load the router with the defaults you just saved.

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