TP-Link AC1750 Archer C7 (US) ver. 5.6

Hardware Questions and Recommendations
1

I bought on eBay a TP-Link AC1750 Archer A7 router with the intention of installing OpenWRT. I received it but the first thing I notice is the eBay listing says A7 but the label on the device says Archer C7 (US) ver. 5.6.

Connecting to the router on a LAN port, I can reach the HTTP web management page at 192.168.0.1, but it asks for a password which I do not have and the online user guide says to go to tplinkwifi.net which is stupid because I cannot get the router to work. I do not understand how this system of having to go online to configure the router makes any sense. I cannot see the need and I cannot see any benefit.

Connecting to the WAN port to the home router does not seem to give it internet connectivity. I would assume by default the WAN side would configure itself with DHCP but the router light shows no WAN connectivity.

I cannot configure the router from the LAN side and I cannot go to the tplinkwifi site to do it.

I cannot see the WiFi AP "on the air" so I assume the WiFi is turned off by default.

So, at this point I am stuck.

How can I get into the router so I can configure it?

2

You can try to reset to factory. There is a small hole labelled reset. Using a small pin, push the pin into the hole and hold it for 10 secs while the router power on

3

Sorry I forgot to mention I had already reset it.

4

The web address is served locally by the router and all initial passwords are on the printed label.
Can you post a link to local website with firmware updates?

5

I am afraid you are not understanding the problem. The password is not on the label. It requires the router to connect to TP-Link website. It requires Internet access which it does not have.
See

6

I am afraid you think were mindreaders, how exactly would we know this ?

Try TFTP flash https://openwrt.org/toh/tp-link/archer_c7#installation_or_restore_with_tftp

I'd ask for a refund from the seller, instead of trying to fix it.

7

Because I explained it in the OP?
Because that is the way this model is configured?

I do not think I am entitled to return it unless it is defective and it looks like it is not defective, that is the way this device is.
My interest is in getting it to work with OpenWRT if I can.
I am hoping someone familiar with this model can help me get into it.

8

You didn't, you wrote it was asking for a password...

If listing said A7 and you got a C7, it shouldn't matter if it's working or not, IMHO.

9

try admin:admin or admin:1234

10

I found the listing, kind of heading says A7, pictures say C7, hardware (maybe not flash layout) is identical:

11

The hardware for a7-v5 and c7-v5 is identical, the software aspects aren't (including the h/w ID and flash partitioning, but 15'728'640 vs 15'466'496 bytes usable space isn't really worth complaining about). Running OpenWrt, both models will behave exactly the same (+/- the 256 KB difference in usable flash size, advantage c7-v5).

http://tplinkwifi.net/ should work (yes, really), as it's supposed to resolve (locally) to 192.168.0.1, default access credentials should be user: admin, password: admin (unless otherwise specified on the product label on the bottom of your device), all as documented in TP-Link's own manuals…

1 Like
12

Just checked - it is printed on the box but not on the device :rofl:

13

OK, thanks, I finally got it to work. There were several things. First it was that I thought I had reset to factory state but in reality it was not successful. Then I was under the impression that tplinkwifi.net was an internet address which required Internet access. Thank you for clearing that up.

So, after doing the reset to factory settings again, this time successfully, and using tplinkwifi.net instead of 192.168.0.1 I did manage to enter the configuration pages with password "admin".

Typing address "192.168.0.1" does not work which I find confusing. I suppose the good part is that "tplinkwifi.net" will work no matter what the LAN address is.

Anyway, case closed and thanks to all.

14

Vendors are increasingly moving away from numeric IP addresses and restricting webif access for 'convenience' and to avoid rebinding- and cross-site attacks. No, the way they do that is not exactly sensible - and comes with its own pitfalls (when -not if- the 'special' domains used get into the wrong hands, it has happened, multiple times), but… c'est la vis.

15

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