diff --git a/content/blog/2020-11-08-setting-up-tp-link-archer-c5400-in-ap-mode/c5400.jpg b/content/blog/2020-11-08-setting-up-tp-link-archer-c5400-in-ap-mode/c5400.jpg new file mode 100644 index 0000000..418f185 Binary files /dev/null and b/content/blog/2020-11-08-setting-up-tp-link-archer-c5400-in-ap-mode/c5400.jpg differ diff --git a/content/blog/2020-11-08-setting-up-tp-link-archer-c5400-in-ap-mode/contents.lr b/content/blog/2020-11-08-setting-up-tp-link-archer-c5400-in-ap-mode/contents.lr new file mode 100644 index 0000000..bec5ba3 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/blog/2020-11-08-setting-up-tp-link-archer-c5400-in-ap-mode/contents.lr @@ -0,0 +1,65 @@ +_template: blog/post.html +--- +pub_date: 2020-11-08 +--- +title: Setting up TP-Link's Archer C5400 in AP mode +--- +body: + +I recently bought a firewall router for home to improve our general stability (ISP provided routers kinda suck) and +improve security at home. The more smart devices connected to the network the more concerned I become of this kind +of stuff. + +In this case my problem was very simple: I have the firewall router and the access point router. My access point +router (TP-Link's Archer C5400) exposes it's own DHCP server over it's own LAN segment. For my firewall router to +work properly it has to recognise all devices on the network and with the access point creating it's own LAN, +everything connected via Wifi was showing up in the firewall as one device (the access point router). + +![Archer C5400](./c5400.jpg) + + + +The router's interface didn't allow me to set up AP mode, thus only letting me use it as a router. I contacted support +and they told me that the version the router I had (V1) didn't support AP mode only the newest version (V2, from 2017) +supported it, or some other latest devices. + +I didn't want to gave up on my router because it improved my wireless performance at home significantly from the ISP +router and even some Unifi's I tried in the past but in the end I got an AX6000 to try it out (which was the newer +version of the one I have so I expected it to perform similarly). +We tested it for some days and wireless performance wasn't as good as with the C5400 and some of our devices lost +connectivity from time to time so I ended up returning it and keeping the one I had. + +After thinking for a while and even considering looking for a C5400-V2 I tested to manually set it up on my access +point before wasting more money on devices, after all, I was very happy with this one. And to my surprise I could +enable AP mode on the router very easily. + +## Instructions + +1. Connect to your C5400 via Wifi (Ethernet should work as well) + +2. Disconnect the WAN cable from the router (you will lose internet connection but you can access the C5400's web + interface) + + ![Internet](./internet.png) + +3. Disable DHCP. You will retain your lease until you reconnect again. + + ![DHCP](./dhcp.png) + +4. Give the router a free IP address from the range your router is exposing on it's LAN segment. + + ![LAN](./lan.png) + + In this case the LAN segment is `192.168.1.0/24` and the DCHP esposes from the `192.168.1.150`-`200`, + in order to have the IP easily accesible I gave it the `192.168.1.2` while the router is the `192.168.1.1`. + +5. Connect an ethernet cable coming from the router to a LAN port (**not WAN**). + +6. Reboot your router. + +After your access point has finished rebooting it should have the IP address you set on the LAN settings and +all devices connected to the access point should have their IP Addresses allocated by the router, successfuly +making the C5400 a proper access point. + +I'm unsure if this works in other models as well, but I belive it should and if you came here looking for a +change give it a try and let me know if it worked for your model as well so I can update the post accordingly. diff --git a/content/blog/2020-11-08-setting-up-tp-link-archer-c5400-in-ap-mode/dhcp.png b/content/blog/2020-11-08-setting-up-tp-link-archer-c5400-in-ap-mode/dhcp.png new file mode 100644 index 0000000..08d9ff2 Binary files /dev/null and b/content/blog/2020-11-08-setting-up-tp-link-archer-c5400-in-ap-mode/dhcp.png differ diff --git a/content/blog/2020-11-08-setting-up-tp-link-archer-c5400-in-ap-mode/internet.png b/content/blog/2020-11-08-setting-up-tp-link-archer-c5400-in-ap-mode/internet.png new file mode 100644 index 0000000..35303e1 Binary files /dev/null and b/content/blog/2020-11-08-setting-up-tp-link-archer-c5400-in-ap-mode/internet.png differ diff --git a/content/blog/2020-11-08-setting-up-tp-link-archer-c5400-in-ap-mode/lan.png b/content/blog/2020-11-08-setting-up-tp-link-archer-c5400-in-ap-mode/lan.png new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0d64116 Binary files /dev/null and b/content/blog/2020-11-08-setting-up-tp-link-archer-c5400-in-ap-mode/lan.png differ