Router update. Updating the firmware of a TP-Link WiFi router

Hello dear friends. Let's continue the topic today Wi-Fi router oh, I'll tell you how to flash a Wi-Fi router and I’ll show you how to do this using a router as an example TP-Link TL-WR841N. I’ll also write a few words about why this is all needed and what results can be obtained after flashing the router.

I have been wanting to write this article for a long time, and with each new comment on the article How to connect and configure a TP-Link TL-WR841N Wi-Fi router? my desire only intensified. There are just a lot of problems that arise during the setup process and Wi-Fi work routers, and not only TL-WR841N. In the article linked above, I described a little the process of updating the TL-WR841N firmware, but for some reason it seems to me that everyone who configures the router according to these instructions simply does not pay attention to the update process software on a Wi-Fi router.

When I installed the router at home, I immediately updated the firmware, and for almost six months of work I haven’t had a single problem. And judging by the comments to the article on setting up the TL-WR841N router, people are having a lot of problems. Most often, this is an interrupted Internet connection, a network without Internet access, or devices simply do not want to connect to Wi-Fi.

Of course, you shouldn’t blame the Wi-Fi router for everything; there may still be problems, both with the devices you want to connect and with the Internet connection itself. But the more stable the router works, the fewer of these problems that I wrote about above will be.

What am I getting at? And to the fact that Wi-Fi routers need to be updated, not just necessary, but necessary. It’s not just that manufacturers release software updates, in these updates they correct errors, thereby increasing the stability of the router itself. There are, of course, exceptions where errors are not corrected, but added, but this is rare. Moreover, the firmware is not complicated and takes a few minutes. I'll demonstrate it now.

As I already wrote, I’ll show you how to update the software on the TP-Link TL-WR841N router, but if you have a different router, then read it anyway, since the update process is not very different. Just about to write this article, I went to the site and saw that there was a new update for my router. Great, let's update!

Attention! You only need to flash the router by connecting it to the computer via a network cable. You cannot update the firmware via Wi-Fi! If your computer has Wi-Fi, turn it off. Do not turn off the router while updating the firmware!

Attention! Make sure you have selected the correct firmware. If the firmware is not for your device, then you may lose the warranty and the router itself.

Attention! At the time of flashing, disconnect the cable from the WAN socket from the router (cable from the provider).

Attention! All settings will be reset to factory settings, but that’s okay, you can set it up in a couple of minutes. You can also make a copy of the settings before flashing the firmware, and after flashing the firmware, simply restore them. I wrote about this in the article “How to save router settings and restore them if necessary? For example TP-Link router“

Before downloading the firmware, we need to find out the hardware version of our router. If you upload the firmware of a different version, there may be bad consequences, be careful. We take the router, turn it over with the antennas down and see what version is indicated there.

You see, it says “Ver: 7.2”, which means I need to download the update for version 7. Remember what version you have.

We go to the site (in our case) http://www.tp-linkru.com and in the search bar on the site we write the model of our Wi-Fi router, by the way, the model is also indicated at the bottom of the device itself.

We look at the search results and select our router. I need TL-WR841N.

Go to the “Downloads” tab.

So, now where “Software” is opposite the version of our router, select “Firmware”, I have V7 and chose it.

We download the first firmware on the list, in theory this is the newest. You can also look at the date. To download, just click on the link and save the file, for example, to your desktop. As you can see, the firmware is small, 3.1 MB.

Now we need to extract the file with the software from the archive that we downloaded. You can simply drag the file to your desktop, like I did.

That's it, the firmware is there, you can start updating.

The process of updating the firmware on the TL-WR841N Wi-Fi router

We need to go into the router settings. It must be connected to the computer via a network cable. I have written more than once in other articles about how to get into the settings. We enter 192.168.1.1 in the address bar of the browser, you can also try 192.168.0.1. Then enter your login and password to access the settings (standard admin and admin). Click “Submit”.

Immediately go to the “System Tools” and “Firmware Upgrade” tab.

Click “Browse...”, select the update file that we extracted from the archive, and click “Open”.

Click on the “Upgrade” button, a message will appear, click “OK”.

We wait until the firmware update process finishes and the router reboots.

The router will reboot and a window will appear asking for a login and password to enter the settings. Since all settings have been reset to factory settings, we use admin and admin to log in.

All firmware versions on the router are updated! Now all that remains is to make some settings. I just specified the name and password for the Wi-Fi network, and also changed the login information for the settings.

Well, it seems like I wrote everything I wanted, I think that my instructions will be useful to you. Good luck!

Any router, like many other complex devices, is equipped with flash memory with a set of firmware that is necessary to launch, configure and operate the device. At the manufacturing plant, each router is flashed with the latest firmware at the time of release BIOS version and up to certain moment this built-in software is quite enough for correct operation in different conditions operation. But the hardware manufacturer may release a new version of the firmware with greater capabilities and correction of identified errors. So how to flash a TP-Link router correctly and safely?

The ability to independently reflash a TP-Link router, if necessary, can be very useful to any user of network equipment. There is nothing very complicated in this process, the main thing is to follow the logic and sequence of actions. Exercise healthy caution and thoughtfulness, because unsuccessful firmware may damage your router, and you will lose your right to warranty repair of the device.

So where to start? Connecting Personal Computer or laptop to router via RJ-45 cable. A wireless connection via Wi-Fi is undesirable due to the relative instability of data transmission. Ideally, it is very good to take care of uninterrupted power supply for the device being flashed and the PC, if this is possible in your conditions.

1. First, we find out exactly the model of our router. If the accompanying documentation for the device has not been preserved, then this information can always be found on the back of the router case.



2. Then we read and remember the hardware revision version of the router on the same label. Any router model may have several of them and the firmware is mutually incompatible. Therefore, be careful!



3. Now we know exactly for which device we need to find new firmware and go to the official website of the router manufacturer.
4. On the TP-Link website go to the section "Support", where we will find everything we need to flash the device.



5. On the next web page we go to the block "Downloads".



6. In the search bar, start typing the model number of your router and move to the page for this device.



7. Then confirm the current hardware version of your device and click on the link "Firmware".



8. From the list of firmware versions, select the latest, most recent version by date and begin downloading the file to HDD computer or other media.



9. We wait until the file is completely downloaded and unpack it in the archiver. We remember the location of the received file in BIN format.



10. Now in any Internet browser in the address bar we type 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1 and click Enter to log into the router's web interface. In the authentication window that appears, enter the username and password, by default they are identical - admin.



11. In the device web interface that opens, in the left column, click on the line "System Tools".



12. In the submenu that pops up, click on the column "Firmware Upgrade", that is, we begin the process of updating the router firmware.



13. On the right side of the page, left-click on the button "Review" to specify the path to the installation file.



14. In the Explorer window, find the BIN file pre-downloaded from the TP-Link website, click on it with LMB and confirm the selection by clicking on the icon "Open".



15. By pressing a button "Upgrade" we start upgrading the router’s firmware.



16. In a small window, we finally confirm our decision to update the firmware version of our router.



17. We wait until the upgrade progress bar is completely painted over. This takes a few minutes.



18. The device reports the successful completion of the firmware update and goes into automatic restart. We patiently wait for the router to reboot.



19. In the column "Firmware Version" we observe information about new firmware router (build number, date, release). Ready! You can use it.

Rollback to factory firmware

When incorrect operation devices with the latest version of firmware and for other reasons, the user of the router can at any time roll back the router firmware to the factory one, that is, installed by default. You can read in detail about how to do this in another article on our website by clicking on the link below.

At the end of this article, let me give you one more piece of advice. During the router BIOS upgrade, try to prevent the device from being used for its intended purpose, for example by disconnecting the cable from WAN port. Good luck!

Every day the Internet becomes more and more firmly entrenched in our lives. Therefore, high-quality and fast access networking is the key to success. But often when connecting, problems and various questions may arise that in every possible way prevent you from achieving your goal. One of them is a glitch in the router firmware. In the event of such a malfunction, most owners of their devices take them to service center, however, you can reflash the router at home.

What is it for?

Why does the router need a software update? The need to flash the device is usually caused by the following reasons:

1. Disable Wi-Fi.
2. Router freezes.
3. The DHCP service does not work to automatically configure a network connection.
4. The VPN connection is not established.
5. Slow data transfer speed.

It should be noted that the process of updating the router firmware is almost identical on all devices, regardless of the manufacturer’s brand. Therefore, this article will discuss the general course of action that must be performed in order to update the router firmware.

Finding suitable firmware

First of all, you need to determine the router model. To do this, you just need to turn the device over. There will be a sticker on the bottom cover of the case indicating its model and version. All this information needs to be remembered; it will be useful when choosing firmware.

Where and how to download firmware for routers - video:

On the manufacturer's website

It should be noted that the largest segment of the market in Russia is occupied by routers from TP-Link and D-Link, so most likely you will have to look for firmware there. The manufacturer's website is also indicated on the bottom cover of the device.

On the website of your Internet provider

Recently, large companies such as Beeline or MTS have been selling Internet routers on behalf of their brand. For such models, the firmware is usually created separately. It is located on the Internet provider’s website, similar to the previous point, in the “Downloads” section.

On third-party Internet resources

You can also find improved or so-called modified firmware. To do this, simply enter the router model in the search bar. But no one can guarantee that the files that get onto the computer will not be a virus or will not completely damage the router when flashing the firmware. This method is not recommended for those who are doing flashing for the first time.

Preparing the device

In order to update the router you need to disable network cable provider, and also disable Wi-Fi on all devices connected to it. These measures will protect the device from possible interference and interference from outside.

Thus, the device must be connected only to the electrical network and the computer from which the router firmware will be updated.

IMPORTANT! Since the device is turned on and off several times during flashing, it cannot constantly support one Wi-Fi network. That is why firmware is installed only via a network cable and cannot be done via a Wi-Fi network.

The process of updating the Wi-Fi router firmware

First, you need to go to the web interface of the router itself. This is done quite simply: everything is on the same back cover There is another sticker on the router case, which contains data that allows you to access the internal settings of the device.

Additional video on flashing the router:

Typically, such data is contained under the heading “Default settings”, which means that these settings were preset by default by the manufacturer. Under the heading there is an IP address, as well as a login and password for accessing the internal settings of the router.

The IP address must be entered into the address bar of the browser (standard 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1). After which the router’s web interface will launch and prompt you to enter your login and password to access the settings (standard admin and admin).

After you have gained access to the router settings, you need to make a restore point. To do this, go to the “Device Operation” or “System Tools” tab and look for the “Backup and restore” or “Restore settings” section there. Next, you need to click on the “Backup” button and save the file with the current settings to any convenient location on your hard drive.

IMPORTANT! Whenever manipulating the software, it is recommended to create a parameter restore point. This is done in order to restore existing settings in case of unforeseen situations. This can save you not only nerves, time, but also money that can be spent on calling a specialist from your Internet provider.

Next, we proceed directly to the firmware. You need to go again to the “Device Operation” or “System Tools” tab and find the “Firmware update” or “Software Update” section there. Select the new firmware file that was downloaded earlier by clicking the “Select file” button. After which you need to flash the router, confirm the selected actions and wait until the firmware is completed.

IMPORTANT! You cannot perform any actions with the router while flashing the firmware. This may result in a crash during which old firmware will be deleted, and the new one will not be installed yet. In such cases, the chances of restoring the device at home will be very small.

After flashing, the router will reboot and will be ready for further configuration of the new firmware.

Restoring previous operating parameters

After successful update router, you need to restore the previously existing settings. The file that was created earlier is just useful for this.

You need to go to the “Backup and restore” section and simply load the file with the previous settings by clicking the “Restore” button.

Thus, the procedure for flashing the router is quite simple and does not require a lot of time, however, it must be done with a certain amount of care, since incorrect actions can lead to damage to the device. After correct flashing of the router, the device will work stably, quickly and without any failures, providing the signal quality declared by the manufacturer.

For some reason, everyone is afraid to update software, and not only on routers. This is probably due to the fact that there is a risk of turning the device into a brick. But this is a wrong opinion. Yes, if you want to flash the router with some third-party firmware and do not follow the instructions, then anything can happen. But, if you download a new version of the software from the manufacturer’s website, strictly for your model and for the hardware version of your device, and follow the instructions, then nothing bad will happen.

In this article, I will not talk about exactly how to update the firmware (this information is in a special article, see the link at the end of the article). I will try to answer the questions in detail:

• Where you need to download new versions of software for Tp-Link routers. I'll show you how to do this using the example of one of the models.
• I’ll write and show you how to choose the right firmware for your router. By model and hardware version of your network device from Tp-Link. It is very important.

If you are interested in the question of whether it is necessary to update at all, then it is unlikely that you will find a specific answer anywhere. Many people adhere to this rule: if everything works, then it’s better not to touch it. On the one hand, this is correct. But, on the other hand, in new versions of router software, manufacturers correct errors, introduce some new features, and improve the operation of the device.

If you bought a router, then most likely it already has the latest firmware, but this is not always the case. Before you start setting it up, it's best to make sure that installed version the newest one. If your router has been running for a long time, then most likely there is already an update for it, and it is advisable to install it.

If you install the correct firmware from the official website, then you will not lose the warranty on your router. Tp-Link provides support for official firmware.

But, installing third-party software such as DD-WRT will void the warranty on your device

These instructions are suitable for all popular Wi-Fi routers from Tp-Link: TL-WR841N, TD-W8968, TL-WR842ND, TD-W8960N, TL-MR3420, TL-WR843ND, TL-WR1043ND, TL-WDR3600, TL-WR741ND , TL-WDR3500 and others.

How to determine the current firmware version?

Everything is very simple. Just go to settings. To do this, connect to the desired router, via cable, or via Wi-Fi (only to watch current version, you cannot flash over Wi-Fi!), in any browser, in the address bar go to http://192.168.1.1, or http://192.168.1.1. A password and login request will appear. Default - admin And admin(if you haven't changed them).

Enter them and the control panel will open in front of you. Immediately, on the tab Status we can see the software version that is installed on our router.

You can leave this page open so that later, when you download the software, you can check whether there is an update for your model or not.

We are looking for and downloading the correct firmware for the Tp-Link router

In order to download the correct software version, you need to know your router model and hardware version.

This information can and should be viewed on the bottom (or side) of the router on a sticker. It looks something like this:

As you can see, our model is TL-WR841N, and the hardware version is 7.2. Version 7.2 means you have V7. And we will download the firmware for V7. If, for example, you have Ver: 8.2, then the software is needed for V8.

Next, go to the official website of the company, directly to the download page http://www.tp-linkru.com/support/download/.

We look for the model of your router on this page. By default, the page with wireless equipment (regular Wi-Fi routers) will open. On the left, in the table, you can select a section with other equipment. For example, routers with support for 3G/4G modems, wired routers, ADSL modems, etc.

When you find your model, click on the link.

On the next page, select the hardware version that we learned above. For example, I have V7. We click on it.

The firmware that is at the very top is the newest. You can check its version with the one you already have installed. And, if the version on the site is newer, you can download the software and update it. On the right, in the table, you can see information on the software version. It shows the release date, language, archive size, description of changes, etc.

In order to download the archive with the firmware, click on the link next to the green arrow.

Save the archive to your desktop, for example.

In this article I will tell you how to flash a TP-Link TL-WR741ND router without outside help. The material I wrote will be useful to people who do not know why to flash a router and how to do it correctly at home. It should be said that, similar to the process of flashing the TP-Link TL-WR741ND router, you can flash some other TP-Link router model. Well, if you understand the principle of the router firmware process, and don’t do everything according to a template, you can flash any router.

Do not also forget that you need to flash the router only in cases where it is necessary. For example, the router freezes, loses the network, or Wi-Fi turns off... In addition, you can flash a TP-Link router or some other manufacturers if you find out that new version The firmware contains technical changes that you need to fine-tune the router, and maybe support for some standards has appeared. If everything works flawlessly and there are no technical changes in the new firmware that you need, then there is no need to update the firmware.

By the way, if you noticed weak signal Wi-Fi in wireless network, this does not mean that you need to flash the router. The router may be positioned incorrectly or other sources may be affecting the signal. Try to immediately determine whether the devices are receiving from the router or.

Firmware is a firmware that is located in the non-volatile memory of a computer, tablet, mobile phone, GPS navigator or any other digital computing device. On in simple language This operating system, which in turn consists of many small programs. The firmware (firmware) is contained in, and the process of updating it is called flashing.

By the way, before flashing your router model, you should understand well that as soon as you change the software in it, you will automatically lose the warranty from the manufacturer.

Preparing and flashing the TP-Link TL-WR741ND router.

To flash the TP-Link TL-WR741ND router, you need. Insert one end of the patch cord () into network card computer, and the other into one of the four yellow LAN ports of the TP-Link TL-WR741ND router.

When updating the firmware, you should never turn off the power, because this will damage the router. Also, during the firmware update, the router cannot be rebooted and updated over the wireless network. In addition, you need to disconnect all patch cords from it (except for the computer router), including the Internet cable (WAN port).

First of all, make sure that the computer and the router have a connection. That is, the computer must receive network parameters from the router. For example, in the network settings of a computer running Windows XP or Windows 7, you can set the IP address and DNS servers in "Receive automatically".

To configure automatic IP address and DNS settings in Windows XP, you need to select “Start> Control Panel” go to “Network and Internet Connections> Network connections" Right-click on “Connect via local network", select "Properties" and "Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)" and click the "Properties" button. The network settings should be set to “Obtain an IP address automatically” and “Obtain a DNS server address automatically.” Click "Ok".

For automatic settings IP address and DNS settings in Windows 7, you need to go to “Start> Control Panel> Network and Sharing Center and shared access" Select “Local Area Connection” in the window that opens, click “Properties”, highlight “Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)” and click “Properties” again. The IP address and DNS server parameters should be assigned automatically.

If you already have access to the administrative control panel, then you do not need to prepare for the firmware of the TP-Link TL-WR741ND router. By the way, make it a rule before updating your router firmware backup copy current settings. If after flashing all the router settings are lost, you can load the saved copy. Otherwise you will have to do it again, through WEB interface or using the wizard (Quick Installation Assistant).

In the administrative panel, click on “System tools” and go to “Backup and Restore” and make a backup copy (here you can download it). First of all, let's look at how to flash the TP-Link TL-WR741ND (KS) router from the Kyivstar company.

How to flash the Kyivstar TP-Link TL-WR741ND(KS) router.

In the past, I myself was the owner of an auction router from Kyivstar. I can say that this is a pretty decent budget router if we consider it in terms of price. That is, the price-quality ratio is appropriate. I won’t talk about the functionality of the TP-Link TL-WR741ND (KS) router from Kyivstar, however, in my router model I noticed unstable operation (there were periodic freezes). To rid it of glitches and remove a number of restrictions from it (the function is hidden in the menu Firmware update...), I decided to flash it.

By the way, you also need to flash a router from Kyivstar if you are going to connect this device to another provider. Of course, the terms of the contract must be observed. Before flashing the TP-Link TL-WR741ND (KS) router, you need to look at the nameplate glued to the bottom and read which version the model belongs to. According to the version of your equipment, you need to download the firmware for it.

Hardware Version: Ver 2.0

Hardware Version: Ver 2.4

Hardware Version: Ver.4

I repeat that you do the router firmware at your own peril and risk. Since I have been flashing the TP-Link TL-WR741ND (KS) router for quite a long time, I will be grateful for any constructive addition. Friends! If you don’t mind, write in the comments which version of the equipment is suitable or not suitable for the proposed firmware.

Now, in order to disconnect from the provider, you need to paste the link into the address bar of your browser and follow it. If necessary, enter the default password and login kyivstar.

http://191.168.1.1/userRpm/SoftwareUpgradeRpm.htm

After this you should be taken to a hidden firmware page. Unzip the downloaded firmware and indicate its location in the form.

Click the "Update" button to start the firmware process.

After the firmware update process, the router will automatically reboot and you will be able to access it from the Bridge page menu. MAC address cloning, Firmware update…

By the way, after all these steps, access to the router settings panel will change from kyivstar to admin, which is set by default by the manufacturer. And also, depending on the version of the firmware you are using, the login address may change from 191.168.1.1 to 191.168.0.1. After this, you can try updating the firmware to the latest version from the official website. Read on to find out how to do this.

How to flash a TP-Link TL-WR741ND router.

To flash the TP-Link TL-WR741ND Wi-Fi router, you first need to find and download the current firmware version for the router (we are talking about official firmware). Unless, of course current version There is firmware on the official website for your version of the router. I already mentioned above that there are several hardware versions of the TP-Link TL-WR741ND router.

Therefore, for the firmware process to be successful, the firmware version must match the router hardware. You can see the version of the equipment on the label glued to the bottom of the router (look at the image below from the official website) and, in accordance with your version of the device, download it from the official Internet resource of TP-Link latest version firmware.

For example, if your router version is Ver 1.1, then download the firmware for V1, and if Ver 4.20, then download for the hardware version Ver4. Before downloading the firmware, be sure to look at the “Notes” line. Incorrectly selected firmware can damage the router.

Download the latest firmware from the official website: TP-LINK 741 ND.

Unpack the firmware and log into the router's admin panel. To do this, enter 191.168.1.1 in the address bar of the browser (after updating the firmware, the address may change to 191.168.1.0) and in the window that appears, fill in the user name and password (admin by default). In chapter System Tools click on the item Firmware update and on the page that opens, indicate the location of the firmware and click the button "Update".

The update procedure may take several minutes and once completed, the router will automatically reboot. Now, at a minimum, your TP-Link TL-WR741ND router has improved stability under heavy load.

Attention! You update the firmware at your own risk. Please be aware that if the firmware update process fails, your device may become damaged.

Guys! When asking a question in the comments, indicate the auction or official patient is being stitched. In conclusion of the article, I suggest watching a video on setting up access control on the TP-Link TL-WR741ND.