TP Link TL-MR3420 Tutorial

1 | P a g e Whim ‘Wahroonga Farm’ on Whirlpool

TP-Link TL-MR3420 - 3G Activation Tutorial

Wahroonga Farms guide, using a pre-paid Telstra Elite usb Modem (ZTE MF668) on Telstra

NextG.

IMPORTANT - Update your modems firmware before first use.

Visit : http://www.tp-link.com.au/support/download.asp?a=1&m=TL%2DMR3420

The download may includes - ‘How to upgrade TP-LINK Wireless N Router&AP’ pdf.

Download the latest firmware file, extract it from the zip and store in it on your PC.

Installation

Connect your router PC and modem as shown. Refer to the User Manual (pdf) supplied on disc.

If you do not have ADSL; ignore that connection.

Power up the router and launch your favourite browser and

type http://192.168.1.1/

After a moment, a login window will appear.

Enter admin for the User Name and Password, both in lower

case letters. Then click ‘Remember my password’ and the OK

button or press the Enter key.

Latest

Firmware, see

notes at end

http://www.tp-link.com.au/support/download.asp?a=1&m=TL%2DMR3420

http://192.168.1.1/


This is screen you should see when you launch your browser at http://192.168.1.1/. The ‘off the shelf’

firmware status of my modem purchased in May 2011, was 3.11.11 Build 101104 Rel 70817n. The

hardware version (label underneath modem) displays VER 1.2.

Click on ‘System Tools’ -> ‘Firmware Upgrade’ and browse to the location of the extracted firmware

upgrade ‘.bin file’ on your PC. Click on the ‘Upgrade’ button

http://192.168.1.1/


Upgrading


After a couple of minutes the upgrade will be finished.

You may have to re-launch browser access http://192.168.1.1/

The new firmware version, Build 110418

http://192.168.1.1/


Scroll down the status screen and in factory default mode; the TL-MR3420 has already discovered the

MF 668 usb modem and is detecting signal. It is not yet connected. If you clicked ‘connect’ it may

attempt an automatic connect; however we will use the ‘Quick Setup’ for this.


Go to ‘Quick Setup’.

Click ‘Next’


If there is no ADSL connection this is what you will see. Click ‘Next’.

Here we setup the 3G connection. The router has many ISP configurations and it will probably get it

right, once you select your ISP. Note: Bigpond usb devices require a Username and Password.


Bigpond APN: telstra.bigpond. For manual setup of other ISP APNs visit this link. Click ‘Next’.

Here we setup the wifi security.

And we are done. Click ‘Reboot’.

http://whirlpool.net.au/wiki/Mobiles_APN


The status screen is now showing ‘3G connected’.

Here is the zippy speedtest at Gorokan NSW, using a wifi connection to the TP-Link.


I then connected a 6 or so dB omni to improve the signal.

Using my Telstra T90 tuff phone connected to the antenna at this same location, it indicated 5 bars, and

these are the results from the engineering menu:

RSSI -69dBm

RSCP -68dBm

Ec/Io -13dB

The TL-MR3420 reading is 70-74%.


A more detailed signal strength status from the modem would be desirable; however given the

multitude of modems that this router works with; this may be a tall order.

From my brief experience to date, this is a great 3G router, fully of features and the price is right.

It supports the Telstra Ultimate (Sierra 312U) and TP-Link do respond to problem queries.

Important note: The latest firmware 110617 provides a major revamp of 3G functionality.

110617 Modifications and Bug Fixes:

Fix the wrong warning error of PUK Lockup.

Fix the 3G Page hangs problem. (additional connection configuration settings)

Fix some dial-up problems caused by pppd quit.

Add or modify the ISP list.

Improve the compatibility.

Add PIN authentication on the 3G Page.

IF your modem is already in use, this upgrade will delete your 3G configuration data. Via the

TPLink Menu, use System -> Backup prior and System -> Restore after upgrade, to store and

recover your router configuration settings.


This is how it appears after the 110617 upgrade.

This is how I have configured the 3G page for Telstra after the upgrade.

TP Link TL-MR3420 Tutorial

Documents