TP-Link's two articles split the fault by what the router shows. If the Internet LED is off or the web page says WAN Port Unplugged, first confirm the cable is RJ45 Ethernet and not an RJ11 phone cable, then check it is seated in the WAN port, and replace it with a Cat5e or better cable if it looks worn. Connect a computer straight to the modem: if that has no internet, the modem or provider is the cause, so call the provider. If the computer works on the modem, plug the router's cable into a LAN port instead to test the WAN port hardware;
The checks in more detail
if both the Ethernet and Internet lights come on, the WAN port works and the problem is speed negotiation, so under Advanced, Internet, Internet Port Negotiation Speed Setting force 100 Mbps full duplex. For a router that is connected but has no internet, log in at tplinkwifi.net and read the Internet IP address under Advanced, Status: 0.0.0.0 means the router has not received an address from the modem, so restart the modem, clone the MAC address under Advanced, Network, Internet, MAC Clone, change the router's LAN IP if it clashes with the modem's range, or set DNS manually.
An orange Internet LED means the internet is not available. Write down the exact wording the web page shows, such as WAN Port Unplugged or an Internet IP of 0.0.0.0, because TP-Link support and your provider both start from that message, and it separates a cable fault from a provider fault at once. If a computer works directly on the modem but not through the router, the fault is in the router's settings or its WAN port, and that is exactly what TP-Link's port test and MAC clone step are designed to sort out.
A worked example: if the computer connected to the modem gets a web page but the router's Internet IP reads 0.0.0.0, the fault sits between them, and the MAC clone step fixes most of those cases within a minute, so try it before you spend an hour on anything else. If your provider supplies a modem with battery backup, its own lights may show a fault the Archer cannot see, and asking the provider to check the line at their end can shorten the search when everything at home tests fine.
Differential
Likely causes of “TP-Link Archer routers has Wi-Fi but no internet”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
A phone cable in the WAN port
What separates it The Internet light is off because a phone cable has been plugged into the WAN port
How to confirm Use an RJ45 Ethernet cable in the WAN port, and not an RJ11 phone cable
- 2
A modem or ISP fault
What separates it A computer also fails when connected straight to the modem because of a modem or provider fault
How to confirm Restart the modem and call the provider, since the fault lies outside your router
- 3
A provider tied to an old MAC address
What separates it The Internet IP address shows 0.0.0.0 because the provider expects an old device's MAC address
How to confirm Clone the MAC address of the old device in the router's settings, and restart the modem
- 4
A speed negotiation problem
What separates it The web page says WAN Port Unplugged on a single light model because of a speed negotiation problem
How to confirm Force the WAN port to 100 Mbps full duplex, as TP-Link describes for these models
- 5
A LAN IP clash
What separates it There is no internet after setup because the router's LAN address clashes with the modem's
How to confirm Change the router's LAN IP address to a different range, and restart the router
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The Internet LED color and any web page message
- The Internet IP under Advanced, Status
- Whether a computer works on the modem
- The make and model of your modem and the name of your provider
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedCheck the cable type
ReversibleCheck the cable type, since the WAN port needs an RJ45 Ethernet cable and not an RJ11 cable.
Reseat or replace it
ReversibleReseat or replace the cable, using a Cat5e cable or better between the modem and the router.
Test the modem
ReversibleTest the modem by connecting a computer directly to it, to see whether the internet works.
Test the WAN port
ReversibleTest the WAN port by using a LAN port with the same cable, to see whether the port is at fault.
Read the Internet IP
ReversibleRead the Internet IP address under Advanced and then Status, to see what the modem gave the router.
Clone the MAC
ReversibleClone the MAC address if the Internet IP address is 0.0.0.0, and restart the modem afterwards.
Force 100 Mbps
ReversibleForce 100 Mbps on single light models if needed, using the WAN port speed setting.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Web address
- Sign in at tplinkwifi.net or the address printed on the label.
- Wi-Fi 7
- The Archer BE900 is a quad-band Wi-Fi 7 router with wired multi-gig ports.
- Other models this page answers
- These steps also fit the Archer BE550 Wi-Fi 7 router, Archer AXE75 router, Archer AX73 router, Archer AX55 router.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If a computer on the modem has no internet, call the provider
- !If the LAN test shows both lights on but the WAN stays down after the speed change, contact TP-Link support with the model, hardware and firmware version
- !If the WAN port lights nothing, replace the router under warranty
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
RJ45 cable, modem test and WAN port test.
Internet IP, MAC clone and LAN IP.
Modem test, channel width, QoS and overheating.
Reset button and web reset.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
What does an orange Internet LED mean?+
An orange Internet light means that the internet is not available to the router.
What is WAN Port Unplugged?+
WAN Port Unplugged means the router does not detect a cable in its WAN port.
What is the wrong cable?+
The wrong cable is an RJ11 phone cable, which does not fit and does not work in the WAN port.
What does an IP of 0.0.0.0 mean?+
An IP address of 0.0.0.0 means the router got no valid address from the modem.
What is MAC clone?+
MAC clone copies an old device's address, so that the provider accepts the new router.
Which models are single-LED?+
TP-Link names examples such as the Archer AX3200, AX11000, AX6000 and C5400 as single light models.
Should I test the modem?+
Yes, test the modem, by connecting a computer straight to it, to see whether the line works.
What if the LAN test passes?+
If the LAN test passes, then the WAN port hardware is fine, and the fault is elsewhere.
How do I sign in to the Archer router?+
Go to tplinkwifi.net, or to the default address on the label, in a browser on a device connected to the router.
How long do I hold Reset on the Archer?+
Hold Reset for more than ten seconds while the router is powered on, until the lights show it has reset.
What does a factory reset erase?+
A factory reset erases all custom settings, including the wifi details, port forwarding and parental controls.
Can I reset the Archer from the web page?+
Yes, you can reset it from the web page, under Advanced, System and then Backup and Restore.
Should I back up the configuration first?+
Yes, back up the configuration before a reset, so that you can restore your settings afterwards.