TP-Link's slow-internet article states that a router that is covered, placed in a confined space or left in direct sunlight can overheat, which leads to slow speeds and can lead to drops and restarts. Give the router air: keep the vents clear, do not stack it on a warm modem or set-top box, and do not put it in a cabinet. A router that restarts by itself needs a look at power first: use the original adapter, try another outlet, and consider a surge protector or a UPS.
The checks in more detail
Firmware can also cause restarts, so update it. Check the LEDs before and after a restart: a router that never gets past the boot pattern, or a SYS LED that flashes oddly, points to firmware or hardware. A factory reset held for more than ten seconds clears configuration faults but erases settings, so back up first, and a router that keeps restarting after a reset should be replaced under the 2-year limited warranty.
Unplug a router that is very hot, swollen or smells of burning. Restarting the modem and router in order, modem first after two to three minutes, is the normal restart routine. Feel the top of the router after an hour of use. Warm is normal; too hot to keep your hand on is not, and it usually means poor airflow, a covered vent or a failing power supply.
If the restarts follow a storm or a power cut, replace the power adapter before the router. Place a hand a few centimetres above the router after an hour of use; a strong heat rising from the vents is a sign that airflow is poor, and moving it costs nothing. If you must place the router on a shelf, leave a hand's width of space around it and keep it off the top of the modem, so that neither device heats the other.
Differential
Likely causes of “TP-Link Archer routers restarts, freezes or overheats”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
A covered or enclosed router
What separates it The router runs hot and restarts because it is covered or in an enclosed space
How to confirm Move it to the open, and uncover it, so that air can flow around it
- 2
A weak power supply
What separates it The router reboots randomly because its power supply is weak
How to confirm Use the original adapter that came with the router, in a good outlet
- 3
Old firmware
What separates it The router restarts at random because it is running old firmware
How to confirm Update the firmware, backing up your configuration first, and then watch for restarts
- 4
A power event
What separates it The router reboots after storms because a power event resets it
How to confirm Use a surge protector or a UPS, to protect the router from power events
- 5
A failing router
What separates it The router restarts even after a reset because the unit itself is failing
How to confirm Replace it under warranty, since a failing unit will keep on restarting
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The SYS and other LEDs at a restart
- The outlet and the power adapter that you are using
- How warm the router feels to the touch
- When the restarts happen, and what was going on at the time
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedUncover the router
ReversibleUncover the router, and clear its vents, so that air can flow around it, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Use the original adapter
ReversibleUse the original adapter, and try another outlet, to rule out a power problem, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Update firmware
ReversibleUpdate the firmware, after backing up your configuration, since it may fix restarts, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Watch the LEDs
ReversibleWatch the lights at a restart, to see the pattern that the router shows, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Factory reset if needed
ReversibleFactory reset the router if needed, by holding the Reset button for more than ten seconds.
Restart in order
ReversibleRestart in order, with the modem first and then the router, after each change you make.
Replace if it persists
ReversibleReplace the router under warranty if the problem persists after all of these steps, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Vents
- Routers with vents on top must not be covered.
- Wall mounting
- Some models can be wall mounted with clear space around them.
- Other models this page answers
- These steps also fit the Archer AXE75 router, Archer AX73 router, Archer AX55 router.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If restarts continue after firmware, a new outlet and the original adapter, replace the router under warranty
- !If the SYS LED shows a fault, contact TP-Link support
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Modem test, channel width, QoS and overheating.
Reset button and web reset.
Cloud and manual firmware updates.
RJ45 cable, modem test and WAN port test.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
Why does my router restart?+
The usual reasons for a restart are heat, a power problem, or old firmware.
Can heat slow my internet?+
Yes, TP-Link says a covered or overheated router can slow your internet down.
Where should it sit?+
Place it in the open, not covered, and not in direct sunlight.
Should I use a UPS?+
Yes, a UPS protects the router against power events and outages.
Which adapter?+
Use the original adapter that came with the router, and not a different one.
Does the warranty cover it?+
TP-Link gives a two year limited warranty on its home products.