It's same for V4. Connect one of the LAN ports to your existing network, and other 3 LAN ports on the tplink can be used as normal LAN ports, connecting to computers and devices. They have the video regarding to set router as access point on the tplink website.

Many thanks for the reply - I had suspected it would work like that but just wanted to check as the manual doesn't explicitly state it. Since the Archers can be set to AP mode which disables routing I don't know why it's not possible to connect via the WAN port and thus leave all 4 LAN ports available. I know it doesn't work that way, I just don't know why they do it that way.

The router doesn't have AP mode, disable the DHCP server is another way to make it work as an access point, so WAN port cannot be used when you want to use it as an access point.

The manual ( https://static.tp-link.com/1910012218_Archer%20C7_V4_UG.pdf) section 4.4 does suggest that the router has a specific access point mode. It also says to connect the "internet" port (ie WAN) on the router to the internet (ie my existing router). I was hoping that in this mode the LAN ports would still act as a switch, but if they don't I can just use it as an access point in the manner you suggest.

From my point of view, you should ask your question directly to TP-Link support, because I'm not sure at all the AP option existing into the Archer C7 v5 (as we can see from the emulator), add really the WAN port to the LAN switch (like it is possible to do with DD-WRT for example)...

If you succeed to get an answer, please give it to us here... ;-)

Hi,

I did send a request to technical support and in all fairness to them I got a very quick and reasonably detailed reply....

Their e-mail states that the emulator on the website is just used as a reference. I interpret that to mean that it does not necessarily reflect what you may actually see in the latest firmware.

The important bit was that they confirmed the device can be used as an access point and that the LAN ports will provide access to the internet when doing so.

I'll take a punt and buy one online - if it doesn't work as stated by TP-Link I should be able to return it. I will update this thread once I have it and can let you know how it actually works in practice.

Thanks for sharing... ;-)

Hi,

I got my C7 today and got it set up. I can confirm that it works as per the manual, and not the emulator. I have set it to "Access Point" mode and connected it to my exisitng router via the WAN port and it is working as a network switch via it's LAN ports. Sorted !! :)

Edited to add - it's a V4 running f/w 1.0.4 Build 20170901 rel 56148 (4555)

Awesome ! glad you did it

That's a good news !

In others words, jradley, are you saying the Archer C7 v4 running f/w 1.0.4 Build 20170901 rel 56148 (4555) adds the WAN port to the LAN when AP mode is selected !? Right ?

Does it mean the switch has then 5 LAN ports and you can connect any of them to your main router ?