Introducing New HomeShield Firmware for Archer AX55

Introducing New HomeShield Firmware for Archer AX55

Introducing New HomeShield Firmware for Archer AX55
Introducing New HomeShield Firmware for Archer AX55
2023-05-10 09:38:06 - last edited 2023-06-30 03:30:19
Model: Archer AX55  
Hardware Version: V1
Firmware Version:

Hello Community,

 

Happy to inform you the new firmware for Archer AX55 V1 has been publicly released now. This new version makes important updates for HomeShield Pro services as well as a lot more features. Please check for the updates on your router web GUI or Tether App for the new firmware, or you can download the latest firmware from the website as follows:

 

Archer AX55_V1_1.2.2 Build 230511 (official firmware updated on 6/9/2023)

 

 

New Features/Enhancement:

1. Added Wireguad VPN feature.

If you wonder how to use WireGuard VPN feature with the router, check this previous thread.

 

2. Added lots of Advanced features to AP mode. 

Important: Once changing the AX55 to work in AP mode, you won't be able to enjoy or configure HomeShield anymore. 

  • With this version, you will get an IoT network when the AX55 is working in Access Point Mode.
  • You can configure Wireless Schedule for the wireless network.
  • You could enable or disable WPS.

  • You could configure Access Control for the network.

 

3. Added Flow Control switch.

 

4. Supported configuring the local DNS server as the Internet DNS server.

 

5. Optimized VPN client feature.

6. Optimized web UI of some advanced functions.

7. Improved the accuracy of Client Type Identification in the offline state.

8. Enhancing the Parental Control feature to support blocking traffic in more scenarios.

 

Bug Fixes:

1. Fixed the bug that caused Apple devices to be recognized as "unknown" devices at times.

2. Fixed some bugs related to the HomeShield feature, which enhances the stability and reliability of the network security function.

 

Welcome to upgrade and install this pre-released version on your Archer AX55, and feel free to report back to us with bugs, faults, errors, and your thoughts on how to improve.

 

 

Related Articles:

WireGuard VPN Firmware for Archer AX55

Nice to Meet You in Our TP-Link Community. Check Out the Latest Posts: Connect TP-Link Archer BE550 to Germany's DS-Lite (Dual Stack Lite) Internet via WAN Archer GE550 - BE9300 Tri-Band Wi-Fi 7 Gaming Router EasyMesh Is Available When Wi-Fi Routers Work in AP Mode as A Controller. Archer AX55V2 Supports WireGuard VPN, EasyMesh Ethernet Backhaul, IoT Network, Speed Limit,and More If you found a post or response helpful, please click Helpful (arrow pointing upward icon). If you are the author of a topic, remember to mark a helpful reply as the "Recommended Solution" (star icon) so that others can benefit from it.
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44 Reply
Re:Introducing New HomeShield Firmware for Archer AX55
2023-05-10 16:37:29

  @Kevin_Z 

 

Does this firmware support EasyMesh?

 

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Re:Introducing New HomeShield Firmware for Archer AX55
2023-05-11 03:10:05

@jra11500 

 

Yes. This new version does support EasyMesh. It's developed on the basis of the latest official 1.1.8 Build 20230304 version, and EasyMesh has been supported on 1.1.6 Build 20221126.

Nice to Meet You in Our TP-Link Community. Check Out the Latest Posts: Connect TP-Link Archer BE550 to Germany's DS-Lite (Dual Stack Lite) Internet via WAN Archer GE550 - BE9300 Tri-Band Wi-Fi 7 Gaming Router EasyMesh Is Available When Wi-Fi Routers Work in AP Mode as A Controller. Archer AX55V2 Supports WireGuard VPN, EasyMesh Ethernet Backhaul, IoT Network, Speed Limit,and More If you found a post or response helpful, please click Helpful (arrow pointing upward icon). If you are the author of a topic, remember to mark a helpful reply as the "Recommended Solution" (star icon) so that others can benefit from it.
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#3
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Re:Introducing New HomeShield Firmware for Archer AX55
2023-05-12 11:55:58 - last edited 2023-05-12 11:56:11

  @Kevin_Z 

 

Hello,

 

Thank you for the firmware.

You say it supports EasyMesh (ok) , but does it support Ethernet backhaul with easymesh? (On the web site I see it is planned with *** for easymesh)

 

Thanks

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#4
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Re:Introducing New HomeShield Firmware for Archer AX55
2023-05-12 12:06:13

 

marc_a wrote

  @Kevin_Z 

 

Hello,

 

Thank you for the firmware.

You say it supports EasyMesh (ok) , but does it support Ethernet backhaul with easymesh? (On the web site I see it is planned with *** for easymesh)

 

Thanks

 

@marc_a  Nope or not yet. This version doesn't add the support Ethernet Backhaul for EasyMesh.

Nice to Meet You in Our TP-Link Community. Check Out the Latest Posts: Connect TP-Link Archer BE550 to Germany's DS-Lite (Dual Stack Lite) Internet via WAN Archer GE550 - BE9300 Tri-Band Wi-Fi 7 Gaming Router EasyMesh Is Available When Wi-Fi Routers Work in AP Mode as A Controller. Archer AX55V2 Supports WireGuard VPN, EasyMesh Ethernet Backhaul, IoT Network, Speed Limit,and More If you found a post or response helpful, please click Helpful (arrow pointing upward icon). If you are the author of a topic, remember to mark a helpful reply as the "Recommended Solution" (star icon) so that others can benefit from it.
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#5
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Re:Introducing New HomeShield Firmware for Archer AX55
2023-05-12 12:10:27
Thank you for the answer
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#6
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Re:Introducing New HomeShield Firmware for Archer AX55
2023-05-12 17:06:39

Amazing update, thanks! Just add Ethernet Backhaul and it would be perfect

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Re:Introducing New HomeShield Firmware for Archer AX55
2023-05-13 17:00:48

  @Kevin_Z

 

I have two AX55 routers in my network, the second configured as an access point until EasyMesh ethernet backhaul becomes available. After upgrading the firmware in both routers, I moved all my IoT devices from the guest networks to the IoT networks. I discovered that my outdoor battery-powered Reolink cameras and my Amazon Echo devices have a hard time connecting to the IoT network. I am using the same SSID and password that was previously set up on the guest networks.

 

I did manage at one point to get the cameras to connect, but the PC and phone apps both fail to connect to the cameras. I moved the IoT SSID and password back to the guest network and everything is fine again. As there is no information published yet on just how the IoT network isolates devices, I have not been able to pinpoint the problem. Let me add that I did not enable any of the isolation settings in the routers. Perhaps someone from TP-Link can shed some light on this.

 

Just a minor flaw... The drop-down Security options in the wireless settings read differently for the guest network as compared to the main and IoT networks. The syntax should be the same on all three networks.

 

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Re:Introducing New HomeShield Firmware for Archer AX55
2023-05-14 09:28:58

  @Kevin_Z 

 

With this firmware release, I am experiencing an issue where the Wi-Fi radio signal sometimes drops when making configuration changes to the router.

Background…

Yesterday when trying to resolve the issue of my IP cameras not connecting to the newly featured IoT network, I decided to change the operation mode of my second router from Access Point to Wireless Router as the cameras usually connect to this device. I then lost the connection with the router and it appears that when changing modes it goes back to its default network settings. After getting that straightened out, I then had the following test configuration:

ISP Router  --->   AX55   --->   AX55

Of course, this meant triple NAT but that should not make any difference when testing Wi-Fi connections. The second AX55 displayed a “Poor Internet” message and apparently does not like to work in tandem with more than one router. The second router’s WAN port was cabled to one of the LAN ports of the first AX55 and there should not have been a problem. To not waste more time at this point, I decided to do a factory reset and set up the router in the Access Point mode as it was originally.

After placing the AX55 AP back in its normal location on top of a piece of living room furniture where it is not easily accessible, I began to test various wireless settings, such as OFDMA, WMM, Airtime Fairness, etc. After making a change and receiving an “Operation Succeeded” message, the Wi-Fi connection would suddenly drop and I was unable to reconnect. With the Wi-Fi Tool app, I confirmed the radio signal was absent even though the Wi-Fi LEDs were green on the router. I used the WPS/Wi-Fi button to first turn off, then turn on the LEDs. At this point the radio signal would reappear in Wi-Fi Tool. This phenomena occurred with both a laptop and a desktop computer connected wirelessly to the router. I know it’s not a good idea to perform configuration changes wirelessly, but in any case, the signal should not just suddenly drop and remain off.

I never experienced this before in the many configuration changes that I’ve made. I will continue testing but at this point, I have an uneasy feeling about the reliability of the Wi-Fi connections.

Any thoughts on this issue?

 

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#9
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Re:Introducing New HomeShield Firmware for Archer AX55
2023-05-15 03:48:04

@jra11500 

 

Thank you very much for testing out the pre-released version of firmware for the Archer AX55 and thank you even more for reporting an issue with the firmware.

 

Before EasyMesh Ethernet Backhaul firmware rolls out, how do you want to use the two AX55s? Is the first AX55 working as the main router, and the second works as an access point?

 

Are all the wireless network settings on the first and second AX55s, including the main network and the IoT networks, using the same configurations? Are they all absent when the wireless disconnects? How long will the absence last?

 

Before updating to this 1.2.1 version, were you using the official 1.1.8 version or the 1.1.9 WireGuard beta firmware as posted here?

Nice to Meet You in Our TP-Link Community. Check Out the Latest Posts: Connect TP-Link Archer BE550 to Germany's DS-Lite (Dual Stack Lite) Internet via WAN Archer GE550 - BE9300 Tri-Band Wi-Fi 7 Gaming Router EasyMesh Is Available When Wi-Fi Routers Work in AP Mode as A Controller. Archer AX55V2 Supports WireGuard VPN, EasyMesh Ethernet Backhaul, IoT Network, Speed Limit,and More If you found a post or response helpful, please click Helpful (arrow pointing upward icon). If you are the author of a topic, remember to mark a helpful reply as the "Recommended Solution" (star icon) so that others can benefit from it.
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#10
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Re:Introducing New HomeShield Firmware for Archer AX55
2023-05-15 07:12:58

  @Kevin_Z 

 

Thank-you for your response. Let me answer your questions:

 

1, I have been using the two AX55 routers for many months now without any major configuration changes. One is used as the main router and is located on the top floor of a 3 story house. The second router is configured as an access point and is located on the ground floor. They are wired together with a cat6 cable. I also have two RE700X extenders that were previously in an EasyMesh configuration with the main router but I have removed them from the network until the latest issues are resolved.

 

2. The settings are the same on both routers except for the IP addresses. The access point router has the DHCP server disabled. The main network and guest network SSIDs are the same. When the Wi-Fi drops, the settings can be seen if the PC is hardwired to the router and they do not disappear. Once the Wi-Fi drops, it is necessary to take some action to restore the radio signal (such as rebooting or using the Wi.Fi on/off button.

 

3. Things have been working (as pointed out earlier) for months without any problems whatsoever. The routers were using the 1.1.8 version firmware, and previously to that the earlier EasyMesh versions

 

New issue... Last evening the main router would not allow you to connect to its web interface, either from the LAN side or the WAN side. I have never experienced this before. This morning I tried to connect again and this time the page would start to load but never finishes. I restarted the router and everything is OK. I will be monitoring this throughout the day.

 

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