What should I do if my TP-Link router does not work with NBN box?

Problem you may encounter on our wireless router when you try to make it work with NBN box:

TP-Link router is configured, connected to NBN box, but there is no valid WAN IP address, while computer can connect to internet through direct connection to NBN box or to old router. It’s very likely that there is MAC address binding on the NBN box or conducted by ISP, so the new router cannot establish successful internet connection.

Here’s what we can do:

1. Verify configuration (including connection type, username, password or VLAN ID) is correct. One possible reason is that VLAN ID is required by ISP but you do not configure VLAN ID on the TP-Link router or it doesn’t support VLAN ID.

2. Restart NBN box

NBN box has recorded MAC address of the old router or computer. Restart NBN box will make the NBN box erase the record. There may be no power button on NBN box, so you need to unplug power cord. And if there is battery inside the NBN box, take out the battery to fully restart the box.

3. Change MAC address of WAN port

If restart the fiber modem doesn’t fix the problem, it’s possible that ISP server has restriction on MAC address, so you need to change the MAC address of the router, which will make the ISP server think the router is the old one.

a. If computer can connect to internet (set up PPPoE is necessary) through direct connection to NBN box, then connect that computer to the LAN port of the router and click MAC Clone.

Why we need LAN connection to do MAC Clone?

 It’s because NBN box records the MAC address of the Ethernet network card of the computer. MAC address of wireless and Ethernet network adapter are different.

b. If the computer cannot connect to internet through direct connection to the NBN box, but through the old router, in this case, you need to enter the WAN MAC address of the old router in the MAC Clone box of the new router.

Note: MAC address printed on the router is usually LAN MAC address. So users need to contact vendor of old router to find the WAN MAC address.