Question TP-Link AC5400 Router & "Unsupported browser! ..." Issue. SOLVED

[RhoXS]

Some of my wireless devices display erratic connectivity issues apparently related to the Comcast CGM433 gateway using the same SSID for both wireless bands. The SSIDs can be seen grayed out in the Comcast CGM433 setup screens but the SSIDs are locked and cannot be easily changed. To easily solve this problem, and a desire to have a more robust and consistent WiFi signal throughout my house, I decided to put the Comcast CGM433 in Bridge Mode (easily done) and use a TP-Link AC5400 router I bought four years ago and never even removed the shrink wrap from the box until yesterday.

To my pleasant surprise, the TP-Link router works great and, except for one major no go issue, I am very pleased with it. It was a relatively easy plug/play installation, internet speeds on Ethernet connected devices are very noticeably faster and snappier, and I now have a consistently strong WiFi signal in the house. HOWEVER, it is impossible to enter the TP-Link router setup without receiving "Unsupported Browser! Please update or use a different browser." error message. I tried on my Ethernet connected PC Firefox, Edge (even in IE mode), and Chrome. I also tried using a WiFi connected iPhone (using the default wireless SSID/password), a late model iPad, and a Samsung Android pad, all with the same results. Chrome is a new installation so I cleared all caches/cookies/etc. (as suggested by others) with no liuck. Googling for answeres reveals this is a major widespread long time issue. It frequently appears to occur after a firmware upgrade. Although there is a ton of stuff looking for a fix but TP-Link tech support does not acknlowedge it is an issue. Also based on the dates of the many posts I found, including TP-Links forums, this problem has been around for a lot of years. TP-Link tech support, to their credit, ws readily available by telephone and had seemingly knowledgable techs that not only spoke fluent English but also communicated well in English. Nevertheless, other than directing me to address the usual suspects (hard reset, different browser, etc.) they had no solution.

So, right now, what appears to be an excellent piece of machinery cannot be used because my wireless system is certainly not secure using the default SSIDs and especially default password. TP-Link tech support did, as a last ditch effort, want me to load their "Tether" software on my iPhone but this required establishing a username/passsword account with TP-Link so I refused to go down that rabbit hole.

I am certain (at least hoping), baseed on the large number of questions Google turned up on this exact issue, someone(s) in this forum has/have some thoughts with respect to a solution.

The TP-Link C5400 appears to be a great router in all respects except the no-go issue of not being able to access the setup dialogs. The Google responses are numerous, also pertain to other TP-Link models, go back a lot of years, and many have reported this issue started with a firmware upgrade. So, I find it just inconceviable TP-Link has done nothing about it although that is obviously the case. Maybe the problem ws an inadvertent bug in a firmware upgrade released to manufacturing and the public and not being able to get into the setup dialog means there is no way to replace the buggy firmware.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Maybe it's checking the accepted browser strings? Might need to find out what contemporary versions of Browsers were available when that unit was new, and spoof them when connecting with it.

 

[Tech Junky]

Have you tried to ssh into it and look at the config? There might be something in there that's causing the issue or at least you should be able to change the ssid and passkey.

 

[lantis3]

I also think it's browser settings. All newer version of browsers seem to reject connect to unsecure site (http://http) by default and will connect to secure site https:// only. But what annoys me is that it seems not always the case. I have no difficulty connect to my router webpage which is http only, but have difficulty connect to some Windows app running it's web server which is http:// only without https secure certificates even if I ask browser to connect to unsafe sites. HFS 2.3 (https://www.rejetto.com/hfs/) for example. The webpage will not load at all!







Insecure contents allowed but still won't load.


Go to menu , security and find the settings see if you can add sites to the safe list and solve the problem. Not guaranteed as you can see above,

Thinking about finding the latest version that will not block http site by default for backup solution.

 

[lantis3]

Or probably flash a new version of firmware? Check your hardware version first, however, make sure it's the right version!

Download for Archer C5400 | TP-Link

TP Link - Download Center Detail

www.tp-link.com

 

[RhoXS]

Thank you. I appreciate all the suggestions above.

I have verified that I am using the latest version of the three browsers I used; Firefox, Edge (also in IE compatibility mode), and Chrome (downloaded and installed yesterday for first time on this machine). The iPhone, iPad, and Samsung Pad all used the latest version of the default browser. Taking a suggestion above I did try entering 192.168.0.1 as an exception to Firefox for "Exceptions for Enhanced Tracking Protection" but that did not help and I saw no other obvious Privacy & Security setting. BTW, I also previously turned off eSet virus protections briefly and that also did not work.

I would certainly like to install a newer version of firmware or even, if possible, install an older version that many have reported worked before they updated it. Unfortunately, I cannot even check what firmware version is installed without being able to get into the setup screens.

I was intrigued by the suggestion to try to "... ssh into it and look at the config" but I know almost nothing about that. I did find something to download called "PuTTY is an SSH and telnet client" and was tempted for about a nanosecond to install it but since I have no clue what this is for or how it does it I did not go any further.

I have two hypothesis to explain the problem but they are just that because I have no way but my instinct to support either.

First Hypotheses: My Google searches turned up a number of users reporting this problem occurred after a specific firmware update. Maybe, this firmware update, released both to manufacturing (as in my case) and the public had an inadvertent error that causes this problem and prevents access to the setup dialogs. So, now it is impossible to change the firmware to a newer fixed or even older version. The device is not bricked, it actually appears to still work very well (based on my experience over the past 24 hours only). One just cannot change anything from the default and that means a less than secure WiFi network.

Second Hypotheses: TP-Link tech support yesterday did have me address all the usual suspects (reset, browsers, etc.) but they ultimately circled around to install an iPhone app they call "Tether". While on the phone my instinct told me do not install it yet. I then did some searching, found that their user agreement for Tether is somewhat vague in what data it collects etc., saw a bunch of other comments with concerns about its security, so, mostly from an abundance of caution, I instinctively felt something is just not right with it. Adding to my suspicion is that my Google searches quickly revealed this problem has been around for years and appears very common. Then, why has TP-Link not fixed it, or worse, not even acknowledged they know about it? So I did not install it. Maybe then, this problem, no access to the setup dialog on a number of reported TP-Link devices, was intentionally caused by TP-Link in a firmware update, forcing more users to install their Tether App, and facilitating TP-Link to take advantage monetarily of more data collection from their users. I know this is probably reaching but I think it would be naive to completely discount that especially considering the now very common financial obsession of various business entities to collect marketable data about users, browsing practices, etc.

If I cannot get this problem fixed I have a dilemma because the AC5400 router ain't cheap but I am afraid to use it without good WiFi security. Having a security issue is just not worth protecting the $280 this thing is now selling for. Nevertheless, the truly faster internet speeds this TP-Link router provides with the Comcast CGM433 in Bridge mode, compared to directly connecting the Ethernet devices to the Comcast CGM433 built in switch, is too addicting to give up. So, I am thinking about researching maybe a Cisco equivalent product if there is one. It probably would be much more expensive but I am thinking, probably naively, since Cisco is focused more on business than home, their products might overall be the better choice.

 

[Tech Junky]

Putty would work and then ssh to the gateway ip usually .1 and enter the default un/pw for the router to login.

Knowing consumer gear it probably doesn't have ssh running though but it's worth a try to set things as non default values. A firmware upgrade will probably allow new browsers to be used as well since the certificates have probably expired while sitting in the box.

 

[RhoXS]

A firmware upgrade will probably allow new browsers to be used as well since the certificates have probably expired while sitting in the box.

Unfortunately, that is an impossible Catch 22. A firmware update is probably necessary to fix the problem of not having access to the setup dialog but one cannot do a firmware update without having access to the setup dialog.

 

[lantis3]

Firefox Portable ?

https://sourceforge.net/projects/portableapps/files/Mozilla%20Firefox,%20Portable%20Ed./

Match the version with your AC5400 when it's released

==

See if these 2 settings in Chrome helps




Be sure to clear browser cache, Chrome has a tendency remembering old sessions which make new session malfunctions,

 

[JackMDS]

Since you post here I guess you can use the Internet

Here is TP-Link pages to download Firmware as a file to a computer.

Disconnect the Router from everything (but Power).

Then, connected it via Cable to one computer.

Configure this computer network setting with a Static IP of the Router Band. Try to connect to the Router with a browser by entering the IP of the Router setup.

Use the downloaded firmware to update the Router.


-------------------------------------------------

Users need to understand the terrible complexity of the System.

There is No real collaboration between manufactures of software hardware etc.

As an example when someone starts to develop a Wireless Router it takes time (in term of Months) to design manufacture, and distribute to customers.

At this time Software manufactures and Internet providers can make many software changes that take few minutes to deal with. Big part of it is playing for profit (Not Service). While using the end users as Cash Cows, and the customer is the one that Suffer thereafter.

 

[lantis3]

@JackMDS

the problem is tplink router is running insecure http server to serve its own webpage, and all of the current browsers reject to connect if you don't change browser settings.

 

[VirtualLarry]

you can force to HTTP mode, in Firefox, by typing http://192.168.43.1/ explicitly in the browser.

 

[lantis3]

you can force to HTTP mode, in Firefox, by typing http://192.168.43.1/ explicitly in the browser.

Never heard of that and it doesn't make sense. Just did that and there is no response from Firefox.

 

[VirtualLarry]

what I am saying is, you can manually specify the http:// prefix, to get http-mode transfers.

 

[lantis3]

what I am saying is, you can manually specify the http:// prefix, to get http-mode transfers.

OK. I see.

 

[JackMDS]

This portable version of fork of a previous version of Firefox have very high level Flexebility.

Search results - The Portable Freeware Collection

www.portablefreeware.com

 

[RhoXS]

OK! Success thanks to the suggestions above to use Portable Firefox.

I never heard of that so I did a bit of research and then felt somewhat comfortable to download a portable version from Pale Moon. I used Pale Moon because they gave a short list of specific instructions that nailed the questions I had about how to use it. I installed it to a USB drive and to my truly great surprise the thing worked and I was able to open the TP-Link setup dialog!

After making the setting changes I checked the firmware and to no surprise there was a later version. I was very reticent to install the latest firmware because of all the comments I saw about this problem appearing after a firmware upgrade. I debated and decided to take a chance and installed the new firmware. After the installation completed it tried to restart the setup dialog using http://tplinkwifi.net and the setup dialog would not open. I then manually tried 192.168.0.1, as I used initially, and, to my relief and surprise, there was no problem.

BTW, after loading the new firmware, again without any benchmarks, internet speed seems to have slowed but just perceptibly so, although it is still faster than prior to placing the Comcast box in Bridge mode.

Thanks again. It was really pissing me off to have spent so much for this thing, even though that was four years ago (it was still in the shrink wrap yesterday), and not be able to use it so I certainly appreciate all the thoughts provided above. Thanks!!

UPDATE: I just discovered, probably due to the firmware upgrade, I can now enter the TP-Link setup dialog using Firefox from my Ethernet connected PC.