Ran into the same problem with my TP-Link managed switch, and after some trial and error, finally got it working. If you’re stuck, here’s a quick fix that worked for me.
The Problem
When I connected my TP-Link managed switch to my ISP router, the router assigned it a local IP address like 192.168.1.2. However, I couldn’t access the switch's web interface, even after setting a static IP or a DHCP binding. Super frustrating.
Turns out, the default IP for TP-Link switches is 192.168.0.1. The trick is to connect directly and tweak your computer’s network settings.
Change Your Computer's IP
Temporarily set your computer’s IP address to something in the same range as the switch. Here’s what I did:
- IP Address: 192.168.0.2
- Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
- DNS: leave empty
- Default Gateway: 192.168.0.1 (this is the switch’s default IP)
If you're unsure how to adjust these settings, Google "how to change IP address on Windows 10, 11, Mac" as the steps might vary slightly, but it’s fairly simple to do.
For e.g, here are the instructions for Mac.
Direct Connection
Connect the switch directly to your computer via an Ethernet cable. Now, open a browser and log into the switch at 192.168.0.1 using the default credentials.
Update the IP Settings
Once you’re in, go to the IP Settings section and make these changes:
- DHCP: Disabled
- IP Address: 192.168.1.2 (or any unused IP in your router’s range)
- Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
- Gateway: 192.168.1.1 (this is your router’s IP)
Save the changes.
Reconnect to Your Router
After saving, the web interface will disappear because your computer is still on 192.168.0.2. So, go back to your computer’s network settings and change them back to their original (automatic or ISP-assigned) configuration.
Test the Connection
Reconnect the switch to your ISP router. Now, you should be able to access the switch’s web interface and have it work with your network.
And that’s it! This method got my switch up and running in no time. Hopefully, it works for you too.