How to set the correct time on your TP-Link router

TP-Link WiFi routers are very popular for home use, probably because they are some of the most affordable routers on the market. If your household is one of the many that owns one, it is important to make sure the clock is set correctly.

In networking, time is everything. Packets are time-stamped, and time helps other network devices get to their destination, whether over a local LAN or the Internet. NTP (Network Time Protocol) keeps your router in sync with the rest of the Internet so important things like work emails don't get lost.

What is NTP?

NTP stands for “Network Time Protocol”. Along with TCP and IP, it is one of the oldest Internet protocols that is still widely used.

Early on, the engineers who designed the Internet realized that accurate time would be important. NTP uses a multi-tiered structure for the reliability of time sources, with things like atomic clocks at the top. These serve as the authority for lower-tier clocks.

This is more important than ever as more people work from home. Many enterprise network tools, such as VPN connections, rely on accurate time settings to function properly. Depending on the nature of your work, accurate timekeeping may even be required to comply with certain regulations. NTP can ensure accurate timekeeping of internet-connected devices across the network within a few milliseconds of each other.

Before we get started, you should have a copy of the user manual for your specific router model handy, as there may be slight differences in setting up TP-Link routers.

However, to access the time settings in general, you need to access the TP-Link firmware menu. To do this, open your favorite web browser and enter the correct address.

1. Navigate to the internal network address of your router. This is usually 192.168.0.1You can also tplinkwifi.net. If that doesn't get you to the setup menu, try using the IP address. You can only change the time settings through the web-based admin interface, not the TP-Link Tether app.

   

2. Once you're on the site, log in to your router with the administrator password you used to set up the router or your TP-Link Tether password if you have one.

   

3. Click on the Progressive Click the tab System tools Button in the sidebar at the bottom left of the screen.
4. Click Time settings in the drop-down menu that appears under System Tools. The Time Settings menu appears at the top of the next page.

Enable NTP

After accessing the time settings, make sure you have selected at least one NTP server.

Make sure that Automatically retrieve from the Internet The radio button next to Set Time is selected.

Enter the names or IP addresses of your primary and backup NTP servers in the fields labeled NTP Server I And NTP Server II. The second is a fallback in case something goes wrong with the first NTP server. It's optional, but it's always good to have a backup just in case.

In most cases, these fields are set at the factory, so you probably don't need to start from scratch. Otherwise, you can use the servers listed in the U.S. National Institute of Science and Technology's list of time servers.

Synchronize your router's clock

After selecting your time servers, you will want to sync your router's clock with NTP. This will set the internal clock to the primary time server, otherwise the secondary clock from the first option will not work.

1. Click Receive to synchronize your router's clock with the time servers. If the synchronization was successful, a message will be displayed.

   

2. Click Save to make these changes permanent.

   

3. Reset or restart your router for the new settings to take effect. Select Restart from the firmware menu in the top right corner or manually press the physical power button on your router. Wait at least ten seconds before turning your router back on.

   

4. After resetting your router, log back into the firmware menu. Go to the Time settings and check the Current time field to make sure it is correct.

Since you are now using NTP, your router will automatically keep the clock in sync from now on. Once you have set up your router's time servers, you can keep your TP-Link network router and the devices connected to it in sync with the rest of the world.

When all else fails

If these steps don't work, make sure you've entered the correct addresses for your NTP servers. Try different time servers.

If that still doesn't work, you can select the radio button to set the time Manuallyand then enter the date and time yourself. The disadvantage of this approach is that you will have to re-synchronize the clock periodically, for example when daylight saving time is observed in your time zone.

Now you can keep the time of your TP-Link router accurate

If you work from home, you know how important precise timing can be. It's a great way to stay compliant while ensuring all your remote networking tools are working properly. All you have to do is spend a few minutes tweaking a menu setting in your TP-Link router.

Of course, TP-Link is not the only manufacturer of home routers. In general, it is worth synchronizing the router's time with NTP.

If you're looking for a WiFi router in 2024, you have a wide range of excellent options!