Technical Tips & Guides

How to install and setup TP-Link’s Aginet ACS and configure Mercusys routers with CWMP
How to install and setup TP-Link’s Aginet ACS and configure Mercusys routers with CWMP

TP-Link's Aginet ACS (Auto Configuration Server) is a powerful tool for ISPs looking to streamline their operations and improve customer satisfaction. It uses the TR069 protocol to manage routers and IGD’s (Internet Gateway Devices). An ACS offers several benefits for ISPs such as:

• Remote Management: It enables ISPs to manage devices remotely, reducing the need for on-site support.

• Cost Efficiency: By automating operations, diagnostics, and maintenance, ISPs can significantly lower operational costs.

• Batch Updates: ISPs can perform remote firmware updates and configurations in batches, saving time and effort.

• Enhanced Troubleshooting: Features like Wi-Fi diagnostics and performance tests help in proactive problem resolution.

• Scalability: The ACS server can manage up to 100,000 CPEs (Customer Premises Equipment), making it suitable for large-scale deployments.

You can learn more about TR069 and ACS from one of our previous articles here: Answering your Frequently Asked Questions on TR-069 and ACS - MiRO

In order to install Aginet ACS, you will have to login to your TP-Link Aginet account or register an account. Follow the link to Login or Register: TP-Link Aginet:

Once you have logged in or registered, we can start with steps below.

Step 1: Once you are logged in, head over to the Download Centre > Aginet ACS > ISO Image File for VM Server and download the latest Aginet ACS ISO file.

Step 2: Once the file is downloaded, you can head over to your preferred Hypervisor, create the VM and attach the ISO file as the boot image. For this demo, we will be using a Proxmox system. Ensure that you allocate enough resources to the VM in order to run the installation.

Step 3: Once your VM is ready, start the VM. Aginet ACS uses Clonezille to clone the software to your VM. Select the first option and press enter:

Step 4: The installation will start checking your VM’s storage and get it ready for cloning.

Step 5: Once the check is finished, press “y” and press “enter” to continue:

Step 6: The installation will ask to continue again. It is just to confirm that you acknowledge all data will be lost once confirmed, press “y” and press “Enter” again:

Step 7: The installation will now start cloning the software to your VM:

Step 8: Once the installation is finished, shutdown the VM so that you can remove the attached ISO file.

Step 9: Once you receive this message, remove the ISO file and press enter:

Step 10: Once the ISO file has been removed, and the VM is shut down, start the VM again. Once the VM is booted up, you will get to the Aginet ACS command line. The installation is now complete, and we can login to the Aginet ACS.

Step 11: Now that the ACS is installed, we need to access the VM on it’s IP address. The default IP address for Aginet ACS is 169.254.0.199/24. Unfortunately, this IP address cannot be changed from the command line which means that we need to do it in the Web GUI and have to be in the same network range as the VM. In order to do this, setup a static IP address on your PC as 169.254.0.100.

Step 12: Now that we are in the same network range as the ACS, head over to your preferred web browser and enter the IP address 169.254.0.199 to the URL bar., and press enter. You will be presented with the login screen. The default username and password is admin/admin.

Step 13: Once logged in, you will be presented with the activation page. In order to activate the system, we need to ensure that our VM has internet. Since it’s on the IP 169.254.0.199, we need to change that IP address to our network configuration. Click on No, Go to the Software Upgrade Page.

Step 14: Go to System Settings and change the IP address to your preferred network configuration. In this example, I am using 172.16.40.11 and my gateway is 172.16.40.254. Once you are done, click on Save.

Step 15: You will be asked to confirm the IP address that you have entered. Click on OK:

Step 16: The system will apply the IP address. Let’s change the IP on our PC to our network configuration. I have a DHCP server running on that IP range, and I can confirm that I have received an IP from the network.

Step 17: Once your IP address has been changed, head back to your browser and enter the new IP address that we have configured. You can proceed to login.

Step 18: Now that the server has an internet connection, we can activate the ACS by clicking next:

Step 19: Enter the required info and click on Next:

Step 20: The server activation will take a moment to activate. Once done, you should get a successful page. Click on Done to continue.

Step 21: Now we can see the Aginet ACS dashboard and start setting up the Mercusys router.

Step 22: Now that we have our server up and running. Let’s login to the Mercusys router. In this example, I will be using the Mercusys MR50G. I am connected to the router using a LAN cable, and I received an IP address from the router. Head over to the web browser and type in 192.168.1.1 and press enter. You will be asked to setup a New Password. Enter your preferred password and click on Let’s Get Started.

Step 23: Select your time zone and click on Next.

Step 24: Then select your internet connection type and click on Next:

Step 25: If you have any specific ISP settings like VLANs, you can enter them on this page under Special ISP Settings. If not, click on Next.

Step 26: Confirm your Wi-Fi SSID and password and click on Next.

Step 27: Now you should get a success page. Confirm all the settings and click on Next

Step 28: If you would like to use the Mercusys mobile app for your customer to manage the router as well, like changing SSIDs and Passwords, you can scan the QR code here and download the Mercusys app. For this example, I am going to skip this step.

Step 29: Now we are done setting up the router and we have internet. Let’s head over to the Advanced tab to enable CWMP. Go to Advanced > System > CWMP Settings.

Step 30: Once CWMP is enabled, you can enter your ACS details. To find your ACS details, head back to your ACS and click on the CWMP settings page. Here you will find the Usernames and Passwords required to authenticate with the ACS.

Step 31: You will also need the ACS ports to use. You can find it under System settings. As you can see, we are using the default http port, 7548.

Step 32: Let’s go to the router and add the config. Ensure that you add the port 7548 after the ACS IP address. Also, remember to change the port at the bottom of the config to 7548, and click on Save.

Step 33: Now that the router has been setup, let’s go back to the ACS and see if the router shows online. On the dashboard, we can see that we have 1 online device.

Step 34: Let’s click on the Devices tab to see all the info from the connected router:

We have successfully added the Mercusys MR50G to the Aginet ACS. If you would like to edit settings on the router, simply hover over the device and click on Show:

Now we can see all the info on the device, and we can make changes specifically on this device.

Let’s make a change to the 2GHz Wi-Fi SSID. Click on Wireless and make sure the 2.4GHz band is selected. Let’s rename it to MiRO R&D Mercusys and click on Save.

You should get a message stating Task Committed.

Let’s scan for Wi-Fi and see if the SSID was changed.

That’s it. We have successfully changed the 2.4GHz Wi-Fi SSID using the Aginet ACS. You can make other changes like LAN config to change the internal IP of the router or  change the WAN config. If you would like to upgrade the firmware using Aginet ACS, simply go to the Files tab, click on new file and upload the firmware of your choice and select the model you are working with.

If you require any additional support, please send us an email to support@miro.co.za or give us a call on 012 657 0960.

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