ZyXEL Communications PLA4211 Manuel utilisateur

Quick Start Guide

www.zyxel.com

PLA4211

500 Mbps Mini Powerline Pass-Thru Ethernet Adapter

Version 1.00

Edition 1, 05/2012

User’s Guide

PLA4211 User’s Guide2

IMPORTANT!

READ CAREFULLY BEFORE USE.

KEEP THIS GUIDE FOR FUTURE REFERENCE.

Graphics in this book may differ slightly from the product due to differences in operating systems,

operating system versions, or if you installed updated firmware/software for your device. Every

effort has been made to ensure that the information in this manual is accurate.

Related Documentation

•QuickStartGuide

The Quick Start Guide is designed to help you get up and running right away. It contains

information on making your hardware connections.

Table of Contents

PLA4211 User’s Guide 3

Table of Contents

Table of Contents .................................................................................................................................3

Part I: User’s Guide...........................................................................................5

Chapter 1

Introducing the PLA4211......................................................................................................................7

1.1 Overview .............................................................................................................................................7

1.2 Expand Your Network with the PLA4211 .............................................................................................7

1.3 Ways to Manage the PLA4211 ............................................................................................................8

1.4 Security ...............................................................................................................................................8

1.4.1 Passwords .................................................................................................................................8

1.4.2 Setting Up Security ....................................................................................................................8

1.5 Multiple Networks ................................................................................................................................9

Chapter 2

Installing the Utility.............................................................................................................................10

2.1 Overview of the Installation Process .................................................................................................10

2.2 Installing the Utility ............................................................................................................................10

2.3 Low Power Mode ..............................................................................................................................12

Part II: Technical Reference............................................................................15

Chapter 3

The RESET/ENCRYPT Button............................................................................................................17

3.1 RESET/ENCRYPT Button Overview .................................................................................................17

3.2 Set Up a HomePlug AV Network with ENCRYPT .............................................................................17

3.3 Setting Up Multiple Networks ............................................................................................................19

3.4 RESET/ENCRYPT Button Behavior .................................................................................................21

Chapter 4

The Configuration Utility....................................................................................................................22

4.1 Overview ...........................................................................................................................................22

4.1.1 Powerline Network Security .....................................................................................................22

4.1.2 Device Access Key (DAK) .......................................................................................................23

4.2 Starting the Configuration Utility ........................................................................................................23

4.3 Configuration Screen .......................................................................................................................24

Table of Contents

PLA4211 User’s Guide

4.4 Firmware Screen ..............................................................................................................................25

4.5 Network Info Screen .........................................................................................................................26

4.6 Advanced Screen ..........................................................................................................................27

4.7 About Screen ....................................................................................................................................30

Chapter 5

Powerline Network Setup Tutorial.....................................................................................................31

5.1 Overview ...........................................................................................................................................31

5.2 Important Terms ................................................................................................................................31

5.3 Accessing Your Powerline Adapter ...................................................................................................32

5.4 Adding a Powerline Adapter ..............................................................................................................33

5.5 Setting Up a New Network with a New Adapter ................................................................................34

5.6 Splitting a Network into Two Networks ..............................................................................................36

5.7 Troubleshooting ................................................................................................................................38

Chapter 6

LEDs and Troubleshooting................................................................................................................41

6.1 LEDs .................................................................................................................................................41

6.2 Power and Light Problems ................................................................................................................42

6.3 Configuration Utility Problems ...........................................................................................................44

6.4 Powerline Problems ..........................................................................................................................44

6.5 RESET/ENCRYPT Button Problems ................................................................................................45

Appendix A Legal Information............................................................................................................47

Index ....................................................................................................................................................51

PART I

User’s Guide

PLA4211 User’s Guide 7

CHAPTER 1

Introducing the PLA4211

1.1 Overview

This chapter introduces the main applications and features of the PLA4211 HomePlug AV compliant

powerline adapter.

In this User’s Guide the electrical wiring network is referred to as the “powerline network”. The

HomePlug AV standard specifies how network devices communicate using standard electrical

wiring.

1.2 Expand Your Network with the PLA4211

The PLA4211 plugs into an ordinary power outlet to easily extend a cable or DSL broadband

connection or existing Ethernet (LAN) network to any other electrical outlet in any room of a house,

all without the need for any new cabling. Devices can securely communicate with each other at high

data transfer rates. The PLA4211 uses 128-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) to ensure safe

transfer of information.

Figure 1 Expand Your Network with the PLA4211

Connect your PLA4211 to an Internet gateway such as a modem and plug it into an ordinary power

outlet in your home. Plug a second PLA4211 into another power outlet and connect a computer to

the PLA4211 for Internet access. Your network can be further expanded by plugging additional

PLA4211s into other outlets in your home and connecting other computers or network devices (for

example, a printer) to them.

Chapter 1 Introducing the PLA4211

PLA4211 User’s Guide

Refer to your Quick Start Guide for hardware connection information.

1.3 Ways to Manage the PLA4211

Use the RESET/ENCRYPT button to add powerline devices to your powerline network if they have

this button. See Chapter 3 on page 17 for instructions on using the ENCRYPT feature.

Use the PLA42xx Series Configuration Utility (or utility, for short) to manage the PLA4211. See

Section 2.2 on page 10 for instructions on installing the utility.

Note: This User’s Guide describes the latest version utility. This utility is only compatible

with a PLA4211 which has the latest firmware installed. If you don’t already have

them, download the latest firmware and utility from the ZyXEL website.

1.4 Security

Since your powerline network may extend outside your premises, it is important to set up security

on your PLA4211.

1.4.1 Passwords

You use two types of passwords in the HomePlug AV powerline network. The following table

describes the differences between the passwords.

1.4.2 Setting Up Security

The ENCRYPT feature automatically sets up security on your powerline network. Use this feature if

your powerline devices have the RESET/ENCRYPT button.

If your devices do not have the RESET/ENCRYPT button, use the PLA42xx Series

Configuration Utility to set up security on the PLA4211. Although the PLA4211 is a “plug-and-

play” network expanding solution there are several reasons for enabling security on the powerline

network in your home.

Table 1 Password Summary

PASSWORD DESCRIPTION

Network Name All powerline adapters that follow the HomePlug AV standard are shipped with the

same powerline network name “HomePlugAV”. Change the network name via the

PLA42xx Series Configuration Utility to create a private network. See Section

4.3 on page 24.

DAK (Data Access Key)

Password In order to manage the powerline adapters on your powerline network you must

enter the adapters’ DAK password in the PLA42xx Series Configuration Utility.

This password is printed on the powerline adapter itself.

You don’t need to add the password for the powerline adapter directly connected to

the computer running the configuration utility (local powerline adapter), you only

have to add the remote powerline adapters’ passwords (those on your circuit, but

not directly connected to your computer).

Chapter 1 Introducing the PLA4211

PLA4211 User’s Guide 9

1It’s easy and only requires you to change a network name.

2It’s a good idea to ensure privacy of your communication. When you use the PLA4211 and other

powerline adapters, the electrical wiring in your home becomes an extension of your Ethernet

network. Your network traffic flows freely within the electrical circuit of your home and is bounded

in most cases by a power meter.

Without security (encryption) your information is accessible to anyone using a powerline adapter on

the same electrical circuit. In some cases, a circuit can be shared by more than one household.

To prevent compromising your network security, you can create a private network. A private

network uses a secret password (Network Name) to make sure that only permitted powerline

adapters can communicate in your network. See Section 4.3 on page 24 for information on setting

up a private network.

3You may need to change the Network Name to create multiple powerline networks. See the next

section for more information on how to set up a multiple network.

1.5 Multiple Networks

Multiple powerline networks can coexist on a single powerline circuit. You might want to implement

multiple powerline networks in a small office environment where you have two separate Ethernet

networks.

1Connect one powerline adapter to a router or switch on the first Ethernet network and assign a

Network Name (for example “Password1”) to this powerline adapter. Add additional powerline

adapters to your network by plugging them into your powerline outlets and assigning them

“Password1”. This completes the configuration of your first powerline network.

2Connect another powerline adapter to a router or switch on the second Ethernet network and

assign a different Network Name (for example “Password2”) to this powerline adapter. Again, add

additional powerline adapters and assign them “Password2”.

You now have two private networks on your powerline circuit. Information is not shared between

the two networks as only powerline adapters with the same Network Name can communicate with

each other.

PLA4211 User’s Guide 10

CHAPTER 2

Installing the Utility

This chapter guides you through the installation of the configuration utility for your PLA4211.

2.1 Overview of the Installation Process

The installation of the configuration utility does the following:

1Checks for and installs Microsoft’s .NET Framework version 2.0 software on your computer. This

software is necessary for the installation of the PLA42xx Series Configuration Utility. If you

already have .NET Framework version 2.0 installed on your computer this step will be skipped.

Note: At the time of writing the Utility is only compatible with Microsoft Windows XP and

Microsoft Windows Vista (32-bit version) operating systems. Users with Windows

XP (64-Bit version) operating systems can go to Microsoft’s website to upgrade

their systems to .NET Framework version 2.0 so it can work with the utility. To

check for your Windows operating system version, right-click on My Computer >

Properties. You should see this information in the General tab.

2Installs ZyXEL’s PLA42xx Series Configuration Utility. This utility allows you to manage the

network name (See Section 4.3 on page 24 for more information) or view the devices recognized

on your powerline network.

Note: This User’s Guide describes the latest version utility. This utility is only compatible

with a PLA4211 which has the latest firmware installed. If you don’t already have

them, download the latest firmware and utility from the ZyXEL website.

2.2 Installing the Utility

Follow the steps below to install .NET Framework version 2.0 and the PLA42xx Series

Configuration Utility on your computer.

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