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Chapter 5 The Configuration Utility

PLA-401 Series User’s Guide

39

Firmware is the software which is embedded in the PLA-401 Series. This software
contains processing instructions for how the PLA-401 Series sends and receives
information in a secure way.

Parameter Information Block (PIB) is similar to firmware. It contains the most
basic operating instructions for the PLA-401 Series such as how to power up and
how to load the firmware.

You can check the ZyXEL website for firmware upgrades for your PLA-401 Series.

Note: To upgrade to the latest firmware, use the firmware upgrade tool available from

the ZyXEL website (www.zyxel.com), or from the CD included with your PLA-
401 Series. Make sure you also upgrade the PLA-4xx Series Configuration
Utility if you do so, as older version utilities are not compatible with PLA-401
Seriess using the latest firmware.

Note: Be sure to upload the correct model firmware as uploading the wrong model

firmware may damage your device.

Figure 16

Firmware Screen

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Summary of Contents for PLA-401 Series

Page 1: ...www zyxel com www zyxel com PLA 401 Series Powerline Ethernet Adapter Copyright 2010 ZyXEL Communications Corporation Edition 1 11 2010...

Page 2: ......

Page 3: ...u get up and running right away It contains information on making your hardware connections Supporting Disc Refer to the included CD for support documents ZyXEL Web Site Please refer to www zyxel com...

Page 4: ...ontact your vendor then contact a ZyXEL office for the region in which you bought the device See http www zyxel com web contact_us php for contact information Please have the following information rea...

Page 5: ...uide Product labels screen names field labels and field choices are all in bold font A key stroke is denoted by square brackets and uppercase text for example ENTER means the enter or return key on yo...

Page 6: ...Guide 6 Icons Used in Figures Figures in this User s Guide may use the following generic icons The PLA 401 Series icons used may not be an exact representation of your device PLA 401 Series Computer...

Page 7: ...right supply voltage for example 110V AC in North America or 230V AC in Europe Do NOT allow anything to rest on the power adapter or cord and do NOT place the product where anyone can walk on the powe...

Page 8: ...Safety Warnings PLA 401 Series User s Guide 8...

Page 9: ...k with the PLA 401 Series 15 1 3 Ways to Manage the PLA 401 Series 16 1 4 Security 17 1 4 1 Passwords 17 1 4 2 Setting Up Security 17 1 5 Multiple Networks 18 1 6 PLA Compatibility 19 Chapter 2 Instal...

Page 10: ...on Utility 47 6 1 Overview 47 6 1 1 System Requirements 47 6 1 2 Start the Configuration Utility 48 6 1 3 Add a Device 48 6 1 4 Change Network Name 48 6 1 5 Change Nickname 49 6 1 6 QoS Settings 49 6...

Page 11: ...Troubleshooting 71 8 1 LEDs 71 8 2 Power and Light Problems 73 8 3 Configuration Utility Problems 74 8 4 Powerline Problems 75 8 5 ENCRYPT Button Problems 76 Part III Appendices and Index 79 Appendix...

Page 12: ...Table of Contents PLA 401 Series User s Guide 12...

Page 13: ...13 PART I Introduction Introducing the PLA 401 Series 15 Installing the Utility 21...

Page 14: ...14...

Page 15: ...line network The HomePlug AV standard specifies how network devices communicate using standard electrical wiring 1 2 Expand Your Network with the PLA 401 Series The PLA 401 Series plugs into an ordina...

Page 16: ...ick Start Guide for hardware connection information Refer to Appendix A on page 81 for wall mounting instructions 1 3 Ways to Manage the PLA 401 Series Use the ENCRYPT button to add powerline devices...

Page 17: ...up security on the PLA 401 Series Although the PLA 401 Series is a plug and play network expanding solution there are several reasons for enabling security on the powerline network in your home 1 It s...

Page 18: ...o 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 c...

Page 19: ...A402 v2 PLA401 v2 PLA470 v2 and so on make sure the firmware version is 3 0 5 Note The PLA v2 models can be upgraded to firmware version 3 3 4 The firmware will be available for download in ZyXEL s we...

Page 20: ...on Utility You should upgrade the firmware of these PLAs Figure 2 Wrong Firmware in a Powerline Network The diagram below shows a Powerline network where each PLA has the correct firmware Use Configur...

Page 21: ...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 syst...

Page 22: ...ively this can also be done manually by double clicking the setup exe file on the CD A prompt appears asking you to install the NET Framework version 2 0 Review Microsoft s License Agreement select Ac...

Page 23: ...n 4 If you want the utility to be only available to the currently logged in user select Only for me Otherwise click Everyone to allow all users to use the configuration utility Click Next to install t...

Page 24: ...et connection When you plug the PLA 401 Series into an electric socket it waits for an Ethernet connection When no connection is detected after sixty 60 seconds the Power LED blinks indicating that it...

Page 25: ...25 PART II Managing the PLA 401 Series Firmware Tool 27 The ENCRYPT Button 29 The Configuration Utility 35 Powerline Network Setup Tutorial 61 LEDs and Troubleshooting 71...

Page 26: ...26...

Page 27: ...rade your firmware using the Firmware Upgrade Tool 3 2 Firmware Upgrade Tool Use the firmware upgrade tool to upgrade your PLA 401 Series s firmware to the latest version You can use this tool to upgr...

Page 28: ...Chapter 3 Firmware Tool PLA 401 Series User s Guide 28...

Page 29: ...n use the ENCRYPT button on only two devices at a time 1 Place a powerline device close to another powerline device so you have time to set up each one After you set up the first powerline device you...

Page 30: ...linking while the devices are connecting Several times all lights blink simultaneously and the HomePlug light also shows red Wait for about one minute while your powerline devices connect If the power...

Page 31: ...oth devices Figure 10 Adding More Powerline Adapters to Your Network 9 If you disconnected your computer or modem or any other networking product connected to your powerline device in step 1 of this s...

Page 32: ...separate powerline network connection from your laptop to your printer C Figure 11 One Existing Powerline Network 1 Click the ENCRYPT button on A for more than 10 seconds until the power light flashes...

Page 33: ...wo Separate Powerline Networks Congratulations You now have two separate powerline networks as shown above If the HomePlug lights on both powerline devices do not light up the powerline devices are no...

Page 34: ...OMEPLUG LIGHT BEHAVIOR less than 3 seconds The device joins a network It shares the same network name as other devices on the network The power light blinks until the device is connected This may take...

Page 35: ...communicate with each other by sending and receiving information over your home s electrical wiring A Figure 13 Example Network Setup All HomePlug AV compliant powerline adapters within range can joi...

Page 36: ...owerline adapters on your powerline network you must enter the adapters password in the PLA 4xx Series Configuration Utility This password is called the DAK Device Access Key password This password is...

Page 37: ...creen LABEL DESCRIPTION Network Topology Use this to select which powerline network information is displayed Different powerline networks are identified by the Ethernet interface network card connecte...

Page 38: ...DAK Password value exactly as it is printed on the label all caps and with dashes Network Name The default network name sometimes called a network password or network membership key NMK of the PLA 401...

Page 39: ...o power up and how to load the firmware You can check the ZyXEL website for firmware upgrades for your PLA 401 Series Note To upgrade to the latest firmware use the firmware upgrade tool available fro...

Page 40: ...ed directly to the PLA 401 Series Typically there is only one connection however if your computer has two network cards and both are connected to a PLA 401 Series then you have two powerline networks...

Page 41: ...y Remote if it is a PLA 401 Series in your powerline network but not directly connected to the computer running the configuration utility MAC Address This field displays the MAC address of your powerl...

Page 42: ...s follows The figure below shows an example powerline home network connected to the Internet Device A is a printer and does not handle traffic with high importance so the powerline adapter connected t...

Page 43: ...s audio or movie files it does not send a lot of traffic so the powerline adaptor attached to it can be set to a low priority Figure 18 Priority Settings Use this screen to configure priority settings...

Page 44: ...omputer has two network cards and both are connected to a powerline adapter then you have two powerline networks Site This field displays Local if it is the PLA 401 Series directly connected to the co...

Page 45: ...re version of the device you selected in the Device Selection field of the Configuration screen In the example firmware version given in the screen 3 3 3348 the firmware version is shown by the number...

Page 46: ...Chapter 5 The Configuration Utility PLA 401 Series User s Guide 46...

Page 47: ...of your home s wiring In the case of coaxial cable this can extend beyond the boundary of your home such as your neighbor s house or apartment for example Use the Mac utility to configure the followin...

Page 48: ...network name or Network Membership Key NMK is a password that identifies a powerline network All powerline devices with the same NMK are in the same powerline network The default network name of the P...

Page 49: ...hange Nickname 6 1 6 QoS Settings You can configure the powerline adapters on your network to give priority to data they transmit Table 9 Change Network Name NMK LABEL DESCRIPTION Network Name The net...

Page 50: ...to 31 letters numerals and any printable character found on a typical English language keyboard Spaces are not allowed Port Select the type of traffic to which this rule applies You may select one of...

Page 51: ...e 25 Set HomePlug Light Color Use the slider to define the light behaviour or type a range in the text boxes for when the light should shine amber For example if the maximum possible speed in your net...

Page 52: ...ote powerline adapter is in the same powerline network as the local powerline adapter but is not connected directly to your computer Show Statistics Click this button to show detailed link information...

Page 53: ...ver the connection measured in Mbps This represents the physical rate of data transmission the PHY rate which includes not only the files sent on your powerline but also line overhead required to mana...

Page 54: ...n two devices Attenuation may vary considerably across a powerline network as line conditions also vary A typical level of attenuation may be 40 dB but may reach over 70 dB depending on line quality a...

Page 55: ...e adapter in your powerline network but not directly connected to the computer running the configuration utility MAC Address This shows the MAC address of the powerline adapter You can find the MAC ad...

Page 56: ...utility otherwise you must upgrade both the utility and the firmware Be sure to upload the correct model firmware as uploading the wrong model firmware may damage your device The firmware is included...

Page 57: ...rmware Upgrade Tool application Click Next to begin the firmware upgrade process Figure 29 Firmware Upgrade Tool Start 4 If you already have the latest version firmware you ll see a warning screen Cli...

Page 58: ...llowing screen Make sure you upload the correct firmware for your region as different regions have differnt firmware characteristics Figure 31 Firmware Upgrade Tool Start 6 The firmware upgrade may ta...

Page 59: ...en appears Click OK then Finish to close the application Your device automatically restarts Figure 33 Firmware Upgrade Tool Finish 8 To check if your firmware is successfully upgraded run the Firmware...

Page 60: ...Chapter 6 The OS X Configuration Utility PLA 401 Series User s Guide 60...

Page 61: ...twork separate from your existing network with new powerline adapters How to make a new separate powerline network with the powerline adapters you have The tutorial uses the PLA 4xx Series Configurati...

Page 62: ...n below to connect the LAN or Ethernet port on your adapter to the same kind of port on your computer Figure 35 Connect Your Powerline Adapter to a Computer Network Name The network name allows a powe...

Page 63: ...on page 63 to add a new powerline adapter to your network See Section 7 0 5 on page 65 to set up a second network with your new adapters See Section 7 0 6 on page 67 to set up a second network with yo...

Page 64: ...open to the configuration tab On this screen in the Site column your new powerline adapter should appear as Local A Check the Local adapter s MAC address B It should match the MAC address listed on th...

Page 65: ...power cord into a power outlet and if required switch the power outlet on 8 Repeat this procedure for all additional powerline adapters that you want to add to your existing or new powerline network 7...

Page 66: ...A 1100P you can use your TV to watch movies and play games which are stored on a computer Figure 41 Add New Adapters to Make a Second Network 1 Connect your new powerline adapter and open the configur...

Page 67: ...computer or a games console 7 0 6 Splitting a Network into Two Networks This section shows you how to split your existing network into two networks This is useful if you want to set up a second power...

Page 68: ...ll others are listed as Remote Figure 43 Local Remote Adapters on a Powerline Network 3 To set up a new powerline network type the DAK Password and change the Network Name on all powerline adapters yo...

Page 69: ...the DAK Password field Figure 45 Incorrect DAK or No DAK If you have correctly entered the DAK Password click OK on the pop up Figure 46 Correct DAK 5 The settings for the adapter will now grey out an...

Page 70: ...nge the Network Name on your local adapter to the network name for the network you want to access The adapters on that network will then display in the adapter table allowing you to select and configu...

Page 71: ...estions to solve problems you might encounter 8 1 LEDs The following sections describes the lights on the PLA 401 Series The following figure is the front panel of the PLA 401 Series Use the lights to...

Page 72: ...s not receiving power HomePlug Green On The PLA 401 Series detects another powerline adapter The data transfer rate is greater than 40 Mbps Amber The PLA 401 Series detects another powerline adapter T...

Page 73: ...t 5 If the problem continues contact the vendor The ETHERNET light does not turn on 1 Check the hardware connections See the Quick Start Guide 2 Inspect your cables for damage Contact the vendor to re...

Page 74: ...5 Make sure that the powerline adapters on your network are all on the same electrical wiring Connect another powerline adapter into an outlet close to your PLA 401 Series s power outlet They are pro...

Page 75: ...e with PLA 401 Seriess using the latest firmware If you do not have the latest utility download it from the ZyXEL website If the device is not a ZyXEL device then the DAK and Network Name will be grey...

Page 76: ...not blink as part of the ENCRYPT process Check your powerline device is a PLA 401 Series For PLA 401 Series you cannot use the ENCRYPT button when it is in Low Power mode Connect the PLA 401 Series t...

Page 77: ...check device A is connected to device B and not another device disconnect device B from its power source Device A s HomePlug light will turn off if the connection is with Device B Press the ENCRYPT b...

Page 78: ...Chapter 8 LEDs and Troubleshooting PLA 401 Series User s Guide 78...

Page 79: ...79 PART III Appendices and Index Product Specifications 81 Legal Information 85 Index 89...

Page 80: ...80...

Page 81: ...less than 3 seconds resets the device to factory default settings Network Name becomes HomePlugAV ENCRYPT Pressing this button in for less than 3 seconds begins the connection setup process Pressing t...

Page 82: ...evices using version 3 3 4 firmware cannot communicate with earlier version firmware Encryption 128 bit AES Encryption Frequency Band 1 8 MHz 30 MHz Certifications FCC CE CUL UL HomePlug AV RoHS Devic...

Page 83: ...P Supports up to 150 Mbps over in house power coaxial lines LAN port limits to 100 Mbps Number of devices in one powerline network Supports up to 64 devices in 4 network groups Table 18 Standards Supp...

Page 84: ...Appendix A Product Specifications PLA 401 Series User s Guide 84...

Page 85: ...tent rights nor the patent rights of others ZyXEL further reserves the right to make changes in any products described herein without notice This publication is subject to change without notice Your u...

Page 86: ...generates uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions may cause harmful interference to radio communications However there is no guar...

Page 87: ...abitativo dei radiodisturbi In questo caso pu essere richiesto al gestore di prendere opportune misure Notices Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance...

Page 88: ...normal working conditions Note Repair or replacement as provided under this warranty is the exclusive remedy of the purchaser This warranty is in lieu of all other warranties express or implied includ...

Page 89: ...pyright 85 D DAK 35 37 DAK Data Access Password 17 Data Access Password see DAK 17 dimensions 81 disclaimer 85 E electrical and cable wiring 35 electrical circuit boundaries 35 encryption 15 35 82 ETH...

Page 90: ...mation Block 38 plug and play 35 power specification 81 priority settings 41 application type 42 50 priority levels 44 private network 17 problems and solutions 71 product registration 88 PWR LED 71 R...

Page 91: ...Index PLA 401 Series User s Guide 91...

Page 92: ...Index PLA 401 Series User s Guide 92...

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