ZyXEL PLA5256 manual

Quick Start Guide www .zyxel.com PLA Series P owerline Ethernet Adapters PLA4101, PLA4111, PLA4201, PL A4201 v2, PLA5205, PLA5215, PLA5206, PLA5405 Utility V ersion 7.0.1 Edition 1, 05/2014 Default Network Name : HomePlugAV Copyright © 2014 Z yXEL Communications Corpor ation User’s Guide[...]

PLA Series User’s Guide 2 IMPORT ANT! READ CAREFULL Y BEFORE USE. KEEP THIS GUIDE FOR FUTURE REFERENCE. Note: This guide is a re ference for a ser ies of products. Therefore some features or options in this guide ma y not be av ailable in your product. Screenshots and graphics in this book may differ sl ightly from your product due to differences[...]

Table of Contents PLA Series User’s Guide 3 Table of Contents Table of Contents ................................................. ..................................................... ........... ................ 3 Part I: User ’ s Guide .............. .............................. .............................. ................. 5 Chapter 1 I[...]

Table of Contents PLA Series User’s Guide 4 3.2.2 Installing the Utility . ................. ................ ............. ................ ............. ................ ...... ............. .... 25 Chapter 4 The Configuration Utility ............................ ..................................................... ..................... ......[...]

5 P ART I User ’ s Guide[...]

PLA Series User’s Guide 6 C HAPTER 1 Introducing the PLA 1.1 Overview This chapter introduces the main applications an d features of y our Z yXEL HomePlug AV co mpliant powerline adapter , which is called “PLA ” in this guide. The following generic icon is used to represent all PLA models. In this User’s Guide the electrical wiring netw ork[...]

Chapter 1 Introducing the PLA PLA Series User’s Guide 7 Note: In this guide RESET/ENCRYPT refers to the ENCRYPT button in PLAs that have separate RESET and ENCRY PT buttons. Y ou can directly plug an electrical device (such as a router or computer) into PLAs with an AC power pass-through socket to supply power to the device. There are two types o[...]

Chapter 1 Introducing the PLA PLA Series User’s Guide 8 HomePlug Green On The PLA detects anoth er po werline adapter . The data transfer rate is greater than 4 0 Mbps. Amber The PLA detects another powerl ine adapter . The data transfer rate is between 12~40 Mbps. Red The PLA detects anot her powerl ine adapter . The data transfer rate is betwee[...]

Chapter 1 Introducing the PLA PLA Series User’s Guide 9 1.3 S t andby Mode (Power Saving Mode) Y our PLA is a certified green product. It goes into standby mode when there is no Ethernet connection. When you plug the PLA into an electric sock et, it waits for an Ethernet connection. When no connection is detected after sixty (60) seconds, the P o[...]

Chapter 1 Introducing the PLA PLA Series User’s Guide 10 Figure 2 Expand Y our Netw ork with the PLA Connect your PLA to an Internet gateway such as a modem and plug it into an ordinary power outlet in your home. Plug a second PLA into another power outlet and conn ect a computer to the PLA for Internet access. Y our network can be furt her expan[...]

Chapter 1 Introducing the PLA PLA Series User’s Guide 11 1.6.2 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. Alternatively , use the ZyXEL PLA Series Configuration utility to set up security on the PLA. Although the PLA is[...]

PLA Series User’s Guide 12 C HAPTER 2 The RESET/ENCRYPT Button Use the RESET/EN CRYPT button to automatically set up a secure powerline connection between your powerline devices. Note: In this guide RESET/ENCRYPT refers to the ENCRYPT button in PLAs that have separate RESET and ENCRY PT buttons. 2.1 RESET/ENCR YPT Button Overview The RESET/ENCRYP[...]

Chapter 2 The RESET/ENCRYPT Button PLA Series User’s Guide 13 Figure 3 ENCRYPT Connection Procedure Note: The RESET/ENCRYPT button’s location v arie s for each P owerline model. Note: Check the lights on the t wo powerlin e devices. The p ower ( ) and HomePlug ( ) lights should be on whil e the devices ar e connecting. W ait for about two minut[...]

Chapter 2 The RESET/ENCRYPT Button PLA Series User’s Guide 14 Figure 4 Adding More Powerline Adapters to Y our Network This sets up your powerline networ k between y our powerline devices. 2.3 Removing a Device from a Powerline Network Sup pos e yo u wan t to rem ove P LAs ( C ) and ( D ) from the following powerline network. Figure 5 Removing De[...]

Chapter 2 The RESET/ENCRYPT Button PLA Series User’s Guide 15 2.4 Multiple Sep arate Powerline Networks Y ou can use the RESET/ENCRYPT button to create multiple sepa rate powerline networks. Use the RESET/ENCRYPT button on only two PLAs at a time. 1 Press the RESET/ENCRYPT button on powerline devices E and F for 0.5 to 3 seconds. This must be don[...]

Chapter 2 The RESET/ENCRYPT Button PLA Series User’s Guide 16 The following table summarizes the actions that occur when the RESET /ENCRYPT button is pressed for specific lengths of time. Note: The network name is unknown when you use the RE SET/ENCRYPT button. 2.6 PLAs with Sep arate RESET and ENCR YPT Buttons Re fe r t o T able 1 on page 6 to s[...]

Chapter 2 The RESET/ENCRYPT Button PLA Series User’s Guide 17 2.6.2 RESET Button Behavior Use a pointed device such as a pin to reset the Network Name back to default HomePlugAV . See T roubleshooting in Chap ter 6 on page 48 for suggestions on problems with the RESET/ ENCRYPT button and the lights. T a ble 8 RESET Button TIME ACTION POWER LIGHT [...]

18 P ART II T echnical Reference[...]

PLA Series User’s Guide 19 C HAPTER 3 Installing the Utility This chapter guides you through the installati on of the configur ation utility for your PLA. 3.1 Windows This section uses the Windows XP screens as an example to show you how to install the Windo ws vesi on of the ZyXEL PLA Series Configuration utility . 3.1.1 System Requirement s At [...]

Chapter 3 Installing the Utility PLA Series User’s Guide 20 Otherwise, the WinPcap setup wizard runs automatically . Click Next to continue. 2 Re vi e w t h e license agreement , and click I Agree to proceed. 3 Select Automatically start the WinPcap driver at boot time if you want to start WinPcap automatically when the computer boots. Click Inst[...]

Chapter 3 Installing the Utility PLA Series User’s Guide 21 4 Select I want to manually reboot lat er , and click Finish to exit the wizard. 5 A prompt appears asking you to install the .NET Fr amework version 4. R eview Microsoft’s License Agreement , select I have read and accept the license terms. and click Intall to proceed. Note: If you al[...]

Chapter 3 Installing the Utility PLA Series User’s Guide 22 6 The next screen allows you to see the progress of the installation. 7 Click Finish to close the window .[...]

Chapter 3 Installing the Utility PLA Series User’s Guide 23 8 The utility installation wizard runs automatically . Click Yes or Next to continue through the initial screen. Click Cancel only if you w ant to abort the installation. 9 Click Install to install the utility to the default folder .[...]

Chapter 3 Installing the Utility PLA Series User’s Guide 24 Figure 7 Install Destination Folder 10 The screen shows you the progress of the installation. Figure 8 Utility Installation Process 11 Click Finish to exit the wizard.[...]

Chapter 3 Installing the Utility PLA Series User’s Guide 25 Figure 9 Installation Complete Note: Y ou may be asked to restart your comput er when the installati on is complete. Clic k “Y es” to restart y our computer . If you select “No, I wil l restart my computer later” , you will not be able to launch the utility until after a rest art[...]

Chapter 3 Installing the Utility PLA Series User’s Guide 26 3 Click Install to install the utility to the default folder , or click Change Install Location ... to specify a different location on your computer . 4 When the installation is finished, a screen appears to confirm th e PLA Series Config uration Utility has been successfully installed t[...]

Chapter 3 Installing the Utility PLA Series User’s Guide 27 5 After installing the utility , you can find the utility icon in y our Applications folder . If you are running Mac OS X 10.7 or later , you can also see the utility icon in the Launchpad screen.[...]

PLA Series User’s Guide 28 C HAPTER 4 The Configuration Utility 4.1 Overview This chapter shows you how to use the ZyXEL PLA Series Configuration utility (or utility) to secure, manage and set up Quality of Se rvice (QoS) on your powerline network. The PLA is designed as a plug-and-play network expanding solution. This means that once you complet[...]

Chapter 4 The Configuration Utility PLA Series User’s Guide 29 For the powerline adapters to communicate with each other they all need to use the same network name. This network name allows the powerline ad apters to understand the encrypted information sent in the powerline network. By default the PLAs are all configured with the network name Ho[...]

Chapter 4 The Configuration Utility PLA Series User’s Guide 30 Y ou can select to view the connection status represented by icons ( ) or view transmission/ receiving rates in a list ( ). 4.3.1 Icon View Use the up/down arrow or just click a device icon at the left side to select a powerline adapter in your network. The screen shows you the networ[...]

Chapter 4 The Configuration Utility PLA Series User’s Guide 31 Figure 14 Network Info Screen (Icon) > Info 4.3.2 List V iew Figure 15 Network Info Screen (List) The following table describes the labels in this screen. T a ble 9 Network Info Screen (List) LABEL DESCRIPTION Adapter This field identifies which powerline networ k information is di[...]

Chapter 4 The Configuration Utility PLA Series User’s Guide 32 4.4 Configuration Screen Use the Config uration screen to see which devices are recognized by your powerline network, to configure your PLA and to set up a secure powerline network by changing the powerline network name. This screen opens up when you launch the utility . Select a powe[...]

Chapter 4 The Configuration Utility PLA Series User’s Guide 33 Figure 16 Configuration Screen The following table describes the labels in this screen. T a ble 10 Configuration Sc reen LABEL DESCRIPTION Network T opology Use this to select whic h powerline network in formation i s displayed. Different powerline networks are identified by the Ether[...]

Chapter 4 The Configuration Utility PLA Series User’s Guide 34 4.5 Advanced Screen Y ou can configure the powerline adapters on your network to giv e priority to network tr affic depending on its importance. When you set the prio rity of a powerline adapter , you set how quickly messages FROM your powerline adapter are sent in your powerline netw[...]

Chapter 4 The Configuration Utility PLA Series User’s Guide 35 Allocate priority settings based on application type as follows. The figure below shows an example powerlin e home network connected to the Internet. • Device A is a printer and does not handle tr affi c with high importance, so the powerline adapter connected to it can be set to lo[...]

Chapter 4 The Configuration Utility PLA Series User’s Guide 36 Figure 18 Advanced Screen The following table describes the labels in this screen. 4.6 About Screen Use the About screen to view information regarding the configuration utility version of the PLA you are connected to. Click the icon in the top right corner of the utility to view the A[...]

Chapter 4 The Configuration Utility PLA Series User’s Guide 37 Figure 19 About Scre en The following table describes the labels in this screen. T a ble 13 About Screen LABEL DESCRIPTION Utility versi on This fiel d displays the soft ware version of the configuration utility . Rel ea s ed This field dis plays the date when the utility was released[...]

PLA Series User’s Guide 38 C HAPTER 5 Powerline Network Setup Tutorial 5.1 Overview Use this tutorial to expand your existing powerline network. After setting up your first home powerline netwo rk (instructions for that are in the Quick Start Guide for your Z yXEL powe rline adapter) you ma y wa nt to extend the network or create a new one by add[...]

Chapter 5 Powerli ne Network Setu p Tutorial PLA Series User’s Guide 39 5.3 Accessing Y o ur Powerline Adapter 1 Plug the powerline adapter you w ant to add to yo ur network into a power socket and, if n eeded, switch the power socket on. Figure 20 Plug Y our Powerline Adapter into a Power Socket 2 Connect the powerline adapter to your computer .[...]

Chapter 5 Powerline Network Setup Tutoria l PLA Series User’s Guide 40 Figure 22 Add a Printer t o Y our Powerline Network Note: Y ou do not need to know the network na me of the new adapter to add it to your network. 1 Connect your computer to the powerline adapter you want to add to your network and open the ZyXEL PLA Series Configuration utili[...]

Chapter 5 Powerli ne Network Setu p Tutorial PLA Series User’s Guide 41 Figure 24 Adding an Adapter to an Existing Network 4 Click Write and click OK on the pop-up. Figure 25 Network Name Pop-up 5 Y our new adapter will now have the same Network Name as your existing network and so has now joined your existing network. 6 Connect the adapter to th[...]

Chapter 5 Powerline Network Setup Tutoria l PLA Series User’s Guide 42 Figure 26 Add New Adapters to Make a Second Network 1 Connect your new powerline adapter and op en the configur ation utility as shown in Section 5.5 on page 41 . The screen shown below appears. 2 Ty p e a Network Name that is different from the Network Name for your existing [...]

Chapter 5 Powerli ne Network Setu p Tutorial PLA Series User’s Guide 43 5.6 S plitting a Network into T w o Networks This section shows you how to split your existing network into two netwo rks. This is useful if you want to set up a second powerline network in yo ur home, for example, in your study connecting a laptop and printer . See Figure 26[...]

Chapter 5 Powerline Network Setup Tutoria l PLA Series User’s Guide 44 Figure 29 Adding an Adapter to Y our New Network 4 Click Save . • If you do not type the DAK password or type it incorrectly the fo llowing pop-up appears. Click OK and type the DAK Pas sword correctly in the DAK Password field. Figure 30 Incorrect DAK or No DAK • If you h[...]

Chapter 5 Powerli ne Network Setu p Tutorial PLA Series User’s Guide 45 6 Go ba ck t o s t ep 3 in this section to set the same, new Network Name for all remote adapters you want to add to y our new network. 7 Check you have added the adapters correctly by ch anging the network name for the local adapter . All adapters with the new Network Name n[...]

PLA Series User’s Guide 46 C HAPTER 6 Troubleshooting This chapter offers some suggestions to solve problems you might encounter . 6.1 Power and Light Problems The PLA does not turn on. None of the lights turn on. 1 Disconnect and re-connect the PLA. 2 R emove the powerline adapter from the outlet. Then connect an electrical device that you know [...]

Chapter 6 Troubleshooting PLA Series User’s Guide 47 3 Make sure that all your powerline adapters are HomePlug A V compliant. Check the package it came in or ask your vendor . This PLA can not detect ear lier versions of HomePlug powerline adapters such as HomePlug 1.0 or 1.0.1. (Although they can coexist on the same electrical wiring without int[...]

Chapter 6 Troubleshooting PLA Series User’s Guide 48 6.3 Powerline Problems The signal on my powerline network is weak. 1 Y our powerline adapters may be connected to electrical surge protectors. Connect them to standard power outlets. 2 Y our powerline adapters may be located close to large appliances such as refriger ators or air- conditioners [...]

Chapter 6 Troubleshooting PLA Series User’s Guide 49 The POWER light blinks two times quic kly then pauses, before repeating. The ENCRYPT process has failed. Press the RESET/ENCRYPT button on both devices for 5 to 8 seconds, then try to reconnect. The POWER lights on both devices blink when I press the RESET/ENCRYPT butt ons, but the HomePlug lig[...]

PLA Series User’s Guide 50 A PPENDIX A Customer Support In the event of problems th at cannot be solved by using this manual, you should contact your vendor . If you cannot contact your v endor , then contact a Z yXEL office for the region in which you bought the device. Regional websites are listed below (see also http://www .zyxel.com/ about_zy[...]

Appendix A Customer Supp ort PLA Series User’s Guide 51 Korea • Z yXEL K orea Corp. • http://www.zyx el.kr Malaysia • Z yXEL Malaysia Sdn Bhd. • http://www.zyx el.com.my Pakist an • ZyXEL P akistan (Pvt.) Ltd. • http://www.zyx el.com.pk Philipines • Z yXEL Philippines • http://www.zyx el.com.ph Singapore • Z yXEL Singapore Pte L[...]

Appendix A Customer Support PLA Series User’s Guide 52 Belgium • Z yXEL Communications B.V . • http://www.zyx el.com/be/nl/ Bulgaria •Z y X E L България • http://www.zyx el.com/bg/bg/ Czech • Z yXEL Communications Czech s.r .o • http://www.zyx el.cz Denmark • Z yXEL Communications A/S • http://www.zyx el.dk Estonia •Z y [...]

Appendix A Customer Supp ort PLA Series User’s Guide 53 Lithuania • Z yXEL Lithuania • http://www .zyxel.com/lt/lt/homepage.shtml Netherlands •Z y X E L B e n e l u x • http://www.zyx el.nl Norway • Z yXEL Communications • http://www.zyx el.no Poland • Z yXEL Communications Poland • http://www.zyx el.pl Romania •Z y X E L R o m [...]

Appendix A Customer Support PLA Series User’s Guide 54 T urkey •Z y X E L T u r k e y A . S . • http://www.zyx el.com.tr UK • Z yXEL Communications UK Ltd. • http://www.zyx el.co.uk Ukraine •Z y X E L U k r a i n e • http://www.ua.zyx el.com Latin America Argentina • Z yXEL Communication Corpor ation • http://www.zyx el.com/ec/es/[...]

Appendix A Customer Supp ort PLA Series User’s Guide 55 Oceania Australia • Z yXEL Communications Corporation • http://www.zyx el.com/au/en/ Africa South Africa • Nology (Pty) Ltd. • http://www.zyx el.co.za[...]

PLA Series User’s Guide 56 A PPENDIX B Legal Information Copyright Copyright © 2014 by Z y XEL Communications Corporation. The contents of this publication may not be repr oduced in any part or as a whole, tr anscribed, stored in a retrieval system, translated into an y language, or transmitted in any form or by an y means, electronic, mechanica[...]

Appendix B Legal Information PLA Series User’s Guide 57 1 Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna. 2 Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver . 3 Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiv er is connected. 4 Consult the dealer or an experienced r adio/TV technician for help. [...]

Appendix B Legal Information PLA Series User’s Guide 58 distributor for details about the W arranty P eriod of this product. During the warr anty period, and upon proof of purchase, should the product ha ve indications of failure due to faulty workman ship and/or materials, ZyXEL will, at its discretion, repair or replace the defective products o[...]

Index PLA Series User’s Guide 59 Index A about screen 36 AC P ass- Through 6 Advanced Encryption Standard, see AES 9 AES 10 , 28 AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) 9 applications 6 C certifications 56 notices 57 viewing 57 configuration screen 32 configuration utility 9 connections overview 10 contact information 50 copyright 56 customer support [...]

Index PLA Series User’s Guide 60 M MAC address 33 management multiple networks 11 overview 28 managing the device using the utility maximum PHY rate 6 multiple networks 11 N network example 28 network information 29 Network Name 10 network name 16 O other documentation 2 P pass-through 6 passwords 28 , 33 , 34 types of 10 PHY Rate 6 PLA Compariso[...]

Index PLA Series User’s Guide 61 note 58 Z Z yXEL PLA Series Configuration 28[...]