ZyXEL PLA4231 User Guide - Page 85

Chapter 12 HomePlug

PLA4231 User’s Guide

85

Central

Coordinator

MAC

The Central Coordinator of the powerline network is the powerline adapter which keeps

track of which devices are part of the network as well as synchronizes communication

within the powerline network. If the Central Coordinator is removed from the powerline

network then another powerline adapter takes its place. This field displays the MAC address

of the PLA4231 which is the Central Coordinator of the powerline network. The powerline

adapters in your powerline network automatically select the Central Coordinator.

The information provided in the following table reflects transmission rate information about the powerline

adapters which communicate in your powerline network.

The powerline adapters listed in this table are all the powerline adapters in your powerline network except the

powerline adapter selected in the table of the

Network Name

section. In other words, if the

Local

powerline

adapter is selected in the table of the

Network Name

section, then this table will display the rates of

transmission from the powerline adapter connected to the computer running the Web Configurator to all the

Remote

powerline adapters.

Site

This field displays:

•

Local

, if it is the PLA4231 directly connected to the computer running the Web

Configurator.

•

Remote

, if it is a PLA4231 in your powerline network but not directly connected to the

computer running the Web Configurator.

MAC Address

This field displays the MAC address of your powerline adapter. The MAC address of your

powerline adapter can be found by looking at the label on your device. It consists of six

pairs of hexadecimal characters (hexadecimal characters are “0-9” and “a-f”). In the case

of the PLA4231, this label is on the bottom of the device.

Transmit Rate

(Mbps)

This field displays how fast information is sent from the powerline adapter selected in the

table of the

Network Name

section to this powerline adapter. The rate is given in the

following format: “application data transmission rate / raw data transmission rate”.

Application data reflects more accurately how fast devices are transmitting application

relevant traffic (for example Internet Protocol (IP) traffic). Raw data refers to the whole

payload of the packets transmitted across the powerline network.

Receive Rate

(Mbps)

This field displays how fast information is received from the powerline adapter selected in

the table of the

Network Name

section to this powerline adapter. The rate is given in the

following format: “application data transmission rate / raw data transmission rate”.

Application data reflects more accurately how fast devices are transmitting application

relevant traffic (for example Internet Protocol (IP) traffic). Raw data refers to the whole

payload of the packets transmitted across the powerline network.

Table 30

Configuration Screen (continued)

LABEL

DESCRIPTION

Section	Page
PLA4231	1
Table of Contents	3
Introduction	7
Introducing the PLA4231	9
1.1 Overview	9
1.2 Expand Your Network with the PLA4231	9
1.3 Ways to Manage the PLA4231	10
1.4 Good Habits for Managing the PLA4231	10
1.5 Powerline Security	10
1.5.1 Powerline Passwords	11
1.5.2 Setting Up Powerline Security	11
1.6 Multiple Networks	12
1.7 Resetting the PLA4231	12
1.7.1 Procedure to Use the Reset Button	12
The WPS Button	13
2.1 WPS Overview	13
2.2 How to Use the WPS Button	13
The RESET/ENCRYPT Button	15
3.1 RESET/ENCRYPT Button Overview	15
3.2 Set Up a HomePlug AV Network with ENCRYPT	15
3.3 Setting Up Multiple Networks	17
3.4 RESET/ENCRYPT Button Behavior	19
Configuration Utility	21
Installing the Powerline Configuration Utility	23
4.1 Overview of the Installation Process	23
4.2 Installing the Utility	23
Using the Powerline Configuration Utility	27
5.1 Overview	27
5.1.1 Powerline Network Security	27
5.1.2 Device Access Key (DAK)	28
5.2 Starting the Configuration Utility	28
5.3 Configuration Screen	29
5.4 Firmware Screen	30
5.5 Network Info Screen	31
5.6 Advanced Screen	32
5.7 About Screen	35
Powerline Network Setup Tutorial	37
6.1 Overview	37
6.2 Important Terms	37
6.3 Accessing Your Powerline Adapter	38
6.4 Adding a Powerline Adapter	39
6.5 Setting Up a New Network with a New Adapter	40
6.6 Splitting a Network into Two Networks	42
6.7 Troubleshooting	44
Web Configurator	47
Introducing the Web Configurator	49
7.1 Overview	49
7.2 Accessing the Web Configurator	49
7.2.1 Login Screen	49
7.2.2 Password Screen	51
7.3 Navigating the Web Configurator	52
7.3.1 Title Bar	53
7.3.2 Navigation Panel	53
7.3.3 Main Window	54
Dashboard	55
8.1 The Dashboard Screen	55
Monitor	59
9.1 Overview	59
9.2 What You Can Do	59
9.3 Log	59
9.4 Packet Statistics	60
9.5 WLAN Station Status	61
Wireless LAN	63
10.1 Overview	63
10.2 What You Can Do	63
10.3 What You Should Know	64
10.3.1 Wireless Security Overview	64
10.4 General Wireless LAN Screen	66
10.5 Wireless Security	67
10.5.1 No Security	67
10.5.2 WEP Encryption	68
10.5.3 WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK	70
10.6 MAC Filter	71
10.7 Wireless LAN Advanced Screen	73
10.8 Quality of Service (QoS) Screen	73
10.9 WPS Screen	74
10.10 WPS Station Screen	76
10.11 Scheduling Screen	76
LAN	79
11.1 Overview	79
11.2 What You Can Do	79
11.3 What You Need To Know	79
11.3.1 LAN TCP/IP	80
11.3.2 IP Alias	80
11.4 LAN IP Screen	80
11.5 IP Alias Screen	81
HomePlug	83
12.1 Overview	83
12.2 What You Can Do	83
12.3 HomePlug Screen	83
Maintenance	87
13.1 Overview	87
13.2 What You Can Do	87
13.3 General Screen	87
13.4 Password Screen	88
13.5 Time Setting Screen	88
13.6 Firmware Upgrade Screen	90
13.7 Configuration Backup/Restore Screen	92
13.8 Restart Screen	93
13.9 Language Screen	93
LEDs and Troubleshooting	95
14.1 LEDs	95
14.2 Power and Light Problems	96
14.3 Configuration Utility Problems	98
14.4 Powerline Problems	98
14.5 RESET/ENCRYPT Button Problems	99
14.6 Wireless Connection Problems	100
14.7 PLA4231 Access and Login Problems	101
Pop-up Windows, JavaScript and Java Permissions	105
Legal Information	115

ZyXEL PLA4231 User Guide - Page 85

HomePlug, PLA4231 User's Guide, Configuration Screen continued

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