ZyXEL PLA450 v2 User Guide - Page 44

Chapter 4 Introducing the Web Configurator

PLA450 User’s Guide

44

The following table describes the labels in this screen.

Table 9

Summary: My Homeplug Network

LABEL

DESCRIPTION

Statistics

MAC Address

This field displays the MAC address of the powerline device detected by your

PLA450.

Rx PHY Rate

This field shows the transfer rate of data received by the local device from the

selected remote device, measured in Mbps.

Tx PHY Rate

This field shows the transfer rate of data sent the local device to the selected

powerline device, measured in Mbps.

Avg. Pre-FEC

Bit Error Rate

In powerline networks data is sent in physical blocks (PB). This field shows the

average percentage of errors in the physical blocks sent by the destination

device to your local device before the errors are corrected using FEC (Forward

Error Correction).

A high error rate may not necessarily result in a poor connection as PBs with

errors are discarded and the powerline device adjusts the signal to a frequency

to a level where fewer errors occur

Avg. Source PB

CRC Error Rate

This field displays the average CRC (Cyclic Redundancy Check) error rate of

transmission from the destination device to the local device.

The CRC error check is performed after Forward Error Correction. If the error

rate after FEC error correction is still high, then this indicates a lot of noise at all

frequencies on this section of your powerline. Data transmission rates are

reduced if there is a lot of noise on the line.

Avg. Dest PB

CRC Error Rate

This field displays the average CRC (Cyclic Redundancy Check) error rate of

transmission sent from the local device to the selected powerline device.

The CRC error check is performed after Forward Error Correction. If the error

rate after FEC error correction is still high, then this indicates a lot of noise at all

frequencies on this section of your powerline. Data transmission rates are

reduced if there is a lot of noise on the line.

Avg. Bits

This field displays the average number of bits transferred over 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 manage your network, such as error correction bits.

The PHY rate is the clearest indicator of the quality of your line.

•

If the PHY rate is close to the HomePlug AV maximum data transfer rate

(see

Chapter 15 on page 123

), then the quality of this section of the line is

very high, with very little attenuation. (See

Avg. Attenuation

for details on

attenuation).

•

If the PHY rate varies between the maximum level and a lower level (such as

60 Mbps), there is noise on this section of your powerline. Attenuation is not

a factor.

If the PHY rate is steady at a lower level (such as 80 Mbps), this is caused by

attenuation and not noise on this section of your powerline

Avg. SNR

This field displays the average SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio) measured in dB.

Use this to check the amount of noise on this part of your powerline network.

The higher the number the better the connection quality.

Noise on your powerline is usually caused by household appliances running on

your powerline. The motor of a refrigerator can create electrical interference. A

cell/mobile phone recharger which rapidly alternates between on and off can

also generate noise. Poor cable quality and installation can also cause noise. To

identify causes of noise on your network, disconnect an appliance connected on

this part of your powerline network and observe whether this reduces the Signal-

to-Noise ratio.

Section	Page
PLA450 Series	1
User’s Guide	1
About This User's Guide	3
Document Conventions	4
Safety Warnings	6
Contents Overview	9
Table of Contents	11
List of Figures	15
List of Tables	19
Introduction	21
Getting to Know Your PLA450	23
1.1 Overview	23
1.1.1 Wireless LAN Application	23
1.1.2 HomePlug AV	23
1.2 Ways to Manage the PLA450	24
1.3 Good Habits for Managing the PLA450	24
1.4 LEDs	25
The WPS Button	27
2.1 Overview	27
2.2 Push Button Configuration	27
The ENCRYPT Button	29
3.1 ENCRYPT Button Overview	29
3.2 Set Up a HomePlug AV Network with ENCRYPT	29
3.3 Setting Up Multiple Networks	31
3.4 ENCRYPT Button Behavior	32
Introducing the Web Configurator	35
4.1 Web Configurator Overview	35
4.2 Accessing the Web Configurator	35
4.3 Resetting the PLA450	37
4.3.1 Procedure to Use the Reset Button	37
4.4 Navigating the Web Configurator	37
4.4.1 The Status Screen	37
4.4.2 Navigation Panel	40
4.4.3 Summary: Packet Statistics	41
4.4.4 Summary: Wireless Station Status	42
4.4.5 Summary: My HomePlug Network Status	42
Wireless Tutorial	47
5.1 Example Parameters	47
5.2 Configuring the PLA450	47
5.3 Configuring the Wireless Client	49
5.3.1 Connecting to a Wireless LAN	49
5.3.2 Creating and Using a Profile	52
Network	55
Wireless LAN	57
6.1 Wireless Network Overview	57
6.2 Wireless Security Overview	59
6.2.1 SSID	59
6.2.2 MAC Address Filter	59
6.2.3 User Authentication	59
6.2.4 Encryption	60
6.3 Roaming	61
6.3.1 Requirements for Roaming	62
6.4 Quality of Service	62
6.4.1 WMM QoS	63
6.5 WPS Overview	63
6.5.1 WPS Setup Using a PIN	64
6.5.2 How WPS Works	65
6.5.3 Limitations of WPS	67
6.6 General Wireless LAN Screen	68
6.6.1 No Security	69
6.6.2 WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK	70
6.7 MAC Filter	71
6.8 Wireless LAN Advanced Screen	72
6.9 Quality of Service (QoS) Screen	74
6.9.1 Application Priority Configuration	76
6.10 WPS Screen	77
6.11 WPS Station Screen	78
LAN	81
7.1 LAN Overview	81
7.1.1 Factory LAN Defaults	81
7.1.2 IP Address	81
7.1.3 IP Address and Subnet Mask	82
7.2 LAN IP Screen	82
HomePlug AV	85
8.1 Overview	85
8.2 Privacy and Powerline Adapters	86
8.2.1 Setting Up a Private Powerline Network	87
8.2.2 Setting Up Multiple Powerline Networks.	87
8.3 Configuring Your HomePlug AV Devices	88
8.4 HomePlug AV QoS	91
8.4.1 QoS Based on IP or MAC Address	91
8.4.2 Mapping other QoS Priority Settings to HomePlug AV QoS	91
8.4.3 QoS Based on Traffic Type	92
Maintenance and Troubleshooting	95
System	97
9.1 System General Screen	97
9.2 Time Setting Screen	98
Logs	101
10.1 View Log	101
10.2 Log Settings	102
Tools	105
11.1 Firmware Upload Screen	105
11.2 Configuration Screen	107
11.2.1 Backup Configuration	107
11.2.2 Restore Configuration	107
11.2.3 Back to Factory Defaults	108
11.3 Restart Screen	109
Configuration Mode	111
Language	113
13.1 Selecting Language	113
Troubleshooting	115
14.1 Power, Hardware Connections, and LEDs	115
14.2 PLA450 Access and Login	116
14.3 Internet Access	117
14.4 Resetting the PLA450 to Its Factory Defaults	118
14.5 Wireless Troubleshooting	119
14.6 HomePlug AV Troubleshooting	119
14.7 ENCRYPT Button Problems	120
14.8 Advanced Features	121
Product Specifications and Wall- Mounting Instructions	123
Appendices and Index	127
Pop-up Windows, JavaScripts and Java Permissions	129
IP Addresses and Subnetting	135
Setting up Your Computer’s IP Address	143
15.0.1 Verifying Settings	158
Wireless LANs	159
Common Services	173
Legal Information	177
Customer Support	181

ZyXEL PLA450 v2 User Guide - Page 44

Introducing the Web Configurator, PLA450 User's Guide, Summary: My Homeplug Network

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