Getting Started
What do I need to get started?
You will need a computer, Internet connection, router/modem, at least two adapters plugged into separate electrical outlets and one CAT5 or CAT6 Ethernet cable per adapter.
How do I turn on the unit?
Just plug it in. The adapter does not have a power switch. Simply plug the unit into an electrical receptacle, and the "Power" light will illuminate on the front of the unit.
I plugged the unit into a receptacle, and the "Power" light doesn't turn on. Now what?
Please verify that power is on a the receptacle. For example in some buildings, the receptacle may be connected to a wall switch that must be turned on. You may verify that power is available at the receptacle by unplugging the PLN3 adapter and plugging another device into the same receptacle (such as a lamp). Also, if the adapter is plugged into a receptacle that has a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI), make certain the receptacle RESET button is pushed in.
Do I need to do anything extra to get the network up and running after plugging in the units?
No, nothing extra is needed. The PLN adapters will automatically identify each other over the powerline circuits and establish a broadband connection for your powerline Ethernet network. Once you plug in the units, Plaster Networks STRONGLY recommends that you register your network at service.plasternetworks.com to take advantage of Plaster Networks' advanced diagnostics and management features.
I am not able to connect to the network with my PLN3 adapter.
Please verify the following:
I cannot access the Internet using my PLN3 adapter.
In order to access the Internet, at least one of the powerline adapters must be connected to a router which in turn is connected to your cable or DSL modem. Next, verify that you have Internet access at the modem. Verify that all adapters are powered up and that all networked devices are connected properly to the adapters. The LEDs on the front of the PLN unit labeled as 1 and 2 indicate a link has been established when they are green.
How do I know whether the network is working?
If you are able to receive data to and from any devices connected to your powerline adapters and you can connect to the internet the the adapter is working properly.
How do I know whether I am connected to the powerline network?
If the PL LED on the unit is lit, then your adapter can communicate with other adapters over the powerline.
Does it matter which Ethernet port I plug my computer into?
No. Either port 1 or 2 can be used to connect your computer or any other networked device.
What line voltage does the PLN3 adapter use?
The PLN3 adapters is designed to work over both 120VAC (for example, North America) and 220VAC (including most of Europe and China).
Do I need any special equipment or converter for each region?
The PLN3 adapter ships with the appropriate plug to fit the electrical receptacles in your region.
Can I use a surge suppressor with the powerline adapter?
For optimum performance, you should not connect your powerline
adapter through a surge supressor. The suppressor will degrade the
HomePlugAV signal sent over the powerlines and will decrease the
network throughput across the poweline link.
What does the PLN3 adapter basically do, in networking terms?
When plugged into various electrical receptacles in your building and sharing a common Network Password, a set of PLN3 adapters acts like a distributed Ethernet switch. Each Ethernet jack on each PLN3 acts as a port of this distributed Ethernet switch. This switch is a managed switch, thanks to the PLN3 adapter's diagnostic and management capabilities.
Is Plaster Networks an Internet service provider (ISP)?
No. Plaster Networks offers products and services that work with your existing Internet service and equipment. This equipment includes a modem and a router or gateway.
Can the PLN3 adapter replace my existing router or gateway?
No. The PLN3 adapter works with your existing router or gateway.
Does the PLN3 adapter bring the Internet into my building?
No. Your Internet service provider (ISP) brings the Internet to some point in your building. A set of PLN3 adapters gets the Internet from that point to the points in your building where you wish to connect computers and other devices to the Internet.
Plaster Networks Service
How do I access the Plaster Networks Service?
The Plaster Networks Service is available at service.plasternetworks.com through any standard browser, including Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla FireFox, Apple Safari, Opera, Google Chrome, and others.
I can't access the Plaster Networks Service?
If you are unable to access this site, please verify that your PC is connected to the local area network and has access to the Internet.
How do I get an account for the Service?
With each adapter, Plaster Networks includes a free, 12-month subscription to the Plaster Networks Service. Registration is quick and easy - simply go to service.plasternetworks.com and follow the instructions. Online help is available at each step.
How do you know which network is my network?
Plaster Networks maintains a unique identifier for each PLN adapter, called a PLNID. When you register your network, you must do so from the same local area network as the adapters. Plaster Networks then verifies the adapters at your site and registers them under the account ID that you have established with the service using your e-mail address.
How does remote administration and diagnostics affect my network?
The administrative and diagnostic features available through the Plaster Networks Service should have no noticeable impact on the performance of your network. Plaster Networks has optimized these features to maintain optimum network throughput.
What information does the Service collect from my network?
The Service involves transmission of network performance and diagnostic information about the powerline network on your premises. We are committed to keeping your powerline network information private and secure. We will not make your powerline network information publicly available. In order to provide customer support, Plaster Networks employees and third party service providers may need to view your powerline network information. Plaster Networks does not maintain a record in data form of any information accessed, sent, or received by devices attached to the powerline ethernet adapters.
What happens with the service if I unplug an adapter?
Unplugging a PLN3 adapter will not impact the operation of the service. However, if you unplug the adapter connected to your router (leading to the Internet), then the service will no longer be able to communicate with the adapters to collect performance information and to perform administrative functions such as changing the network password or an adapter name. If the service detects that an adapter has disconnected from the network, then the system will automatically notify you the next time you log in.
Can other people access information about my network through the service?
Access to your account requires a unique username/password combination that you control.
What does it mean to register my network?
By registering your network with the Plaster Networks service, you are confirming the adapters that you have installed on your powerline network. Each time you log in, the service will display the configuration and performance statistics of these adapters. In addition, the service will also notify you of any changes to your powerline network, including the addition of any new adapters or the deletion of any existing adapters.
How can I secure my network/change the network password?
Plaster Networks adapters use 128-bit AES to secure the data transmitted across the HomePlugAV powerline network. This encryption standard uses a Network Password to encrypt data sent across the wires. Plaster Networks service provides a quick and easy way to change the network password on all of your PLN3 adapters automatically with one click. Most other powerline adapters require that you change the network password on each node one at a time. With Plaster Networks service, you simply enter the new password once for all of your PLN3 adapters and click "Save."
Performance and Internet Connectivity
How do I know the speed of my network connection across the powerline?
Plaster Networks service allows you to view the network throughput between each of the adapters in your powerline network. Simply select the "Network Status" link for a graphical view of the network transmission rates. Click on any of the adapters to see the rates between that unit and any other on the powerline (including separate measurements for sending or receiving). The system also presents this data in a tabular format (viewable by selecting the "Tabular View" link from the Network Status page).
My Internet connection across the powerline seems really slow.
Your Internet connection speed over the powerline network is determined by (1) the access speed supported by your Internet Service Provider, and (2) the network connection between the modem (cable or DSL) and your computer (or other device).
- To measure the access speed through your ISP, use a service such as www.speedtest.net.
- You can measure the performance of the powerline network connection through the Plaster Networks Service.
How do I get the best performance from my powerline network?
The powerline ethernet performance can vary depending on a number of factors including the wiring in your home and the electrical noise generated by other electrical devices plugged into the circuit. The Plaster Networks service monitors the performance of any network connection over the powerline, so that you can determine if the performance problem resides in the powerline network or elsewhere (such as your Internet Service Provider). The Plaster Networks Service can also help you to identify and diagnose potential issues in your powerline circuit that may affect performance. If you are not already a Plaster Networks subscriber, please visit
service.plasternetworks.com to register today.
I have intermittent drops in performance over the powerline network.
The performance of your powerline network may be impacted by other electrical devices that turn on and off throughout the day - for example motors, fans, appliances, and electronic devices. The Plaster Networks service can help identify when and where you may be experiencing excessive interference from these types of devices. This information can be very useful in determining where to install a Plaster Networks IX2 isolator to reduce the noise caused by devices plugged into the powerline circuits.
Network Administration and Configuration
When should I use the Plaster Networks Service and when should I use the local PLN3 Administration Console?
The PLN3 Administration Console installed in the Plaster Networks adapters contains a subset of the functionality available through Plaster Networks service. In general, the PLN3 Administration Console is most useful when you do not have access to Plaster Networks service through the Internet. Both the service and the Administration Console require only a browser, with no need to install any special software on your computer.
I can't connect to the local PLN3 Administration Console?
To access the local PLN3 Administration Console, be sure that your computer is on the same LAN as the powerline adapter and that the adapter has power (in other words, the PWR light is illuminated on the front of the unit). If your PC is communicating to the unit across the powerline network (for instance, if your PC is connected directly to another powerline adapter), be sure that the PL light on the front of both adapters is illuminated. If not, then the adapters are not communicating with one another. The URL to reach the Administration Console on a PLN3 unit is http://plnXXXXXX where XXXXXX is the PLNID printed on the top and sides of the adapter.
How do I add a new PLN3 adapter to my powerline network?
If your PLN3 adapter is configured with the same Network Password as your existing network, then all you need to do is plug the adapter into the electric receptacle. If your adapter has a different Network Password, then the Plaster Networks Service provides an easy way to update the new adapter's password to match that of the existing network (select the "Add a Node" option from the Network Configuration screen). The system will automatically prompt you for the PLNID of the unit (the six-digit value printed on the top and sides of the unit), and then the service will automatically set the network password of that unit to match the password shared by the other units on your AV LAN. To add a non-PLN3 adapter to your network, the system will prompt you for the MAC address and the Device Password (DPW) of the unit (rather than the PLNID). Both of these values are commonly printed on the back of every HomePlug AV adapter. You may also add an adapter to your network using the locan PLN3 Administration Console.
How do I delete a PLN3 adapter from my powerline network?
The easiest way to delete the adapter from the network is simply by unplugging the unit. This action will not harm or impact the powerline network shared by the rest of the adapters. If you wish to delete the adapter from the network without unplugging the unit, then you will need to change the Network Password (NPW) for the unit either through the unit's local Administration Console or through the Plaster Networks Service.
How do I change the name that I assign to an adapter?
You may change the optional user-defined name of any adapter in the AV LAN through Plaster Networks Service using the "Network Configuration" option in the Network Tools menu. Alternately, you can use the PLN3 Administration Console on each adapter to change the name of that particular unit.
What happens if I unplug an adapter?
If you unplug an adapter, then any devices connected to that adapter will lose connectivity with the rest of the network. The remaining nodes in the network will still remain connected to one another. If you unplug the adapter connected to the Internet through a router or other device, then the remainder of your network will lose Internet access across the AV LAN.
What happens if I move an adapter to a different outlet?
When you plug the PLN3 unit into a different outlet, the adapter will automatically re-establish a connection with the other units in your AV LAN. The network performance of this adapter may vary in the new location, depending on the characteristics and the configuration of the electrical wiring in your building.
Security and Login
I forgot the username and/or password to log in to the PLN3 adapter.
In order to access the Administration Console without a valid username/password, you will need to reset the unit by pressing the "reset" button on the front of the adapter. Please note that by pressing the reset button, the PLN3 adapter will revert to the standard factory settings and will erase any configuration settings that you may have changed. The Plaster Networks Service provides an alternative for subscribers to access their PLN3 adapters remotely, without logging in to the unit locally.
I forgot the username and/or password to log in to the Plaster Networks Service.
From the login screen of the service, you can request the system to send an e-mail containing a new password to the e-mail address of record for your account. If you need additional assistance, please e-mail
support@plasternetworks.com.
How do I change the security setting (Network Membership Key - NMK) of my powerline network?
The HomePlug AV standard uses 128-bit AES encryption to transmit data securely between powerline adapters on the same network. Setting a unique Network Password for your network ensures the privacy of data transmitted over the network. The Plaster Networks Service provides an easy way to set the Network Password for all of the adapters on your network at one time. For users who do not sPNscribe to the Plaster Networks service, you have the option of updating adapters individually through the local PLN3 Administration Console.
Compatibility
I already have some low-speed devices in my home that use the powerline for communication. Will the PLN3 cause them to malfunction?
Usually not. HomePlug AV usually coexists well with the following systems since they operate in a separate frequency band from HomePlug AV:
- Systems that use the X-10 standard
- Intercoms
- Baby monitors
- Remote light switches
I already have a network of powerline adapters. Will a PLN3 adapter work with them?
Yes, provided those other adapters meet all of the following requirements:
- They must use the HomePlug AV standard. There are two other standards besides HomePlug AV that are advertised as being "200Mb/s". They are colloquially known as "DS2"/UPA and "Panasonic"/HD-PLC. The UPA standard is incompatible with the HomePlug AV standard. UPA adapters and HomePlug AV adapters on the same electrical circuits will severely degrade powerline network performance. HD-PLC and HomePlug AV can coexist on the same circuits; however, HomePlug AV adapters and HD-PLC adapters cannot establish a powerline network link with one another. Plaster Networks chose the HomePlug AV standard because we believe it is clearly the best-performing 200Mb/s standard available. We therefore recommend that you consider retiring whatever UPA or HD-PLC adapters you may be using. NOTE: The PLN3 can also coexist on the same electrical circuits with adapters based on HomePlug 1.0 and HomePlug Turbo. HomePlug 1.0 and HomePlug Turbo represent older, slower versions of the HomePlug standard. However, HomePlug AV adapters cannot establish a powerline network link with adapters based on these older standards.
- They must use HomePlug AV firmware version 2.0 or greater. A considerable number of HomePlug AV adapters in the field have firmware version 1.4.5 installed. Such adapters must first have their firmware upgraded, using the firmware-upgrade mechanisms provided by their respective manufacturers.
- They and the PLN3 must be set to use a common network password. The PLN3 Administration Console and the Plaster Networks Service are capable of setting the network password of any HomePlug AV node, PLN3 or non-PLN3.
Which versions of the HomePlug standard does Plaster Networks support?
The PLN3 adapters adhere to the HomePlug AV standard. A HomePlug AV network cannot intercommunicate with a HomePlug 1.0 or HomePlug Turbo network, but a HomePlug AV network can coexist with a HomePlug 1.0 or HomePlug Turbo network. The HomePlug AV network detects the presence of the other network and shares the powerline equitably with it.
What version of software (minimum) is required on the HomePlug AV units in my powerline network?
Plaster Networks PLN3 adapters require that all adapters in your HomePlug AV LAN run firmware version 2.0 or greater. A considerable number of HomePlug AV adapters in the field have firmware version 1.4.5 installed. Such adapters must first have their firmware upgraded, using the firmware-upgrade mechanisms provided by their respective manufacturers.
Upgrades
Can I upgrade the software on my PLN3 adapter?
Plaster Networks regularly releases software and firmware updates and upgrades for PLN3 adapters. Updates are available to anyone and typically include bug fixes and other maintenance items. Upgrades include feature enhancements that are available only to Plaster Networks Service subscribers.
How do I install software updates and upgrades?
Plaster Networks Service automatically installs updates and upgrades on your PLN3 adapters to ensure optimum performance and security. The updates require no action on the part of the user. They happen automatically, "behind the scenes." The new software is automatically downloaded by the adapter from the Plaster Networks server. In order to receive the updates, your adapters must have access to the Internet. You may turn off the automatic update feature from the PLN3 Administration Console. Plaster Networks highly recommends that you do not turn off the automatic upgrades feature.
Isolators
Will the IX2 isolator affect the performance of any of the appliances to which it is attached?
The isolator will have no noticeable impact on the performance of appliances that are plugged into the IX2 unit. The isolator is a passive filter device and does not restrict the power supplied to attached devices. Devices attached to the IX2 should experience no significant drop in line voltage delivered through the isolator.
Will the isloator work with any appliance?
Any electrical device that uses 120VAC may be powered through the IX2 isolator. The isolator is rated for total loads up to 15 Amps (1800 Watts).
Can I use the isolator in place of a surge surpressor?
No, you should not use the isolator in place of a surge surpressor. These devices serve two different functions. A surge surpressor is designed to protect electrical devices from voltage spikes arriving across the powerline. By comparison, an isolator prevents noise generated by the device from entering the powerline. Depending on the particular device, this noise can degrade the performance and throughput capacity of the powerline network. Plaster Networks suggests using an isolator and surge surpressor in tandem: first, plug the isolator into the wall receptacle, and then plug the surge surpressor into the isolator. For performance reasons, you should not plug Plaster Networks PLN3 adapter into the surge surpressor nor the isolator. The adapter operates optimally when plugged directly into the wall receptacle.
Where should I locate the isolator?
Plaster Networks recommends installing an isolator on devices that commonly introduce radio-frequency noise on the the powerline circuits - including devices with a motor, cell phone chargers, and power supplies for electronic devices such as routers, printers, or modems. Plaster Networks Service can provide helpful information to help identify locations where you may wish to install an isolator. For more information, please see our white paper, "Building a More Reliable Powerline Network Through Selective Use of Isolators."
Other
My adapter feels warm to the touch. Is this normal?
PLN3 adapters may feel warm to the touch after plugged in for a while. This characteritic is normal for most powerline adapters.
Will the HomePlug AV network interfere with my ham radio or other electrical devices?
HomePlug AV adapters transmit over 1155 carriers spaced across the frequency range from 2MHz to 28MHz. In addition, the HomePlug AV standard accommodates the ability to disable certain channels that may overlap with the ham radio frequency range. As a result when properly configured, a HomePlug AV adapter does not transmit at ham radio frequencies and consequenly does not interfere with ham radio signals. Plaster Networks configures PLN3 adapters NOT to transmit in the ham radio frequency range.
