Instant PowerLineTMSeries
Use this guide to install the following products:
PLEBR10
PLUSB10
User Guide
EtherFast®10/100 Bridge &
U SBAdapter
COPYRIGHT & TRADEMARKS
Copyright © 2002 Linksys, All Rights Reserved. Instant PowerLine is a trademark of
Linksys. Microsoft, Windows, and the Windows logo are registered trademarks of
Microsoft Corporation. All other trademarks and brand names are the property of their
respective proprietors.
LIMITED WARRANTY
Linksys guarantees that every Instant PowerLine EtherFast 10/100 Bridge and Instant
PowerLine USB Adapter will be free from physical defects in material and workmanship
for one year from the date of purchase, when used within the limits set forth in the
Specifications section of this User Guide. If the product proves defective during this warranty period, call Linksys Technical Support in order to obtain a Return Authorization
Number. BE SURE TO HAVE YOUR PROOF OF PURCHASE AND A BARCODE FROM
THE PRODUCT’S PACKAGING ON HAND WHEN CALLING. RETURN REQUESTS CANNOT BE PROCESSED WITHOUT PROOF OF PURCHASE. When returning a product,
mark the Return Authorization Number clearly on the outside of the package and include
a copy of your original proof of purchase. All customers located outside of the United
States of America and Canada shall be held responsible for shipping and handling
charges.
IN NO EVENT SHALL LINKSYS’S LIABILITY EXCEED THE PRICE PAID FOR THE PRODUCT FROM DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES RESULTING FROM THE USE OF THE PRODUCT, ITS ACCOMPANYING SOFTWARE, OR ITS DOCUMENTATION. LINKSYS DOES NOT OFFER REFUNDS FOR ANY
PRODUCT. Linksys makes no warranty or representation, expressed, implied, or statutory, with respect to its products or the contents or use of this documentation and all
accompanying software, and specifically disclaims its quality, performance, merchantability, or fitness for any particular purpose. Linksys reserves the right to revise or
update its products, software, or documentation without obligation to notify any individual or entity. Please direct all inquiries to:
Linksys P.O. Box 18558, Irvine, CA 92623.
FCC STATEMENT
The Instant PowerLine EtherFast 10/100 Bridge and Instant PowerLine USBAdapter have
been tested and complies with the specifications for a Class B digital device, pursuant to
Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection
against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses,
and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used according to the
instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no
guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does
cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which is found by turning the
equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or
more of the following measures:
• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna
• Increase the separation between the equipment or devices
• Connect the equipment to an outlet other than the receiver’s
• Consult a dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for assistance
UG-PLEBR10PLUSB10-012602NC JL
EtherFast®10/100 Bridge and USB Adapter
Chapter 8: Connecting the USB Adapter 17
Chapter 9: Installing the Driver for the
USB Adapter 18
Overview 18
Windows 98 18
Windows 2000 22
Windows Millennium 23
Windows XP 24
Chapter 10: Using the Security
Configuration Utility 26
Overview 26
Setting Up Security on an Instant PowerLine Device 26
Appendix A: Troubleshooting 30
Common Problems and Solutions 30
Frequently Asked Questions 30
Appendix B: Glossary 32
Appendix C: IP Addressing 38
What’s an IP Address? 38
Static IP Addresses 38
Dynamic IP Addresses 38
DHCP (Dynamic Host Conf iguration Protocol) 38
Appendix D: Specifications for the EtherFast
10/100 Bridge 39
Environmental 40
Instant PowerLineTMSeries
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction to the EtherFast
10/100 Bridge 1
The Linksys EtherFast 10/100 Bridge 1
Features 1
Package Contents 2
System Requirements 2
Chapter 2: Introduction to the USB Adapter 3
The Linksys USB Adapter 3
Features 3
Package Contents 4
System Requirements 4
Chapter 3: Getting to Know the EtherFast
10/100 Bridge 5
The EtherFast 10/100 Bridge’s Ports 5
The EtherFast 10/100 Bridge’s Front Panel LEDs 6
Chapter 4: Getting to Know the USB Adapter 7
The USB Adapter’s Ports 7
The USB Adapter’s Front Panel LEDs 8
Chapter 5: Planning Your Powerline Network 9
Chapter 6: Using the Setup Utility CD-ROM 10
Overview 10
Running the InstallShield Wizard 10
Chapter 7: Connecting the EtherFast
10/100 Bridge 16
Chapter 1: Introduction to the
EtherFast 10/100 Bridge
r
The Linksys Instant PowerLine™ EtherFast®10/100 Bridge offers a complete
Internet connection solution for your home powerline network. The PowerLine
Bridge makes sharing your broadband access easier than ever. Build a strong
and simple-to-use home network by taking advantage of the most pervasive
home networking medium—powerlines.
The PowerLine Bridge is ideal for users who already have a router. It can be
plugged into an Ethernet port on a router to equip a network with powerline
capabilities and take advantage of the router’s features. The PowerLine Bridge
can also plug directly into a cable or DSL modem to allow Internet access and
data transfer rates up to 14Mbps over home powerlines.
With the PowerLine Bridge, create a network in no time at all to share an
Internet connection (a router may be required), files, and printers, or even play
multi-user network games at blazingly fast speeds. It’s easy, convenient, and
cost-effective.
• Connects 10/100 Ethernet Network to Powerline Network for Seamless
Integration
• Share Internet Access Across Your Entire Home Powerline Network*
• Up to 14Mbps Data Transfer Over Powerlines
• Bridges Cable or DSL Modem Connection and HomePlug Connection
• Fully HomePlug 1.0 Compliant
• No New Wires™ Approach
• PowerPacket™ Technology Facilitates Efficient Packet Transmission
• 56-Bit Data Encryption to Ensure Data Security and Reliability
• Easy-to-Read LED indicators
• Easy Installation—No Software Required
• Free Technical Support—24 Hours a Day, 7 Days a Week, Toll-F ree USCalls
• 1-Year Limited Warranty
* Router may be required
Instant PowerLineTMSeries
EtherFast®10/100 Bridge and USB Adapter
Appendix E: Specifications for the USB Adapter 41
Environmental 42
Appendix F: Warranty Information 43
Appendix G: Contact Information 44
1
The Linksys EtherFast®10/100 Bridge
Features
EtherFast®10/100 Bridge and USB Adapter
Chapter 2: Introduction to the
U SBAdapter
The newest and fastest way to network your PCs is through powerline networking, which allows you to turn the powerlines in your home into your network cable. The easiest way to inte grate an y PC or laptop into such a powerline
network is with the Linksys Instant PowerLine™ USB Adapter. Use your existing USB port with your existing powerlines! The Plug-and-Play USBAdapter
connects directly to virtually any USB-ready PC—just plug it in and you’re
ready to share data, printers, or high-speed Internet access over your existing
powerline network. For desktop installation, you don’t have to open your PC’s
case. With user-friendly software, it’s simple to set up.
Not only is the Instant PowerLine USB Adapter easy to install and use, but it’s
also powerful. You can send and receive data at speeds of up to 12Mbps. It’s
also versatile. Need to use it temporarily on another PC? No problem. Plug it
into the USB port; set it up, and you’re ready to go.
So for full desktop and notebook PC flexibility and pow erline convenience, the
Instant PowerLine USB Adapter provides the perfect solution!
• Up to 12Mbps High-Speed Data Transfer Rate
• Share Internet Access Across Your Entire Home Powerline Network
• Fully HomePlug 1.0 Compliant
• Provides Powerline Connectivity Through Your USB Port—No Additional
Wiring Needed
• PowerPacket™ Technology Facilitates Efficient Packet Transmission
• PowerLine Products Integ rate with Your Existing Network
• Can Be Used with Multiple PCs to Reduce Networking Costs
• 56-Bit Data Encryption to Ensure Data Security and Reliability
• Easy-to-Read LED indicators
• Compatible with Windows 98, Millennium, 2000, and XP
• Plug-and-Play Operation Provides Easy Setup
• Works with Virtually All Standard Internet Applications
• Free Technical Support—24 Hours a Day, 7 Days a Week, Toll-F ree USCalls
• 1-Year Limited Warranty
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• One Instant PowerLine EtherFast 10/100 Bridge
• One Power Cord
• One Setup Utility CD-ROM
• One User Guide
• Quick Installation and Registration Card (not shown)
• Existing Ethernet/Fast Ethernet Network or an Existing Ethernet/Fast
Ethernet Network Adapter and Network Cable
• TCP/IP Protocol
• CD-ROM Drive
2
Package Contents
System Requirements for the EtherFast®10/100 Bridge
Features
The Linksys USB Adapter
Figure 1-1
EtherFast®10/100 Bridge and USB Adapter
Chapter 3: Getting to Know the
EtherFast 10/100 Bridge
Powerline The Powerline Port is where you will connect your power
cord.
10/100 RJ-45 The 10/100 RJ-45 Port is where you will connect your UTP
Category 5 cable.
5
• One Instant PowerLine USB Adapter
• One Power Cord
• One USB Cable
• One Setup Utility CD-ROM
• One User Guide
• Quick Installation and Registration Card (not shown)
• Pentium-Class 90MHz or Higher
• Minimum 32MB RAM
• USB-Ready PC
• Windows 98, Millennium, 2000, or XP
• CD-ROM Drive
Package Contents
Instant PowerLineTMSeries
4
System Requirements
The EtherFast 10/100 Bridge’s Ports
Figure 2-1
Figure 3-2
Figure 3-1
EtherFast®10/100 Bridge and USB Adapter
Chapter 4:Getting to Know the
U SBAdapter
Powerline The Powerline Port is
where you will connect your power
cord.
USB The USB Port is
where you will connect your USB cable.
To work with USB
ports, your computer
must be running
Windows 98, 2000,
Millennium, or XP.
The USB icon shown in Figure 4-2 marks a USB port on a
PC or device.
Your USB Adapter comes with a USB cable that has two dif ferent types of connectors. Type A, the master connector, is shaped like a rectangle and plugs into
your computer’s USB port. Type B, the slave connector, resembles a square and
connects to the USB port on the USB Adapter.
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PowerLine Status
Power Green. The Power LED will light up when the PowerLine
Bridge is powered on.
Link Green. The Link LED will light up when the PowerLine
Bridge is powered on.
Activity Green. The Activity LED will light up when there is power-
line network traffic.
Collision Orange. The Collision LED flashes when there is a collision.
Ethernet Status
Link Green. The Link LED will be lit steadily when there is a
physical LAN connection.
100 Green. The 100 LED will be lit steadily when there is a
physical 100Mbps LAN connection.
Activity Green. The Activity LED will light up when there is LAN
traffic.
6
The EtherFast 10/100 Bridge’s Front Panel LEDs
The USB Adapter’s Ports
Figure 4-1
Figure 4-2
Figure 3-3
Important: Windows 95 and NT do not support the USB Adapter.
USB Type A
USB Type B
Figure 4-4
Figure 4-3
EtherFast®10/100 Bridge and USB Adapter
Chapter 5:Planning You r
Powerline Network
With the Instant PowerLine products, a network can be created using home
powerlines. Computers can be networked over powerlines using a USB Adapter
or an EtherFast 10/100 Bridge. Use the USB Adapter for a USB-enabled computer, or use the 10/100 Bridge for an Ethernet-enabled computer.
The 10/100 Bridge is also ideal for any user who already has a router and wants
to share high-speed Internet access across the powerline network. Connect the
Bridge to the router after you have configured the Bridge using the Security
Configuration Utility. Connect a straight-through UTP Category 5 cable to the
uplink port of the router, or connect a crossover UTP Category 5 cable to a
LAN port on the router.
98
PowerLine Status
Power Green. The Power LED will light up when the PowerLine
USB Adapter is powered on.
Link Green. The Link LED will light up when the Pow erLine USB
Adapter is powered on.
Activity Green. The Activity LED will light up when there is power-
line network traffic.
Collision Orange. The Collision LED flashes when there is a collision.
EtherFast®10/100 Bridge
The USB Adapter’s Front Panel LEDs
Figure 4-5
Figure 5-1
EtherFast®10/100 Bridge and USB Adapter
2. When you see Figure 6-2, click the Next button to continue.
3. Enter your User Name and Company Name. Select An y one w ho uses this
computer (all users) to install a shortcut to the Security Conf iguration
Utility on every user’s desktop (This selection is not available for Windows
98 and ME users). Then click the Next button to continue.
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Chapter 6:Using the Setup
Utility CD-ROM
To begin installation of the EtherFast 10/100 Bridge or USB Adapter, you will
use the Setup Utility CD-ROM to run the InstallShield Wizard. When
installing the USB Adapter, you must run the Setup Utility CD-ROM on the PC
that will be connected to the Adapter.
1. Insert the Setup Utility CD-ROM into the computer’s CD-ROM drive. The
Setup Utility CD-ROM should run automatically. If it does not, click the
Start button and choose Run. In the box that appears, enter D:\setup.exe
(if “D” is the letter of your CD-ROM drive).
10
Figure 6-2
Figure 6-3
Figure 6-1
Overview
Running the InstallShield Wizard
EtherFast®10/100 Bridge and USB Adapter
Windows XP users:Windows will notify you that the dri v er has not passed
Windows Logo testing. Click the Continue Anyw a y button.
5. If you are installing the 10/100 Bridge, proceed to step 6.
If you are installing the USB Adapter, click the Finish button to exit the
InstallShield Wizard, and proceed to Chapter 8: Connecting the USB
Adapter.
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4. Click the Install button to begin installation of the Security Configuration
Utility.
Windows 2000 users: Windows will inform you that there was no digital
signature found. Click the Yes button to proceed with the installation.
12
Figure 6-6
Figure 6-5
Figure 6-4
Figure 6-7
EtherFast®10/100 Bridge and USB Adapter
8. Click the Finish button to exit the InstallShield Wizard.
9. You will be asked to restart your computer. Click the Yes button to restart
now, or click the No button to restart later.
The installation of the EtherFast 10/100 Bridge is complete.
Proceed to Chapter 10: Using the Instant PowerLine Security
Configuration Utility.
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6. You will see Figure 6-8. Proceed to Chapter 7: Connecting the EtherFast
10/100 Bridge. After installing the Bridge hardware, click the OK button.
7. If the 10/100 Bridge is connected to the PC as shown in the diagram (see
Figure 6-9), click the Yes button. Otherwise, click the No or Not Surebutton.
14
Figure 6-8
Figure 6-10
Figure 6-9
Figure 6-11
EtherFast®10/100 Bridge and USB Adapter
1716
Chapter 8:Connecting the USB
Adapter
1. Insert the other end of the USB cable with the Type A connector into the computer’s USB port. Figure 8-1 shows two
USB ports as they might appear on your computer. Note the
two USB icons marking the ports.
2. Insert the standard USB cable’s Type B connector into the
USB port on the USB Adapter.
3. Plug the power cord into the powerline port on the USB Adapter.
4. Plug the other end of the power cord into an electrical outlet.
The hardware installation of the USB Adapter is complete. Proceed to
Chapter 9: Installing the Driver the USB Adapter.
Figure 8-2
Chapter 7:Connecting the
EtherFast 10/100 Bridge
1. Plug the other end of the UTP Category 5 cable into the computer’s LAN
port.
2. Plug the UTP Category 5 cable into the 10/100 RJ-45 port on the 10/100
Bridge.
3. Plug the power cord into the powerline port on the EtherFast 10/100 Bridge.
4. Plug the other end of the power cord into an power outlet.
The hardware installation of the EtherFast 10/100 Bridge is complete.
Return to step 6 of Chapter 6: Using the Setup Utility CD-ROM.
Instant PowerLineTMSeries
Figure 7-1
Important: Because the 10/100 Bridge sends data over the powerlines of your house, it is best to plug the Bridge’s power cord directly into a power outlet. Do not plug the device into a UPS or power
strip with surge protection. The 10/100 Bridge has its own power
filter for protection against surges.
Important: Because the USB Adapter sends data over the powerlines of your house, it is best to plug the USB Adapter’s power cord
directly into a power outlet. Do not plug the device into a UPS or
power strip with surge protection. The USB Adapter has its own
power filter for protection against surges.
Figure 8-1
Important: Use only the supplied power cord to connect the
10/100 Bridge to the power outlet.
Important: Use only the supplied power cord to connect the
10/100 Bridge to the power outlet.
EtherFast®10/100 Bridge and USB Adapter
2. Click the radio button next to Search for the best driver for your device.
(Recommended).
3. Windows will look for new drivers and ask you which locations you want
to search. Select Specify a location:, and enter C:\Program
Files\Linksys\USB Driversin the location field (if “C” is the letter of your
hard drive). Click the Next button to continue.
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18
Figure 9-2
Figure 9-3
Chapter 9: Installing the Driver
for the USBAdapter
After installing your USB Adapter in your computer, you will install the network driver. The installation procedure for the network driver will v ary depending on which operating system you are using on your computer. Proceed to the
instructions for your operating system: Windows 98, 2000, Millennium, or XP.
1. Windows 98 will automatically detect the presence of the USB Adapter
hardware in your computer once you have completed the hardware installation. Click the Next button.
Overview
Windows 98
Figure 9-1
EtherFast®10/100 Bridge and USB Adapter
6. Windows will tell you when it has finished installing the new driver. Click
the Finish button.
7. Click the Yes button to restart your computer, or click the No button to
restart later.
The Windows 98 driver installation is now complete.
Proceed to Chapter 10: Using the Instant PowerLine Security
Configuration Utility.
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4. Windows will display a screen announcing that it is ready to install the driver for the USB Adapter. Click the Next button to continue.
5. Windows will ask you to supply your Windows 98 Installation Files. Insert
the Windows 98 CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive of your computer. Then
click the OK button to continue.
20
Figure 9-6
Figure 9-4
Figure 9-5 Figure 9-7
EtherFast®10/100 Bridge and USB Adapter
1. Windows Millennium will automatically detect the presence of the USB
Adapter in your computer after you have completed the hardware installation. Windows will ask you the location of the USB driver files. Enter
C:\Program Files\Linksys\USB Drivers in the Copy files from: field (if
“C” is the letter of your hard drive). Then click the OK button to install the
USB driver.
The Windows Millennium driver installation is now complete.
Proceed to Chapter 10: Using the Instant PowerLine Security
Configuration Utility.
23
Windows Millennium
Figure 9-9
Instant PowerLineTMSeries
1. Windows 2000 will automatically detect the presence of the USB Adapter
in your computer after you have completed the hardware installation.
Windows will inform you that there was no digital signature found. Click
the Yes button to install the USB driver.
The Windows 2000 driver installation is now complete.
Proceed to Chapter 10: Using the Instant PowerLine Security
Configuration Utility.
22
Windows 2000
Figure 9-8
EtherFast®10/100 Bridge and USB Adapter
25
Instant PowerLineTMSeries
1. Windows XP will automatically detect the presence of the USB Adapter in
your computer after you hav e completed the hardware installation. Click the
radio button next to Install from a list or specific location (Advanced).
Then click the Next button.
2. Click the radio button next to Search for the best driver in these loca-
tions. Select Include this location in the search:, and enter C:\Program
Files\Linksys\USB Drivers in the locationfield (if “C” is the letter of your
hard drive). Then click the Next button.
24
3. Windows will notify you that the driver has not passed Windows Logo test-
ing. Click the Continue Anywa y button.
4. Windows will tell you when it has finished installing the new driver. Click
the Finish button.
The Windows XP driver installation is now complete.
Proceed to Chapter 10: Using the Instant PowerLine Security
Configuration Utility.
Figure 9-12
Windows XP
Figure 9-10
Figure 9-11
Figure 9-13
EtherFast®10/100 Bridge and USB Adapter
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26
2. All of the Instant PowerLine devices on your powerline network must share
the same network password. The password must have between 4 and 24
characters. The password is case-sensitive, so note whether you use lowercase or uppercase letters. The password can include any letters of the alphabet, numbers, or punctuation marks. Type in your password in the Network
Password field. Then click the Next button.
Figure 10-2
Important: Remember this password. You will need to set this password on each Instant PowerLine device on your powerline network.
Chapter 10: Using the Security
Configuration Utility
After installing your EtherFast 10/100 Bridge or USBAdapter and USB driver, you will run the Security Configuration Utility for each Instant PowerLine
device. This utility will set up security using a network password.
To ensure the security of an Instant PowerLine Device, set up a
network password using the Instant PowerLine Security
Configuration Utility. To begin, double-click the Security
Configuration Utility icon on your desktop.
1. You will see the screen shown in Figure 10-1. Click the Next button.
Note: Make sure your TCP/IP protocol is set up appropriately on
your computer before running the Security Configuration Utility.
For more information, refer to Appendix C:IP Addressing.
Overview
Setting Up Security on an Instant PowerLine Device
Figure 10-1
EtherFast®10/100 Bridge and USB Adapter
4. The Security Configuration Utility will tell you when the Instant Pow erLine
device has been configured with the network password. Click the Finish
button.
The security configuration of your EtherFast 10/100 Bridge or USB
Adapter is now complete.
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Instant PowerLineTMSeries
3. The Security Configuration Utility will search your powerline network for
the other Instant PowerLine devices configured with the same network
password. These devices will be listed in the Powerline Network Devices
MAC Address box. Then click the Next button.
28
Figure 10-4
Figure 10-3
EtherFast®10/100 Bridge and USB Adapter
How do the Instant PowerLine products handle signal interference between two
adjacent homes? How is eavesdropping prevented?
The Instant PowerLine products use 56-bit DES security encr yption to ensure
network separation between homes. To enable 56-bit DES security encryption
on Instant Pow erLine products, y ou must run the Security Configuration Utility
on each and every Instant PowerLine product.
How do the Instant PowerLine products handle node addressing on the network?
The Instant PowerLine products adhere to standard Ether net addressing protocols using destination and source MAC addressing.
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30
Appendix A:Troubleshooting
This section provides possible solutions to problems regarding the installation
and operation of the EtherFast 10/100 Bridge or USB Adapter. Read the
description below to solve your problems. If you can’t find an answer here,
check the Linksys website at www.linksys.com.
1. The power LED does not light up after I installed the Instant PowerLine device.
• Unplug the UTP Category 5 or USB cable from the computer. Unplug
the power cord from the power outlet. Then repeat the hardware installation process. Make sure the power outlet is working properly.
2. The Link LED for Ether net status does not light up on the EtherFast 10/100
Bridge.
• When the Ethernet port detects a LAN connection, the Link LED will
light up. Check the Ethernet adapter on your computer to see if the connection and adapter are working properly. Make sure you are using a
straight-through UTP Category 5 cable to connect the 10/100 Bridge to
your computer.
• For use with a router, connect a straight-through UTP Category 5 cable
to the uplink port of the router, or connect a crossover UTPCategory 5
cable to a LAN port on the router.
3. I can’t connect to other computers on my powerline network or to the Internet.
• Make sure the IP address and TCP/IP protocol are set up correctly for all
the powerline networked computers. For more information on IP
addresses, see Appendix C: IP Addressing.
• Make sure all devices on the powerline network have been configured
using the Security Configuration Utility. The network password must be
the same for all devices in order for them to communicate with each
other. See Chapter 10:Using the Security Configuration Utility.
Do the Instant PowerLine products cause interference with other home networking or powerline products?
No. The Instant PowerLine products can co-exist with phoneline and wireless
networking technologies. Instant PowerLine operates in a different frequency
band than powerline control and can co-exist with technologies such as X-10,
CEBus, and LONworks.
Common Problems and Solutions
Frequently Asked Questions
EtherFast®10/100 Bridge and USB Adapter
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32
user is likely to require the Internet connection at a particular location. It’s especially useful in education and other environments where users change frequently. Using very short leases, DHCP can dynamically reconfigure networks
in which there are more computers than there are available IP addresses.
DHCP supports static addresses for computers containing Web servers that
need a permanent IP address.
DNS - The Domain Name System (DNS) is the way that Internet domain
names are located and translated into Internet Protocol (IP) addresses. A
domain name is a meaningful and easy-to-remember “handle” for an Internet
address.
Driver - A workstation or ser ver software module that provides an interface
between a network interface card and the upper-layer protocol software running
in the computer; it is designed for a specific NIC, and is installed during the
initial installation of a network-compatible client or server operating system.
Dynamic IP Address - An IP address that is automatically assigned to a client
station in a TCP/IP network, typically by a DHCP server. Network devices that
serve multiple users, such as servers and printers, are usually assigned static IP
addresses.
Encryption - A security method that applies a specific algorithm to data in
order to alter the data's appearance and prevent other devices from reading the
information.
Ethernet - IEEE standard network protocol that specifies how data is placed
on and retrieved from a common transmission medium. Has a transfer rate of
10 Mbps. Forms the underlying transport vehicle used by several upper-level
protocols, including TCP/IP and XNS.
Fast Ethernet - A 100 Mbps technology based on the 10Base-T Ethernet
CSMA/CD network access method.
Firmware - Programming that is inserted into programmable read-only memory, thus becoming a permanent part of a computing device.
HomePlug™ Powerline Alliance - A nonprofit organization established to
provide a forum for the creation of specifications for home powerline networking products and services.
Appendix B: Glossary
10BaseT - An Ethernet standard that uses twisted wire pairs.
100BaseTX - IEEE physical layer specification for 100 Mbps over two pairs of
Category 5 UTP or STP wire.
Bridge - A device that interconnects different networks together.
CAT 5 - ANSI/EIA (American National Standards Institute/Electronic
Industries Association) Standard 568 is one of several standards that specify
“categories” (the singular is commonly referred to as “CAT”) of twisted pair
cabling systems (wires, junctions, and connectors) in terms of the data rates
that they can sustain. CAT 5 cable has a maximum throughput of 100 Mbps and
is usually utilized for 100BaseTX networks.
CSMA/CD (Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Detection) - The LAN
access method used in Ethernet. When a device wants to gain access to the network, it checks to see if the network is quiet (senses the carrier). If it is not, it
waits a random amount of time before retrying. If the network is quiet and two
devices access the line at exactly the same time, their signals collide. When the
collision is detected, they both back of f and each wait a random amount of time
before retrying.
Default Gateway - The router used to forward all traffic that is not addressed
to a station within the local subnet.
DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) - A protocol that lets network
administrators centrally manage and automate the assignment of Internet
Protocol (IP) addresses in an organization's network. Using the Internet's set of
protocol (TCP/IP), each machine that can connect to the Internet needs a
unique IP address. When an organization sets up its computer users with a connection to the Internet, an IP address must be assigned to each machine.
Without DHCP, the IP address must be entered manually at each computer and,
if computers move to another location in another part of the network, a new IP
address must be entered. DHCP lets a network administrator supervise and distribute IP addresses from a central point and automatically sends a new IP
address when a computer is plugged into a different place in the network.
DHCP uses the concept of a “lease” or amount of time that a given IP address
will be valid for a computer. The lease time can vary depending on how long a
EtherFast®10/100 Bridge and USB Adapter
Network- A system that transmits an y combination of v oice, video and/or data
between users.
Network Mask - also known as the “Subnet Mask.”
Plug-and-Play - The ability of a computer system to configure expansion
boards and other devices automatically without requiring the user to turn off
the system during installation.
PowerPacket™ - The basis for the HomePlug™ Powerline Alliance 1.0 specification, PowerPacket is a robust, secure, and reliable means of transferring
data. This technology reduces interference generated by appliances, electronic
devices, and halogen lights. PowerPacket also has encryption techniques built
into the hardware to prevent neighbors on the same power grids from gaining
access to sensitive data or the Internet connection.
Powerline Networking - Data transmission over powerlines.
RJ-45 - A connector similar to a telephone connector that holds up to eight
wires, used for connecting Ethernet devices.
Router - Protocol-dependent device that connects subnetworks together.
Routers are useful in breaking down a very large network into smaller subnetworks; they introduce longer delays and typically have much lower throughput
rates than bridges.
Static IP Address - A permanent IP address that is assigned to a node in a
TCP/IP network.
STP (Shielded Twisted Pair) - Telephone wire that is wrapped in a metal sheath
to eliminate external interference.
Subnet Mask - The method used for splitting IP networks into a series of subgroups, or subnets. The mask is a binary pattern that is matched up with the IP
address to turn part of the host ID address f ield into a field for subnets.
TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) - A method (protocol) used along with
the Internet Protocol (Internet Protocol) to send data in the form of message
units between computers over the Internet. While IP takes care of handling the
actual delivery of the data, TCP takes care of keeping track of the individual
units of data (called packets) that a message is divided into for efficient routing through the Internet.
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Instant PowerLineTMSeries
Hot Swap - The ability to replace a card or other hardware part in a hardware
device without turning it off or losing functionality.
IEEE - The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. The IEEE
describes itself as “the world’s largest technical professional society—promoting the development and application of electrotechnology and allied sciences
for the benefit of humanity, the advancement of the profession, and the wellbeing of our members.”
The IEEE fosters the development of standards that often become national and
international standards. The organization publishes a number of journals, has
many local chapters, and has several large societies in special areas, such as the
IEEE Computer Society.
IP Address - In the most widely installed level of the Internet Protocol
(Internet Protocol) today, an IP address is a 32-binary digit number that identifies each sender or receiver of information that is sent in packets across the
Internet. When you request an HTML page or send e-mail, the Internet
Protocol part of TCP/IP includes your IP address in the message (actually, in
each of the packets if more than one is required) and sends it to the IP address
that is obtained by looking up the domain name in the Uniform Resource
Locator you requested or in the e-mail address you're sending a note to. At the
other end, the recipient can see the IP address of the Web page requester or the
e-mail sender and can respond by sending another message using the IP address
it received.
IPCONFIG - A utility that provides for quer ying, def ining and managing IP
addresses within a network. A commonly used utility, under Windows NT and
2000, for configuring networks with static IP addresses.
ISP - An ISP (Internet service provider) is a company that provides individuals
and companies access to the Internet and other related services such as website
building and virtual hosting.
LAN - A local area network (LAN) is a group of computers and associated
devices that share a common communications line and typically share the
resources of a single processor or server within a small geographic area (for
example, within an office building).
MAC Address - The MAC (Media Access Control) address is a unique number assigned by the manufacturer to any Ethernet networking device, such as a
network adapter, that allows the network to identify it at the hardware level.
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EtherFast®10/100 Bridge and USB Adapter
A different “plug-and-play” standard, FireWire/IEEE 1394, is designed to support much higher data rates and devices such as video camcorders and digital
video disk (digital versatile disk) players. Both standards are expected to exist
together, serving different device types.
UTP - Unshielded twisted pair is the most common kind of copper telephone
wiring. Twisted pair is the ordinary copper wire that connects home and many
business computers to the telephone company. To reduce crosstalk or electromagnetic induction between pairs of wires, two insulated copper wires are
twisted around each other. Each signal on twisted pair requires both wires.
Since some telephone sets or desktop locations require multiple connections,
twisted pair is sometimes installed in two or more pairs, all within a single
cable.
WINIPCFG - Conf iguration utility based on the Win32 API for querying,
defining, and managing IP addresses within a network. A commonly used utility, under Windows 95, 98, and Millennium, for configuring networks with
static IP addresses.
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Instant PowerLineTMSeries
36
TCP/IP - Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) is the
basic communication language or protocol of the Internet. It can also be used
as a communications protocol in a private network (either an intranet or an
extranet). When you are set up with direct access to the Internet, your computer is provided with a copy of the TCP/IP program just as every other computer
that you may send messages to or get information from also has a copy of
TCP/IP.
UDP (User Datagram Protocol) - A communications method (protocol) that
offers a limited amount of service when messages are exchanged between computers in a network that uses the Internet Protocol (IP). UDP is an alternative
to the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and, together with IP, is sometimes
referred to as UDP/IP. Like the Transmission Control Protocol, UDP uses the
Internet Protocol to actually get a data unit (called a datagram) from one computer to another. Unlike TCP, however, UDP does not provide the service of
dividing a message into packets (datagrams) and reassembling it at the other
end. Specifically, UDP doesn't provide sequencing of the packets that the data
arrives in. This means that the application program that uses UDP must be able
to make sure that the entire message has arrived and is in the right order.
Network applications that want to save processing time because they have very
small data units to exchange (and therefore very little message reassembling to
do) may prefer UDP to TCP.
USB (Universal Serial Bus) - A “plug-and-play” interface between a computer and add-on devices (such as audio players, joysticks, keyboards, telephones, scanners, and printers). With USB, a new device can be added to your
computer without having to add an adapter card or even ha ving to turn the computer off. The USB peripheral bus standard was developed by Compaq, IBM,
DEC, Intel, Microsoft, NEC, and Northern Telecom and the technology is
available without charge for all computer and device vendors.
USB supports a data speed of 12 megabits per second. This speed will accommodate a wide range of devices, including MPEG video devices, data gloves,
and digitizers. It is anticipated that USB will easily accommodate plug-in telephones that use Integrated Services Digital Network and digital private branch
exchange.
Since October, 1996, the Windows operating systems have been equipped with
USB driver or special software designed to w ork with specific I/O device types.
USB is integrated into Windows 98. Today, most new computers and peripheral devices are equipped with USB.
EtherFast®10/100 Bridge and USB Adapter
Appendix D:Specifications for
the EtherFast 10/100 Bridge
Standards: IEEE 802.3, IEEE 802.3U, HomePlug 1.0
Ports:
Powerline One Powerline Port
LAN One 10BaseT/100BaseTX RJ-45 Port
Cabling Type:
Powerline Power Cord
LAN UTP Category 5 or Better
Topology: Star (Ethernet), Bus (Powerline)
Speed:
Powerline Up to 14Mbps (Powerline)
LAN 10/100Mbps
Encryption: 56-bit Data Encryption with
Key Management
LEDs: Power
Powerline Link,Activity, Collision
Ethernet Link, 100, Activity
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Instant PowerLineTMSeries
Appendix C:I PAddressing
IP stands for Internet Protocol. Every device on an IP-based network, including PCs, print servers, and routers, requires an IP address to identify its “location,” or address, on the network. Since the Internet is simply one huge global
network, every PC that logs on to the Internet also needs an IP address.
There are two ways of assigning an IP address to your network devices.
A static IP address is a permanent IP address that you assign manually to a PC
or other device on a TCP/IP network. Since a static IP address remains valid
until you disable it, static IP addressing insures that the device assigned it will
always have that same IP address. Static IP addresses are commonly used with
network devices such as server PCs or print servers.
A dynamic IP address is automatically assigned to a device on a TCP/IP network, such as PCs and print servers. These IP addresses are called “dynamic”
because they are only tempor aril yassigned to the PC or device. After a certain
time period, they expire and may change. Dynamic IP addresses are typically
assigned by a DHCP server, which can be a computer on the network or another piece of hardware, such as a router.
If a PC logs on to the network (or the Internet) and its dynamic IP address has
expired, the DHCP server will assign it a new dynamic IP address.
DHCP is software that automatically assigns IP addresses to client stations logging onto a TCP/IP network. DHCP frees you from having to manually assign
permanent IP addresses to every device on your network. DHCPsoftware typically runs on servers and is also found on network devices such as routers.
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Static IP Addresses
What’s an IP Address?
Dynamic IP Addresses
DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol)
EtherFast®10/100 Bridge and USB Adapter
Appendix E:Specifications for
the USBAdapter
Standards: USB Spec. 1.1,HomePlug 1.0
Encryption: 56-Bit Data Encryption with Key
Management
Ports:
Powerline One Powerline Port
USB One USB Port
Cabling Type:
Powerline Power Cord
USB Standard USBCable
Topology: Bus (Powerline)
Speed:
Powerline Up to 12Mbps (USB)
LEDs: Power,Link,Activity, Collision
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Instant PowerLineTMSeries
Dimensions: 6.50" x 3.82" x 1.24" (165mm x 97mm x 31.5mm)
Unit Weight: 0.7 oz. (0.3.2 kg)
Certifications: FCC Class B,UL Listed, HomePlug 1.0
Operating Temp.: 32°F to 104°F (0°C to 40°C)
Storage Temp.: -4°F to 158°F (-20°C to 70°C)
Operating Humidity: 10% to 85% Non-Condensing
Storage Humidity: 5% to 90% Non-Condensing
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Environmental
EtherFast®10/100 Bridge and USB Adapter
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Instant PowerLineTMSeries
Dimensions: 6.50" x 3.82" x 1.24" (165mm x 97mm x 31.5mm)
Unit Weight: 0.7 lbs. (0.3.2 kg)
Certifications: FCC Class B,UL Listed, HomePlug 1.0
Operating Temp.: 32°F to 104°F (0°C to 40°C)
Storage Temp.: -4°F to 158°F (-20°C to 70°C)
Operating Humidity: 10% to 85% Non-Condensing
Storage Humidity: 5% to 90% Non-Condensing
42
Appendix F:Warranty
Information
BE SURE TO HAVE YOUR PROOF OF PURCHASE AND A BARCODE
FROM THE PRODUCT'S PACKAGING ON HAND WHEN CALLING.
RETURN REQUESTS CANNOT BE PROCESSED WITHOUT PROOF OF
PURCHASE.
IN NO EVENT SHALL LINKSYS’S LIABILITY EXCEED THE PRICE
PAID FOR THE PRODUCT FROM DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES RESULTING FROM THE
USE OF THE PRODUCT, ITS ACCOMPANYING SOFTWARE, OR ITS
DOCUMENTATION. LINKSYS DOES NOT OFFER REFUNDS FOR ANY
PRODUCT.
LINKSYS OFFERS CROSS SHIPMENTS, A FASTER PROCESS FOR PROCESSING AND RECEIVING YOUR REPLACEMENT. LINKSYS PAYS
FOR UPS GROUND ONLY. ALL CUSTOMERS LOCATED OUTSIDE OF
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND CANADA SHALL BE HELD
RESPONSIBLE FOR SHIPPING AND HANDLING CHARGES. PLEASE
CALL LINKSYS FOR MORE DETAILS.
Environmental
Instant PowerLineTMSeries
Appendix G:Contact Information
For help with the installation or operation of this product, contact Linksys
Technical Support at one of the phone numbers or Internet addresses below.
Sales Information 800-546-5797 (LINKSYS)
Tech Support 888-793-4632
RMA Issues 949-261-1288
Fax 949-261-8868
Email support@linksys.com
Web http://www.linksys.com
FTP Site ftp.linksys.com
44
© Copyright 2002 Linksys,All Rights Reserved.
http://www.linksys.com
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