Netgear XAV101v2 Owner's Manual

XAV101v2 Powerline AV 200 Adapter

User Manual

350 East Plumeria Drive
San Jose, CA 95134
USA

December 2010
202-10808-01
v1.0

XA V101v2 Powerline A V 200 Adapter User Manual

©2010 NETGEAR, Inc. All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated

into any language in any form or by any means without the written permission of NETGEAR, Inc.

Techni c al Supp o rt

Thank you for choosing NETGEAR. T o register your product, get the latest product updates, or get support online,
visit us at http://support.netgear.com. 

Phone (US & Canada only): 1-888-NETGEAR
Phone (Other Countries): See Support information

card.

Trademarks

NETGEAR, the NETGEAR logo, ReadyNAS, ProSafe, Smart Wizard, Auto Uplink, X-RAID2, and NeoTV are
trademarks or registered trademarks of NETGEAR, Inc. Microsoft, Windows, Windows NT, and Vista are
registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Other brand and product names are registered trademarks or
trademarks of their respective holders.

Statement of Conditions

To improve internal design, operational function, and/or reliability, NETGEAR reserves the right to make changes
to the products described in this document without notice. NETGEAR does not assume any liability that may occur
due to the use, or application of, the product(s) or circuit layout(s) described herein.

Revision History

Publication Part Number Version Publish Date Comments

202-10808-01 v1.0 December 2010 First publication

2 |

Contents

Chapter 1 Installation and Basic Configuration

Chapter 2 Using the XAV101v2 Powerline Utility

How the Powerline Adapter Fits in Your Network. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Powerline AV 200 Adapter Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

XAV101v2 Label. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

LED and Feature Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Installing Your Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Prepare for installation:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Connecting a Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter to the Router . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Connect other Ethernet Powerline Adapters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Understanding Powerline Network Security. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Changing the Default Encryption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Installing the XAV101v2 Powerline Utility. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Device Settings Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Adding a Device to a Powerline Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Changing the Network Encryption Key. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Setting Up a Custom Network Encryption Key. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Returning to the Default Network Encryption Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Quality of Service (QoS). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

To set the priority of data transfers by the type of protocol: . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Diagnostics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

Factory Reset. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

Chapter 3 Troubleshooting

Product Registration, Support, and Documentation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Basic Functioning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Troubleshooting Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

Problems After Changing Network Encryption Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

Changing the Network Encryption Key for 1 Unit at a Time . . . . . . . . . .28

Appendix A Factory Default Settings and 

Technical Specifications

Default Configuration Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

Technical Specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

Appendix B Notification of Compliance

Contents | 3

1. Installation and Basic Configuration

This chapter describes how to install and configure the XAV101v2 Powerline AV 200 Adapter. It
also explains the security features and how to customize the encryption key for added security

How the Powerline Adapter Fits in Your Network

You can use the Powerline AV 200 Adapter to implement or extend an Ethernet local area
network (LAN) anywhere in your house using your existing electrical power line in place of a
dedicated LAN wiring infrastructure. An example is illustrated in the following diagram for a
minimal network consisting of two Powerline devices:

1

Figure 1.

Follow the instructions in the following sections to set up your Powerline adapter.

Chapter 1. Installation and Basic Configuration | 5

XA V101v2 Powerline A V 200 Adapter User Manual

Ethernet port

LEDs

Security/Power
button

Factory
Reset
button

Powerline AV 200 Adapter Features

The following illustration (Figure 2, XAV101v2 Powerline AV 200 Adapter) shows the front
and side panels of the Powerline AV 200 Adapter:

Figure 2. XAV101v2 Powerline AV 200 Adap te r

XAV101v2 Label

The label on the rear panel of the XAV101v2 contains the following items:

• Model number

• MAC a

• Dev

• Serial nu

ddress

ice password

mber

6 | Chapter 1. Installation and Basic Configuration

XA V101v2 Powerline A V 200 Adapter User Manual

LED and Feature Descriptions

The following table describes the status LEDs, buttons, and Ethernet port on the XAV101v2
Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter.

Table 1. XAV101v2 Feature Descriptions

Item Description

LED • Solid green. The electrical power is on .

Power

• Blinking gr een.The adapter is in the process of restarting or setting up security.

• Amber. Po
for 5–10 seconds.

• Off. The

wer saving mode. To enter power saving mode, press and hold the Power button

re is no electrical power, or power has been turned off through the Powerline Utility.

Powerline LED

Ethernet LED

Factory
Reset button

Security/Power 
button

• Solid. The adap ter is connected to a Powerline network.

• Blinking. The adapter is sending or receiving data.

• Off. T

Use the Pick A
by the color displayed by the LED:

Green: Lin
(Best) – Good for HD video (Better) – Good for SD video (Good) – Good for data

• Solid. The Ethern et port is linked, but there is no activity.

• Bl

• Off.

Press the Fac
its factory default settings.

The Se

• Set the powe r mode. The Powerline Adapter ’s normal state is POWER ON mode. When

• Set secu

Note: T

he adapter has not found any other compatible Powerline devices using the same

encryption key, or has been turned off through the Powerline utility.

Plug feature to pick the electrical outlet with the strongest link rate, indicated

k rate > 80 Mbps Amber: Link rate >50, <80 Mbps Red: Link rate < 50 Mbps

inking. There is traffic on the Ethernet port.

There is no Ethernet connection.

tory Reset button for 1 second, then release to return the Powerline adapter to

curity/Power button serves a dual function:

you first plug it into an electrical outlet, it will be in POWER ON mode. To go to POWER
OFF (power saving) mode, press and hold the button for 5–10 seconds. Pressing the button
again for less than 2 seconds returns it to POWER ON. You can also unplug and plug in the
adapter to restore it to POWER ON.

rity. If you set security on your other adapters, after you plug your new AV adapter
into the wall socket, press its Security button for 2 seconds; then press the Security button
on any adapter in your existing network for 2 seconds. Both buttons must be pressed within
2 minutes.

he Security button does not work in power saving mode.

Ethernet port Plug one end of the Ethernet cab

into this port and the other end either into your router, or into the computer or other peripheral
devices.

le that comes with the XAV101v2 Powerline AV 200 Adapter

Chapter 1. Installation and Basic Configuration | 7

XA V101v2 Powerline A V 200 Adapter User Manual

Installing Your Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter

Preparing for installation

1. Before you beg

• Y

our Ethernet network is set up.

• An Eth

our Internet connection is working.

• Y

• An Eth

Adapter and is configured to work on your network. Usually, the default configuration
settings (TCP/IP and DHCP) are fine.

2. Fa

3. Plan

miliarize yourself with the Powerline AV 200 Adapter.

The front panel has three LEDs: Power, Powerline,
Security/Power button, and a Factory Reset button. The Ethernet port is located on the
bottom of the adapter. See Figure 2 on

the location of your Powerline devices:

• Use

• Do no

an electrical outlet that is not controlled by a wall
switch to avoid someone
power to the outlet.

power strip, extension cord, or surge protector as this
might prevent it from working correctly, or reduce the
network performance.

in, verify the following:

ernet port is available on your router.

ernet port is available on each computer that will use a Powerline AV 200

and Ethernet. The side panel has a

page 6.

unknowingly turning off the

t connect the Powerline AV 200 Adapter to a

void plugging the Powerline AV 200 Adapter into an

• A

electrical outlet that is located near an appliance that
uses a lot of power, such as a washer or dryer, or a
refrigerator. This could potentially prevent the adapter
from working correctly, or reduce network
performance.

8 | Chapter 1. Installation and Basic Configuration

XA V101v2 Powerline A V 200 Adapter User Manual

Connecting a Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter to the Router

1. Plug a Powerline AV 200 Adapter into a power outlet near your router.

Use the supplied gray Ethernet cable to connect fro
router so that the Powerline network can gain access to the Internet. The Power and
Ethernet LEDs on the Powerline AV 200 Adapter should turn on.

Note: It is not necessary to disconnect your router from your computer.

m the adapter to a LAN port on your

Figure 3.

2. Once the adapter is plugged in and power is first applied, check to see that the Power LED

is on.

ter approximately 10 seconds, check to see that:

3. Af

a. T

he Power LED is solid green.

b. T

he Powerline LED is lit.
he Ethernet LED is on or blinks.

c. T

Chapter 1. Installation and Basic Configuration | 9

XA V101v2 Powerline A V 200 Adapter User Manual

WARNING!

Connect Other Ethernet Powerline Adapters

Once the first adapter is installed and connected to your router, you can easily add adapters
into your network.

Adding other adapters

1. Be sure the first adapter is connected to your router.

2. Plug additional Powerline AV 200 Adapters into power outlets near the other computers and

additional peripheral devices to be included in your Powerline network.

3. Use the gray Ethernet cable from the XAV101v2 package to connect from the Powerline AV

200 Adapter to an Ethernet port located on the other computer or peripheral device.

4. Wait for each Powerline adapter to be recognized by the Powerline network.

The Power, Ethernet, and Powerline LEDs should turn on. This could take as little as 5
seconds, or up to 80 seconds. For details about how the LEDs work, see
page 7.

Table 1 on

5. Test to make sure that each computer connected to a Powerline AV 200 Adapter can access

the Powerline network.
For example, be sure that you can access the Internet from a remote computer . If there is

a problem, see
One way to test this is to install the Powerline Utility and use it to view all the computers

connected by the Powerline AV Ethernet adapter.

NETGEAR recommends that you secure your Powerline network
from unauthorized access. This is especially relevant in settings
such as apartment buildings. See

Network Security on page 11.

Connecting a Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter to the Router on page 9.



Understanding Powerline

10 | Chapter 1. Installation and Basic Configuration

XA V101v2 Powerline A V 200 Adapter User Manual

Understanding Powerline Network Security

A Powerline network consists of two or more Powerline adapters using the same network
encryption key. Securing your network is crucial. By encrypting the information you send over
the Powerline AV 200 Adapter, you help to keep it secure from hackers. If you do not set up
security on your network, anyone nearby with a Powerline network can potentially use his or
her connection to gain access to your network and information you send over the Internet.
This is especially relevant in settings such as apartment buildings, office buildings, dorm
rooms, and other more populated areas.

Powerline devices connected to the same network must use an identical encryption key. The
security used by Powerline AV 200 Adapters is similar to the SSID and encryption keys used
in wireless networks, but you do not need software to configure Powerline AV 200 Adapters.

There are two ways to secure your Powerline network.

• Press the Security button located on your Powerline AV 200 Adapter to automatically

generate a random encryption key. See

• Use the Powerline Utility to configure your Powerline network with an encryption key that

you specify. If you are already using Powerline or HomePlug devices, then you will need
to use the Powerline Utility. For more information, see

Powerline Utility.

Changing the Default Encryption on page 12.

Chapter 2, Using the XAV101v2

For information about using the Powerline Utility to configure Powerline security or to
prioritize Powerline network traffic using the Quality of Service (QoS) feature, see

Chapter 2.

Note: For information about how to return the XAV101v2 Powerline AV

200 Adapter to its factory default settings, see

Defaults on page 28.

Resetting to Factory

Chapter 1. Installation and Basic Configuration | 11