Aztech HL109E User manual

HL109E HomePlug AV
with Simple Connect Button

User Manual
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Legal Notice
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Contents
About the Product.....................................................................5
How Does It Work? ....................................................................................................................5
Direct Connection ......................................................................................................................6
Package Contents....................................................................................................... 7
Device Design............................................................................................................. 8
How to Use Simple Connect....................................................................................................10
Creating a HL109E HomePlug AV Network ........................................................................10
Resetting the Private Network Name................................................................................15
Joining an Existing HL109E HomePlug AV Network...........................................................16
Determining Connection Rate.................................................................................................19
Getting Started .......................................................................20
Plan Your Network ................................................................................................... 21
Local Network..........................................................................................................................21
Gaming Network .....................................................................................................................21
Entertainment Network ..........................................................................................................22
Media Network........................................................................................................................22
Setup the HL109E HomePlug AVs ............................................................................. 23
For Twin Pack...........................................................................................................................23
For Single Pack ........................................................................................................................23
About Aztech HL109E Utility....................................................24
Requirements........................................................................................................... 24
Installation............................................................................................................... 25
Opening Aztech HL109E Utility ................................................................................. 26
The User Interface .................................................................................................... 26
Home........................................................................................................................................27
Private Network Name ...........................................................................................................28
Local Private Network Name..............................................................................................29
Remote Private Network Name .........................................................................................29
Simulate Simple Connect Button........................................................................................30
Quality of Service ....................................................................................................................31
Devices.....................................................................................................................................33

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Firmware Upgrade...................................................................................................................34
Appendix ................................................................................36
Frequently Asked Questions..................................................................................... 36
FCC Statement .......................................................................................................... 40

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About the Product
Aztech HL109E HomePlug AV is ready to use out of the box and does not require the
installation of driver software to work. It can be connected to computers, routers,
gaming consoles, hubs, IPTV set-top boxes, and other Ethernet devices regardless of
operating system.
How Does It Work?
HL109E HomePlug AV utilizes the existing electrical wiring in the house as a path to
create a secured network of computers and Ethernet devices. With a maximum data rate
of up to 200 Mbps, HL109E HomePlug AV can reliably handle high requirement
applications like broadband Internet, high definition video streaming, and Voice over IP.
HL109E HomePlug AV converts digital signals to a complex analog signal that traverses
along the electrical wires. When receiving the analog signal, HL109E HomePlug AV
converts the analog signal back to digital. To make the signal secured, a 128-bit AES
encryption is applied.
A HL109E HomePlug AV device can only communicate with other HL109E HomePlug AV
devices that use the same Private Network Name. The Private Network Name can be
changed manually using the Aztech HL109E Utility software on a computer with a
Windows operating system. When you use the software, you have to manually type the
Private Network Name for the device. Another way to change the Private Network Name
is to use the Simple Connect button . Simple Connect automatically creates an
encrypted Private Network Name. It can also be used to reset the Private Network Name
or to add a device into an existing HL109E HomePlug AV network.
Note: HL109E HomePlug AV devices from the Twin Pack are already configured to use a common Private
Network Name unique for that pair and are ready to use. The HL109E HomePlug AV from a Single Pack, on
the other hand, uses a random Private Network Name. You still need to change its Private Network Name
to allow it to communicate with an existing HL109E HomePlug AV network.

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When a HL109E HomePlug AV communicates with another device, the Powerline Activity
LED color will give you an idea about the connection rate: red means below 40 Mbps;
amber means 40 to 105 Mbps; and green means more than 105 Mbps.
Direct Connection
For best performance, connect HL109E HomePlug AV directly to a wall outlet. Avoid
connecting it to a power strip where other electrical devices are connected. Other devices
create electrical noise that may affect the performance of HomePlug AV.

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Package Contents
The package contains the following items:
• 1 HL109E HomePlug AV for Single Pack or 2 HL109E HomePlug AVs for Twin Pack
• 1 Ethernet cable for Single Pack or 2 Ethernet cables for Twin Pack
• Resource CD that contains the Aztech HL109E Utility installer and the User Manual.
• Easy Start Guide

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Device Design
Label Status Description/ Function
A
Simple Connect
Press to create or join a HL109E HomePlug AV network. It
can also be used to reset the Private Network Name to a
random key.
Off No power.B
Power
On • After Simple Connect is pressed for two
seconds, this LED will blink to confirm the button
press.
• When Simple Connect is pressed for at least 10
seconds, this LED will blink to confirm the Private
Network Name reset.

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Off Device is not connected to a HL109E HomePlug AV
network.
C Powerline Activity
On • This LED remains on when the device is part of a
HL109E HomePlug AV network.
• The LED colors represents the connection rate
within the HL109E HomePlug AV network whether
it is good (red), better (amber), or best (green).
• The LED flashes to indicate network activity.
Off An Ethernet device is not connected.
D Ethernet Activity On • An Ethernet device is connected.
• The LED flashes to indicate Ethernet activity.
E Ethernet Port Accepts either cross or straight Ethernet cable.
F Reset to Factory Default Press for 2 seconds to reset to the factory default settings.
When you reset to the factory default, all your
configuration changes will be removed.

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How to Use Simple Connect
Simple Connect provides a more convenient way of creating your HL109E HomePlug AV
network without the need to open the Aztech HL109E Utility software from a computer.
The button has three main functions which includes:
• Creating a HL109E HomePlug AV Network
• Resetting the Private Network Name
• Joining an existing HL109E HomePlug AV Network
Creating a HL109E HomePlug AV Network
To create a HL109E HomePlug AV network, you need at least two HL109E HomePlug AV
devices using random Private Network Names. When you press Simple Connect on
both devices, a common Private Network Name will be automatically generated to
enable them to communicate with each other.
Note: New HomePlug AVs from a Twin Pack can already communicate with each other out of the box.
However, if you intend to create a new Private Network Name using Simple Connect for both devices, you
need to reset their Private Network Names to a random key before proceeding.
Simple
Connect
Button

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To create a HL109E HomePlug AV network using Simple Connect:
Step 1
Plug your HomePlug AVs side by side where
you can easily observe the LED behavior.
Upon connection, the LEDs will blink
simultaneously and then the Power LED
lights on steadily.
Step 2
Press Simple Connect for two seconds on
HomePlug X. After you release the button,
the Power LED will blink. If the Power LED
did not blink, press Simple Connect
again for two seconds.
Note: Do not press Simple Connect for more than 2
seconds.

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Step 3
Press Simple Connect for two seconds on
HomePlug Y. After you release the button,
the Power LED will blink. If the Power LED
did not blink, press Simple Connect
again for two seconds.
Make sure to press Simple Connect on
HomePlug Y within two minutes after you
press Simple Connect on HomePlug X.
The LEDs on both devices will switch off and
on twice to signify that they are searching
for another device to pair with.
Note: Do not press Simple Connect for more than 2
seconds

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Step 4
To confirm if the connection was
established, check the LEDs. The Power LEDs
and the Powerline Activity LEDs on
both HomePlugs are on.
When the Powerline Activity LED on
either HomePlug X or HomePlug Y is off,
this means the pairing is not successful. In
this case, you need to redo the entire
process again.

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Step 5
Unplug the HomePlug AVs and then connect them to your Ethernet devices using the
Ethernet cables from the product package. After connecting the Ethernet cable, plug the
HomePlugs directly to a wall outlet.
An Ethernet-enabled device can be a router, computer, hub, gaming console, IP phone,
network printer, or IP TV set-top box.
Note: HomePlug AVs work best when connected directly to a wall socket. Avoid plugging it to a power strip
or power extension. Other electrical devices in the power strip produce electrical noise that may affect the
performance of the HomePlug.

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Resetting the Private Network Name
Simple Connect allows you to reset the HomePlug AV’s Private Network Name to a
random key. When a HL109E HomePlug AV is reset to a random key, it will not be able to
communicate with any other device.
Note: Resetting the Private Network Name is different from resetting the device to its factory default
settings. If you intend to reset the device to its factory default settings, press RESET on the device.
To reset the Private Network Name using Simple Connect:
Step 1
Press Simple Connect , wait for the
Power LED to blink, and then release.
It may take at least 10 seconds for the
Power LED to blink.
Step 2
To confirm the Private Network Name
reset, the Powerline Activity LED will
switch off.

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Joining an Existing HL109E HomePlug AV Network
To enable a new device to join an existing network, Simple Connect will copy the
Private Network Name of the existing network to the new HomePlug AV. If you pressed
Simple Connect from multiple HomePlug AVs, only the signal from the first two devices
will be processed.
To join an existing HL109E HomePlug AV network using Simple Connect:
Step 1
Plug HomePlug Z near a HomePlug from an
existing network. Make sure you can easily
observe the LED behavior.
Upon connection, HomePlug Z’s LEDs will
blink simultaneously and then the Power LED
lights on steadily.
Step 2
Press Simple Connect for two seconds from
a HL109E HomePlug AV in an existing
network. After you release the button, the
Power LED will blink. If the Power LED
did not blink, press Simple Connect again
for two seconds.
Note: Do not press Simple Connect for more than 2
seconds.

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Step 3
Press Simple Connect for two seconds
on HomePlug Z. After you release the
button, the Power LED will blink. If the
Power LED did not blink, press Simple
Connect again for two seconds.
Make sure to press Simple Connect on
HomePlug Z within two minutes after you
press Simple Connect from the existing
network.
The LEDs on both devices will switch off
and on twice to signify that they are
searching for another device to pair with.
Note: Do not press Simple Connect for more than
2 seconds.
Step 4
To confirm if the connection was
established, check the LEDs. The Power
LEDs and the Powerline Activity LEDs
on all HomePlugs are on.

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If the Powerline Activity LED on
HomePlug Z is off, this means the pairing
was not successful. You need to repeat
the process again.
Step 5
Unplug HomePlug Z and then connect it to your Ethernet device using the Ethernet cables
from the product package. After connecting the Ethernet cable, plug HomePlug Z directly
to a wall outlet. An Ethernet-enabled device can be a router, computer, hub, gaming
console, IP phone, network printer, or IP TV set-top box.
Note: HomePlug AVs work best when connected directly to a wall socket. Avoid plugging it to a power strip
or power extension. The other electrical devices in the power strip create noise that may affect the
performance of the HomePlug.

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Determining Connection Rate
Each LED color of the Powerline Activity represents a connection rating. The connection
rating can only be calculated when the device is part of an existing network. The exact
connection rate value can also be viewed using the Aztech HL109E Utility.
Good (Red) Better (Amber) Best (Green)
Connection rate is
less than 40 Mbps
Connection rate is
between 40 to 105 Mbps
Connection rate is
more than 105 Mbps

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Getting Started
Setting up the device is easy. The flowchart below provides an outline of the steps you
need to complete the installation. There are brief descriptions beside each step to help
you along. Detailed instructions are provided in the subsequent pages.
Setup the
HomePlug AVs
Plan your Network
Ready to Use
(Optional)
Install HL109E
H
o
m
e
Pl
u
g
AV
Use an Ethernet cable to connect
HL109E HomePlug AV to your
computer or Ethernet device.
Install the Aztech HL109E Utility to
apply manual configuration changes
and monitor device activity.