NETGEAR XAV101v1 - Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter User manual

202-10339-02
January 2009
NETGEAR, Inc.
350 East Plumeria Drive
San Jose, CA 95134 USA
XAV101 Powerline AV
Ethernet Adapter User
Guide

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v2.0, January 2009
© 2009 by NETGEAR, Inc. All rights reserved.
Technical Support
See the support information card that shipped with your product. By registering your product at http://www.netgear.com/
register, we can provide you with faster expert technical support and timely notices of product and software upgrades.
NETGEAR, INC. Support Information
Phone: 1-888-NETGEAR, for US & Canada only. For other countries, see your Support information card.
E-mail: [e-mail]
website: http://www.netgear.com/support
Trademarks
NETGEAR and the NETGEAR logo are registered trademarks, and RangeMax and Smart Wizard are trademarks of
NETGEAR. Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. Microsoft, Windows, and Windows NT are registered
trademarks and Windows Vista is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. Other brand and product names are registered
trademarks or trademarks of their respective holders. Information is subject to change without notice.
Statement of Conditions
In the interest of improving 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.
Maximum Wireless Signal Rate Derived from IEEE Standard 802.11 Specifications
Actual data throughput will vary. Network conditions and environmental factors, including volume of network traffic,
building materials and construction, and network overhead, lower actual data throughput rate.
Safety Instructions
Use the following safety guidelines to ensure your own personal safety and to help protect your system from potential
damage.
To reduce the risk of bodily injury, electrical shock, fire, and damage to the equipment, observe the following
precautions.
• Observe and follow service markings.
- Do not service any product except as explained in your system documentation.
- Opening or removing covers that are marked with the triangular symbol with a lightning bolt may expose you to
electrical shock. Only a trained service technician should service components inside these compartments.
• If any of the following conditions occur, unplug the product from the electrical outlet and replace the part or contact
your trained service provider:
- The power cable, extension cable, or plug is damaged.
- An object has fallen into the product.
- The product has been exposed to water.
- The product has been dropped or damaged.
- The product does not operate correctly when you follow the operating instructions.
• Keep your system away from radiators and heat sources. Also, do not block cooling vents.

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iii
• Do not spill food or liquids on your system components, and never operate the product in a wet environment. If the
system gets wet, see the appropriate section in your troubleshooting guide or contact your trained service provider.
• Do not push any objects into the openings of your system. Doing so can cause fire or electric shock by shorting out
interior components.
• Use the product only with approved equipment.
• Allow the product to cool before removing covers or touching internal components.
• Operate the product only from the type of external power source indicated on the electrical ratings label. If you are
not sure of the type of power source required, consult your service provider or local power company.
• To help avoid damaging your system, be sure that the voltage selection switch (if provided) on the power supply is
set to match the power available at your location:
- 115 volts (V), 60 hertz (Hz) in most of North and South America and some Far Eastern countries such as South
Korea and Taiwan
- 100 V, 50 Hz in eastern Japan and 100 V, 60 Hz in western Japan
- 230 V, 50 Hz in most of Europe, the Middle East, and the Far East
• Also, be sure that attached devices are electrically rated to operate with the power available in your location.
• Use only approved power cables. If you have not been provided with a power cable for your system or for any AC
powered option intended for your system, purchase a power cable that is approved for use in your country. The
power cable must be rated for the product and for the voltage and current marked on the product’s electrical ratings
label. The voltage and current rating of the cable should be greater than the ratings marked on the product.
• To help prevent electric shock, plug the system and peripheral power cables into properly grounded electrical
outlets.
• The peripheral power cables are equipped with three-prong plugs to help ensure proper grounding. Do not use
adapter plugs or remove the grounding prong from a cable. If you must use an extension cable, use a three-wire cable
with properly grounded plugs.
• Observe extension cable and power strip ratings. Make sure that the total ampere rating of all products plugged into
the extension cable or power strip does not exceed 80 percent of the ampere ratings limit for the extension cable or
power strip.
• To help protect your system from sudden, transient increases and decreases in electrical power, use a surge
suppressor, line conditioner, or uninterruptible power supply (UPS).
• Position system cables and power cables carefully; route cables so that they cannot be stepped on or tripped over. Be
sure that nothing rests on any cables.
• Do not modify power cables or plugs. Consult a licensed electrician or your power company for site modifications.
• Always follow your local and national wiring rules.
• Move products with care; ensure that all casters and stabilizers are firmly connected to the system. Avoid sudden
stops and uneven surfaces.

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Safety and Regulatory Notices
FCC Statement
The XAV101 has been tested and complies with the specifications for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the
FCC Rules.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and
(2) This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
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
Canadian Department of Communications Industry Canada (IC) Notice
This Class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003. Cet appareil numérique de la classe B est conforme à
la norme NMB-003 du Canada.
Europe – EU Declaration of Conformity
A printed copy of the EU Declaration of Conformity certificate for this product is provided in the XAV101 product
package.
Product and Publication Details
Model Number: XAV101
Publication Date: January 2009
Product Family: Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter
Product Name: XAV101 Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter
Home or Business Product: Home
Language: English
Publication Part Number: 202-10339-02

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v2.0, January 2009
Contents
XAV101 Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter User Guide
About This Manual
Conventions, Formats, and Scope .....................................................................................i
Chapter 1
Installation and Basic Configuration
Package Contents ..........................................................................................................1-1
How the Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter Fits in Your Network .......................................1-2
Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter ......................................................................................1-3
The Label on the Rear Panel of the XAV101 ..................................................................1-4
Preparing to Install Your Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter ...............................................1-4
Connecting a Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter to the Router ..........................................1-5
Understanding Powerline Network Security ...................................................................1-6
Using the Security Button to Change the Default Encryption Key in Your Network .1-7
Chapter 2
Using the XAV101 Configuration Utility
Installing the XAV101 Configuration Utility (Recommended) ..........................................2-1
Main Tab .........................................................................................................................2-3
Using the Firmware Upgrade Tool ............................................................................2-4
Resetting to Factory Defaults ...................................................................................2-6
Changing the Network Encryption Key ...........................................................................2-8
Adding a Device to a Powerline Network .......................................................................2-9
Adding a Device from a Locally Connected Computer ..........................................2-10
Adding a Device from a Remotely Connected Computer ......................................2-10
Prioritizing Traffic on the Powerline Network ................................................................2-12
Prioritizing by General Application Type ................................................................2-12
Diagnostics Tab ............................................................................................................2-14

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Chapter 3
Troubleshooting
Product Registration, Support, and Documentation .......................................................3-1
Basic Functioning ...........................................................................................................3-1
Troubleshooting Tips ......................................................................................................3-2
Problems After Changing Network Encryption Key ........................................................3-2
Changing the Network Encryption Key for 1 Unit at a Time .....................................3-3
Appendix A
Technical Specifications

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About This Manual
The NETGEAR®XAV101 Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter User Guide describes how to install,
configure and troubleshoot the XAV101 Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter. The information in this
manual is intended for readers with intermediate computer and Internet skills.
Conventions, Formats, and Scope
The conventions, formats, and scope of this manual are described in the following paragraphs:
•Typographical Conventions.This manual uses the following typographical conventions:
•Formats.This manual uses the following formats to highlight special messages:
Italic Emphasis, books, CDs
Bold User input, IP addresses, GUI screen text
italic URL links
Note: This format is used to highlight information of importance or special interest.
Tip: This format is used to highlight a procedure that will save time or resources.
Warning: Ignoring this type of note may result in a malfunction or damage to the
equipment.

XAV101 Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter User Guide
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v2.0, January 2009
•Scope.This manual is written for the Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter according to these
specifications:
Product Version XAV101 Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter
Manual Publication Date January 2009
Note: Product updates are available on the NETGEAR, Inc. website at
http://www.netgear.com/support.

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Chapter 1
Installation and Basic Configuration
This chapter describes the XAV101 Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter and explains how to install it
and to use the Security button to customize the encryption. For information about using the
XAV101 configuration utility to configure Powerline security or to prioritize Powerline network
traffic with Quality of Service (QoS) features, see Chapter 2, “Using the XAV101 Configuration
Utility.
Package Contents
The product package should contain the following items:
• NETGEAR XAV101 Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter
• Installation Guide
• An Ethernet cable
•Resource CD, including:
– The XAV101 Configuration Utility
– This manual
• Warranty and Support information card
If any of the parts are incorrect, missing, or damaged, contact your NETGEAR dealer. Keep the
carton, including the original packing materials, in case you need to return the Powerline AV
Ethernet Adapter for repair.

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How the Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter Fits in Your Network
You can use Powerline AV Ethernet Adapters to extend your Ethernet network anywhere in your
house using your existing electrical power line. The following figure shows an example of a
Powerline network with two Powerline devices. The Powerline network connects to an Ethernet
network:
Figure 1-1
Internet
Router
Ethernet network
Ethernet network
XAV101
XAV101
Powerline network
(always encrypted) Notebook PC
Desktop PC

XAV101 Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter User Guide
Installation and Basic Configuration 1-3
v2.0, January 2009
Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter
The following illustration shows the Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter front and side panels:
The following table describes the buttons, status lights, and port.
Figure 1-2
Table 1-1. Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter Description
Item Description
Power Light • Solid green. The electrical power is on.
•Blinking green. The adapter is setting itself up after the reset or Security button
was pressed.
•Off. There is no electrical power.
Powerline Light • Solid. The adapter is connected to a Powerline network.
•Blinking. The adapter is sending or receiving data.
•Off. The adapter has not found any other compatible Powerline devices using the
same Powerline network encryption key.
The color indicates the speed of the Powerline link:
•Green. The link is faster than 80 Mbps.
•Orange. The link is 50 Mbps to 80 Mbps.
•Red. The link is less than 50 Mbps.
Ethernet Light • Solid green. The Ethernet port is linked, but there is no activity.
•Blinking green. There is traffic between an Ethernet port and the Powerline
network.
•Off. There is no Ethernet connection.
Ethernet
port
Ethernet
light
Powerline
light
Power
light
Security
button
Reset
button

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The Label on the Rear Panel of the XAV101
The label on the rear panel of the XAV101 contains the items listed below.
• Model number
• MAC address
• Serial number
• Device password (PWD)
Preparing to Install Your Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter
To prepare for installation:
1. Before you begin, verify the following:
• Your Ethernet network is set up, and an Ethernet port is available on your router.
• Your Internet connection is working.
• Each computer that will use the Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter has an Ethernet port
available and is configured to work on your network. Usually, the default configuration
settings (TCP/IP and DHCP) are fine.
2. Familiarize yourself with the Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter. The front panel has three lights:
Power, Powerline, and Ethernet. The side panel has a Security button, a Reset button, and an
Ethernet port.
3. Plan the location of your Powerline devices:
Security button Configure security (see “Using the Security Button to Change the Default Encryption
Key in Your Network” on page 1-7).
Reset button To reset, use a sharp object such as a pen or a paper clip to briefly press this button
(for 2 seconds). The adapter automatically returns to factory default settings, and
then restarts.
Note: Pressing the reset button longer than recommended might interfere with
resetting the adapter.
10/100 Ethernet port Use this port to connect the adapter to a router, computer, or other peripheral device.
Table 1-1. Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter Description (continued)
Item Description (continued)

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• Do not connect the Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter to a power strip, extension cord, or
surge protector as this might prevent it from working correctly, or degrade the network
performance.
• Use an electrical outlet that is not controlled by a wall switch to avoid someone
unknowingly turning off the power to the outlet.
• Using the Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter plugged into an electrical outlet that is located
near an appliance that uses a lot of power, such as a washer or dryer, might prevent the
adapter from working correctly, or degrade the network performance.
Connecting a Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter to the Router
Follow these steps:
1. Plug a Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter into a power outlet near your router. Use the blue
Ethernet cable from the XAV101 package to connect it to a LAN port on the router so that the
Powerline network can gain access to the Internet.
It is not necessary to disconnect your router from your computer.
The Power and Ethernet lights on the Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter should turn on.
2. Plug your other Powerline AV Ethernet Adapters into power outlets near the computers and
peripherals to be included in your Powerline network.
3. Use the blue Ethernet cable from the XAV101 package to connect each Powerline AV Ethernet
Adapter to an Ethernet port on a computer or peripheral.
Figure 1-3
Powerline AV
Ethernet Adapter
Supplied Ethernet
cable

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4. Wait up to 80 seconds for each Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter to be recognized by the
Powerline network.
The Power, Ethernet, and Powerline lights should turn on. For details about how the lights
work, see Table 1-1 on page 1-3.
5. Make sure that each computer connected to a Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter can use the
Powerline network. For example, access the Internet from a remote computer. If there is a
problem, see “Basic Functioning” on page 3-1.
NETGEAR recommends that you secure your Powerline network from unauthorized access. This
is especially relevant in settings like apartment buildings. See the following section,
“Understanding Powerline Network Security.
Understanding Powerline Network Security
Powerline devices on the same network must use an identical encryption key. The Powerline AV
Ethernet Adapter default encrypted password is HomePlugAV. If you do not set up security,
anyone nearby with a Powerline network can use this to gain access to your network. Use the
Security button on the Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter to change the Powerline encryption key.
Encryption of the information you send over the Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter helps keep it
secure. This is especially relevant in settings like apartment buildings.
A Powerline network consists of Powerline adapters with the same network encryption key. The
security used by Powerline AV Ethernet Adapters is similar to the SSID and encryption keys used
in wireless networks, but you do not need software to configure your Powerline AV Ethernet
Adapters.
There are two ways to secure your Powerline network.
• Use the Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter Security buttons to automatically generate an
encryption keys. See the following section, “Using the Security Button to Change the Default
Encryption Key in Your Network.”
Note: If you need to return the Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter to its factory default
settings, use the Reset button or the NETGEAR XAV101 Configuration Utility on
your Resource CD.

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• Use the XAV101 Configuration Utility, on your Resource CD, to configure your Powerline
network with a network encryption key that you specify. If you are already using HomePlug
devices then you might need to use this utility. See Chapter 2, “Using the XAV101
Configuration Utility.
Using the Security Button to Change the Default Encryption Key
in Your Network
Follow these steps:
1. Verify that all the Powerline AV Ethernet Adapters to be configured are plugged in.
The default encryption key is HomePlugAV.
2. To use a private encryption key instead of the default key, follow these steps:
a. On the first Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter, press its security button for 2 seconds.
The power LED will start blinking after you release the button.
The adapter will produce a new, randomly generated network encryption key that each
Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter will use. At this point, the other adapters in your network
cannot communicate with each other.
b. Within 2 minutes of pushing the security button of the first adapter, push the security
button of the second adapter for 2 seconds.
Both buttons must be pushed within 2 minutes.
This securely configures your Powerline network with the same network encryption key.
The adapters retain security settings even if they are unplugged.
3. If your network has more than 2 adapters, push the button on the additional adapter for 2
seconds, then push the button on any adapter in your existing network for 2 seconds. Both
buttons must be pushed within 2 minutes.
Note: An adapter can only generate a private key once. To replace a private key,
first reset the unit back to its factory defaults by pressing the reset button
for 10 seconds, then follow the procedure above.

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Chapter 2
Using the XAV101 Configuration Utility
This chapter explains how to use the XAV101 Configuration Utility. You can use this utility to
configure encryption for your Powerline network and to use quality of service (QoS) features to
prioritize Powerline network traffic.
Installing the XAV101 Configuration Utility (Recommended)
This utility provides you with the option of setting your own unique encryption Powerline network
encryption key, and prioritizing traffic passing through the Powerline network.
To install the XAV101 Configuration Utility:
1. Insert the Resource CD into a CD drive on the computer that is connected to your router1. The
CD automatically starts and displays the following screen:
1. All devices on a Powerline network can be managed from one computer. If you add another Powerline AV
Ethernet Adapter to a Powerline network, you can install the Powerline configuration utility on the computer
connected locally to the new adapter, or open the utility on the computer originally used to set up the Powerline
network encryption key. You can use any computer to manage the network, but this procedure assumes that you
are working from the computer that is connected to a powerline adapter.
Figure 2-1

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2-2 Using the XAV101 Configuration Utility
v2.0, January 2009
If the CD does not start automatically:
• Go to My Computer on the Windows Start menu, and double-click the drive that
represents the location of the Resource CD or
• Select the CD drive, and click the Autorun.exe executable file.
2. Click Install Software to display the Welcome screen:
3. Click Next, and follow the wizard prompts. When the wizard is done, the following screen
displays:
4. Click Finish. The XAV101 Configuration Utility icon appears on your desktop.
To use the XAV101 Configuration Utility, double-click the icon.
Figure 2-2
Figure 2-3

XAV101 Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter User Guide
Using the XAV101 Configuration Utility 2-3
v2.0, January 2009
Main Tab
You can start the XAV101 Configuration Utility by clicking the XAV101 icon on your desktop, or
from the Windows Program menu. The XAV101 Configuration Utility displays its Main tab:
Note the message at the bottom of the screen regarding the power saving feature. If the unit goes
into power saving mode, the configuration utility will not find it. Keeping an connected Ethernet
cable plugged into the device will keep it active.
The following table describes the features in the Main Tab.
Figure 2-4
Table 2-1. Configuration Utility Main Tab
Field or Button Description
Powerline Devices This shows whether the utility is currently scanning for Powerline devices, or the
number of Powerline devices detected, after the scan has completed.
Network Type The type of network for the local Powerline device. The default setting is Public.
Device Name The device name is initially set by the utility.
MAC Address The MAC address for the Powerline device. This is also on the product label,
which might not be visible when the device is plugged in.
Location This column shows whether the device is local or remote. The local device is the
one connected with an Ethernet cable to the computer that you are using to run
this utility.
4

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Using the Firmware Upgrade Tool
When you install the configuration utility, it also installs the firmware upgrade tool. Be sure the
adapter you will upgrade is plugged in to a power source, and connected to your computer with an
Ethernet cable before you run the Upgrade Tool.
Quality This indicates the type of traffic that can be handled smoothly: HD Video, DVD
Video, or Data.
• HD Video. The device can handle high-definition video traffic smoothly. This
status will be shown if the transmit and receive link speed is greater than
80 Mbps.
• SD Video. The transmit and receive link speed is greater than 50 Mbps.
• Data. The device cannot handle video data smoothly. This status will be shown
if the transmit or receive link speed is less than 50 Mbps.
Link Rate (Mbps) The link rate for each Powerline device.
LED Status The LEDs are enabled by default.
Firmware Version The firmware version for each Powerline device.
Note: Use the provided stand alone firmware upgrade tool to update the
firmware. See “Using the Firmware Upgrade Tool.”
Rename button Change a device name.
Factory Reset button Reset a device to its factory defaults. See “Resetting to Factory Defaults” on
page 2-6.
LED On/Off button Enable or disable the LEDS for a Powerline device.
Scan button Scan the network for Powerline devices.
Table 2-1. Configuration Utility Main Tab (continued)
Field or Button Description