NETGEAR XAV2501 - Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter User manual

350 East Plumeria Drive
San Jose, CA 95134
USA
March 2011
202-10590-02
v1.0
XAV2501 Powerline AV+
200 Adapter
User Manual

2|
Powerline AV+ 200 Adapter Kit XAVB1501
©2011 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.
Technical Support
Thank you for choosing NETGEAR. To 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 http://support.netgear.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/984.
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.

Contents |3
Contents
Chapter 1 Getting Started
Hardware Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Product Details. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Powerline Adapter in a Home Network. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Powerline Network Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Use the Security Button to Set the Encryption Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Chapter 2 Powerline Utility
Install the Powerline Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Powerline Utility Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Security Icon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Change the Name of a Powerline Device. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Turn LEDs Off or On. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Set the Powerline Encryption Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Reset a Device to Factory Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Add a Device to a Powerline Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Set Up Quality of Service (QoS). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Chapter 3 Troubleshooting
Basic Functioning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Troubleshooting Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
LEDs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
If You Do Not See All Your Devices with the Powerline Utility. . . . . . . . . .21
Appendix A Supplementary Information
Technical Specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Safety Information: XAV2501. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Appendix B Notification of Compliance

Chapter 1. Getting Started |4
1
1. Getting Started
This chapter describes your XAV2501 Powerline AV+ 200 Adapter, and how your adapters can
fit into a home network. For more information about the topics covered in this manual, visit the
Support website at http://support.netgear.com.
Hardware Features
The appearance of your adapter depends on the country in which it was sold. Your adapter
might look like one of these:
United Kingdom
(Type G) North America France (Type E) Germany Australia
Figure 1. Adapters can vary in appearance

Chapter 1. Getting Started |5
Powerline AV+ 200 Adapter Kit XAVB1501
Product Details
The following figure shows the adapter in detail:
Filtered
Security button
Factory Reset button
Ethernet port
AC Socket
Powerline LED
Ethernet LED
Power LED
Figure 2. Adapter filtered AC socket, LEDs, and buttons
Filtered AC Socket
The filtered AC socket can remove some electrical noise that can affect powerline
performance. Plugging the power plugs of nearby devices into the filtered AC socket may
improve performance.
LEDs
Item Description
Power LED • Solid green. The electrical power is on.
• Blinking green. The adapter is in the process of restarting or setting up security.
• Amber. The adapter is in power saving mode.
• Off. There is no electrical power.
Powerline
LED • 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
encryption key.
The Pick A Plug feature lets you pick the electrical outlet with the strongest link rate,
indicated by the color displayed by the LED:
Green:
Link rate > 80 Mbps (best) Amber: Link rate > 50 and < 80 Mbps
(better)
Red:
Link rate < 50 Mbps (good)
Ethernet LED • Solid. The Ethernet port is linked, but there is no activity.
• Blinking. There is traffic on the Ethernet port.
• Off. There is no Ethernet connection.

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Powerline AV+ 200 Adapter Kit XAVB1501
Buttons
Two buttons are located on the side of the adapter:
• Security. After you plug in your new AV adapters, press the Security button for 2
seconds on both of the AV adapters. Both buttons must be pressed within 2 minutes.
Note: The Security button does not work in power saving mode. The unit
enters power saving mode if the Ethernet port is idle (not linked) for more than
10 minutes..
• Reset. Press the Reset button for 1 second, then release to return the Powerline adapter
to its factory default settings.
Ethernet Port
Plug one end of the Ethernet cable that comes with the XAV2501 Powerline AV+ 200 Adapter
into this port and the other end either into your router, or into the computer or other peripheral
devices.
Powerline Adapter Label
The product label shows unique details specific to your adapter. The product label is located
on the back of the adapter. The label contains the following information.
• Model number
• MAC address
• Device password
• Serial number

Chapter 1. Getting Started |7
Powerline AV+ 200 Adapter Kit XAVB1501
Powerline Adapter in a Home Network
You can use Powerline AV+ 200 Adapters to extend your Ethernet network anywhere in your
home using your existing electrical power lines.
Ethernet
cables
Here, an Ethernet cable connects
the router to the
Powerline network.
In another room, an Ethernet cable connects
a gaming console to the Powerline network.
Powerline communication
Figure 3. Powerline network with two Powerline adapters
For best performance, plan the location of your Powerline devices (to make a Powerline
network, you need at least two Powerline devices):
• Use an electrical outlet that is not controlled by a wall switch to avoid someone
unknowingly turning off the power to the outlet.
• Do not plug in Powerline products to a power strip, extension cord, or surge protector as
this might prevent them from working correctly, or reduce the network performance.
• Avoid plugging Powerline products into electrical outlets located near an appliance that
uses a lot of power, such as a washer or dryer, or a refrigerator. This could potentially
prevent the adapters from working correctly, or reduce network performance.
Different Powerline adapter models can share the network. All Powerline NETGEAR AV
products (models XAV101, XAV1004, XAV2001, XAV2501, and XAVN2001) are compatible.

8|Chapter 1. Getting Started
Powerline AV+ 200 Adapter Kit XAVB1501
To set up your Powerline network:
1. Make sure that your home router is up and running and that Ethernet wired connections
are working.
2. Install the first Powerline adapter based on the installation instructions that came in the
package.
3. Install the second Powerline adapter, which finds the adapter you just installed. The two
Powerline devices form a Powerline network.
4. Install any additional Powerline adapters that you plan to use.
5. Test to make sure that the computer or peripheral can access the Powerline network.
For example, on a computer, use the Internet. Another way to test this is to install the
Powerline Utility and use it to view all devices on the Powerline network.
6. NETGEAR recommends that you secure your Powerline network from unauthorized access,
especially in settings such as apartment buildings. See Powerline Network Security .
Powerline Network Security
A Powerline network consists of two or more Powerline adapters using the same network
encryption key. Securing your network protects the information you send over the Powerline
network from unwanted access. 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 populated areas.
There are two ways to secure your Powerline network.
• Use the Security button to automatically generate a random encryption key.
• Use the Powerline Utility to specify an encryption key for your Powerline network. If you
already have a Powerline network, you need to use the Powerline Utility, which is located
on your Resource CD. See Chapter 2, Powerline Utility.
• To return the Powerline AV+ 200 Adapter to its factory default settings, press its Factory
Reset button for 1 second, then release.
Use the Security Button to Set the Encryption Key
Note: An adapter can generate a private key only once. If you want to
replace a private key, first reset the adapters to their factory settings.
To do this either press the Reset button for 1 second, then release;
or use the Powerline Utility factory defaults feature (see Reset a
Device to Factory Settings on page 16).

Chapter 1. Getting Started |9
Powerline AV+ 200 Adapter Kit XAVB1501
You can use the security button to change the default encryption key and set a private
encryption key instead. The default encryption key is HomePlugAV.
1. Verify that all the Powerline adapters to be configured are plugged in.
WARNING!
Do not press the Security button on the Powerline adapter until
installation is complete and all adapters on your network are
plugged in and communicating with each other. Pressing the
Security button too soon can temporarily disable Powerline
communication. If this should occur, reset the Powerline adapter
to its factory default settings (press the Reset button for 1 second,
then release).
2. Press the Powerline AV+ 200 Adapter Security button for 2 seconds.
• The Power LED starts blinking after you release the button.
• The adapter automatically creates a new, randomly generated network encryption key
that each Powerline adapter on the network will use.
At this point, the other adapters in your network cannot communicate with each other.
3. Within 2 minutes of pressing the Security button on the Powerline AV+ 200 Adapter, press
the security button on the second adapter for 2 seconds.
In order to pair the devices, you need to press both buttons within 2 minutes.
This securely configures your Powerline network with the same network encryption key.
4. If your network has more than two adapters, press the Security button on the next adapter
for 2 seconds, then push the Security button on any additional adapters in your network for
2 seconds. The adapters retain security settings even if they are unplugged.

Chapter 2. Powerline Utility |10
2
2. Powerline Utility
This chapter explains how to install and use the Powerline Utility. The Powerline Utility works
with many Powerline AV products. NETGEAR Powerline models XAV1004, XAV2001, and
XAVN2001 are compatible and can share the same Powerline network.
You can use the Powerline Utility to access a local Powerline device that is connected to your
computer with an Ethernet cable and also to access remote Powerline devices. Remote devices
are on the Powerline network, but are not directly cabled to the computer on which you are using
the Powerline Utility.
You can use the NETGEAR Powerline Utility to:
• Change the name of a Powerline device
• Turn LEDs on or off
• Set encryption keys
• Set up Quality of Service (QoS)
• Restore a device to default configuration settings

Chapter 2. Powerline Utility |11
Powerline AV+ 200 Adapter Kit XAVB1501
Install the Powerline Utility
This utility allows you to set your own unique Powerline network encryption key, and prioritize
traffic passing through your Powerline network.
All devices on a Powerline network can be managed from one computer. If you add another
Powerline device to a Powerline network, you can install the Powerline 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.
To install the Powerline Utility:
1. Insert the Resource CD into a CD drive on the computer that is connected to your
router. The CD automatically starts and displays the Welcome screen.
If the Resource CD does not start automatically, do one of the following:
• Select My Computer on the Windows Start menu, and double-click the drive that
represents the location of the Resource CD.
• Select the CD drive, and click the Autorun.exe executable file.
2. Select NETGEAR Powerline Utility.

12 |Chapter 2. Powerline Utility
Powerline AV+ 200 Adapter Kit XAVB1501
a. Check for Updates. If you are connected to the Internet, click this button to be sure
you have the most current software.
b. Install from CD. Click this button to install the Powerline Utility from the CD.
3. Click Continue.
4. Click Next on the first screen, follow the wizard prompts, and click Finish when the wizard is
done.
The Powerline Utility shortcut icon displays on your desktop.
5. There are two ways to launch the Powerline Utility:
• Click this icon located on your desktop.
• Select Start > Programs > NETGEAR > NETGEAR Powerline Utility.

Chapter 2. Powerline Utility |13
Powerline AV+ 200 Adapter Kit XAVB1501
Powerline Utility Screen
When launched, the Powerline Utility opens to a screen that shows all the devices in your
Powerline network.
• Click the image of the device that you want to manage.
• If all devices are not shown, click the Refresh button to update the screen.
• The Information box at the bottom of the screen provides tips and information for using
this utility screen.
Security Icon
You can click the Security icon on the Powerline Utility main screen to go to the Security
screen or the QoS (Quality of Service) screen:

14 |Chapter 2. Powerline Utility
Powerline AV+ 200 Adapter Kit XAVB1501
Change the Name of a Powerline Device
Powerline devices are identified by their model number and name. Any Powerline devices
that are plugged in and connected are detected by the Powerline Utility, and are shown on
the Powerline Utility main screen. If no name has been assigned to a Powerline device, it is
shown as un-named.
To name a Powerline device in your Powerline network:
1. From the Powerline Utility main screen, click the device you want to name, and the
following pop-up menu displays:
2. Select Device Name. The utility responds that connectivity will be temporarily lost if you
continue.
3. Click OK. The following screen displays:
4. Enter a new name for the Powerline device, and click OK.
Turn LEDs Off or On
For each device in your Powerline network, you can turn the LEDs off or on. To do this, follow
these steps:
1. Click the Powerline device icon on the Powerline Utility main screen.
2. On the pop-up menu, select Turn LED off.
Note: This feature is a toggle. You can turn off LEDs if they are turned on, or
turn them on if they are currently turned off.
A screen displays advising you that connectivity will be temporarily lost while the LEDs are
being reset.

Chapter 2. Powerline Utility |15
Powerline AV+ 200 Adapter Kit XAVB1501
Set the Powerline Encryption Key
Powerline devices that share the same Powerline network have to use the same encryption
key. The factory default encryption key is HomePlugAV.
In locations such as apartment buildings or office buildings, others might share the same
electrical power lines that you use for your Powerline network. To protect your Powerline
network from unwanted access, you can customize the encryption key for your Powerline
devices. Make sure that you set up exactly the same encryption key for all of your Powerline
devices so that they can communicate with each other.
You use the Security screen in the Powerline Utility to set encryption keys. If you customize
the encryption key and then forget what it is, you can return your Powerline devices to their
factory default Powerline encryption key of HomePlugAV.
To set the encryption key:
1. Click the Powerline device icon or the Security icon on the Powerline Utility main
screen.
The top section of the Security screen shows information about each device that the
Powerline Utility detects.
• Device Name. This lists the Powerline devices detected on the network after the
utility completes a scan for devices. The device name is initially set by the utility, but
you can change it to a descriptive name such as Office or Master Bedroom.
• Model. This identifies the model number of the Powerline adapter.
• 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.
• Device Password. To change settings for a remote Powerline device you have to
enter its password. The device password is located on the product label.
2. Select the check box for each device for which you want to set the encryption key.

16 |Chapter 2. Powerline Utility
Powerline AV+ 200 Adapter Kit XAVB1501
3. In Step 2 on your screen, select the option that you want:
• Create a new Encryption Key. To set your own network encryption key, type your
network encryption key in the field.
• Use default Encryption Key. When you click this button, the factory default
encryption key automatically displays in the field. The default network encryption key
is HomePlugAV.
Note: Before you can reset the encryption key for a remote device, you have
to enter its password. The password is printed on the product label located on
the back of the adapter.
4. Click the Apply Security to Selected Devices button.
When you are finished setting the encryption key, the utility displays a message indicating
that the operation was successful.
5. Click OK.
Reset a Device to Factory Settings
This option returns the network encryption key to its factory default of HomePlugAV.
Note: If you customized your network encryption key, the local Powerline
device is disconnected from the network when you reset it to the
factory default. To avoid this problem, reset all remote devices
before you reset the local device.
To reset a device to its factory settings:
1. On the Powerline Utility main screen, click the Powerline device icon. The pop-up menu
displays:
2. Select Factory Reset. A message displays asking you to confirm the reset.
3. Click OK to reset the device. A message indicates whether or not the operation succeeded.

Chapter 2. Powerline Utility |17
Powerline AV+ 200 Adapter Kit XAVB1501
Add a Device to a Powerline Network
If you are adding a device to a Powerline network, and the network encryption key has been
left at its default setting, all you need to do is plug the new device into a power outlet.
If the network encryption key has been customized, there are two ways to set the security:
• You can use the Security button to add the new device to your network. See Use the
Security Button to Set the Encryption Key on page 8.
• You can use the Powerline Utility to add the new device to the network, as described in
the following sections.
The procedure for setting the network encryption key depends on whether you use the
Powerline Utility on a computer connected directly to the new Powerline adapter (local) or a
different Powerline adapter (remote).
To add a Powerline device from a local computer:
1. Plug the Powerline adapter into an available AC power outlet.
2. Use the provided cable to connect the Powerline device to an Ethernet port on the
computer.
3. Start the Powerline Utility, click the Refresh button, and wait for the utility to detect the new
device.
4. Click the device, and select Security from the drop-down list.
5. Set the encryption key for the device (see Set the Powerline Encryption Key on page 15).
Verify that the devices in the Powerline network are in the device list by clicking the Refresh
button. It might take a minute or two for all devices in the network to be detected.
Set Up Quality of Service (QoS)
The Quality of Service (QoS) feature helps you prioritize your Powerline network traffic. By
default, all types of traffic on the Powerline network are assigned the same priority. For most
applications, this works fine. However, there are situations where performance improves if
you assign a higher priority to certain types of traffic, such as multimedia files.
If your network traffic is a mix of multimedia traffic and document and database traffic you
might want to give priority to a particular traffic type. If it is important that your multimedia
playback is smooth, even while document files are being transferred over the network, then
give priority to multimedia traffic. Conversely, if it is more important for your network to be

18 |Chapter 2. Powerline Utility
Powerline AV+ 200 Adapter Kit XAVB1501
responsive to database applications, give priority to this type of application over multimedia
applications.
The Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter supports the following:
• MAC address
• IP port
• VLAN tags
• ToS bits (Type of Service routing)
QoS settings are applied the Powerline devices on the Powerline network.
To set up Quality of Service for Powerline devices:
1. Start the Powerline Utility and wait for the utility to detect the Powerline AV Ethernet
adapters connected to the network.
2. Either click the device, or click the Security icon .
3. Select QoS (Quality of Service).The following screen displays:
You can use these methods to set up QoS:
• Destination MAC address
• TCP/UPP port number
• 802.1Q VLAN tag or ToS

Chapter 2. Powerline Utility |19
Powerline AV+ 200 Adapter Kit XAVB1501
4. To set the traffic prioritization rule for the selected Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter device,
click Priority and specify the priority in the QoS Setup section of the screen.
5. If applicable, select the VLAN tag or TOS field check box.
These options apply only to QoS-configured networks. IEEE 802.1p uses prioritization
bits in Layer-2 frames. Type of Service (ToS) routing uses prioritization bits in Layer-3 IP
packets. The deprecated ToS values range from 0 to 7.
6. Click Apply.

Appendix |20
3
3. Troubleshooting
Basic Functioning
After you plug in the Powerline adapter, the following sequence of events should occur:
1. The Power LED lights up.
2. After approximately 10 seconds, verify that:
a. The Power LED is solid green.
b. The Powerline LED is lit.
c. The Ethernet LED lights or blinks.
Troubleshooting Tips
The Reset and Security buttons are located on the side panel of the adapter.
• Pressing the Reset button longer than 2 seconds does not reset the device.
• Pressing the Security button longer than 2 seconds does not activate security.
LEDs
The LEDs indicate activity, and can be used for troubleshooting.
LEDs Are Off When the Adapter Is Plugged In
• First check to make sure that the electrical outlet has power.
• If power is supplied and the LEDs stay off, someone might have used the Powerline
Utility to turn off the LEDs. Use the Powerline Utility to see if that is the case. If so, then
use the Powerline Utility to turn them back on.
Power LED
• Off. Make sure that power is supplied to the electrical outlet, and that the Powerline
devices are not plugged into an extension cord, power strip, or surge protector.