TP-Link TL-PA9020 User manual

REV1.0.0 1910011996
User Guide
AV2000 2-port Gigabit Powerline Adapter
TL-PA9020

Contents
About This Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Chapter 1. Get to Know Your Powerline Adapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
1. 1. Product Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1. 2. Product Appearance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Chapter 2. Use Your Powerline Adapter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
2. 1. Before You Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2. 2. Extend Your Wired Network by Plug & Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2. 3. Secure Your Powerline Network by Pairing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2. 4. Add Another Powerline Adapter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2. 5. Manage Your Powerline Network via tpPLC Utility. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

1
About This Guide
This guide is a complement to Quick Installation Guide. The Quick Installation Guide
provides instructions for quick Internet setup, while this guide contains details of each
function and demonstrates how to configure them in typical scenarios.
When using this guide, please notice that features of the powerline adapter may vary
slightly depending on the model and software version you have, and on your location,
and language. All images, parameters and descriptions documented in this guide are
used for demonstration only.
Conventions
In this guide, the following conventions are used:
Convention Description
Teal Underlined Hyperlinks are in teal and underlined. You can click to redirect to a website
or a specific section.
Teal Key information appears in teal, including management page text such as
menus, items, buttons and so on.
Note: Ignoring this type of note might result in a malfunction or damage to the
device.
Tips: Indicates important information that helps you make better use of your
device.
More Info
• The latest software, management app and utility are available from the Download
Center at http://www.tp-link.com/support.
• The Quick Installation Guide (QIG) can be found where you find this guide or inside the
product package.
• Specifications can be found on the product page at http://www.tp-link.com.
• A Technical Support Forum is provided for you to discuss our products at http://
forum.tp-link.com.
• Our Technical Support contact information can be found at the Contact Technical
Support page at http://www.tp-link.com/support.

Chapter 1
Get to Know Your Powerline
Adapter
This chapter introduces what the powerline adapter can do and describes its
appearance.
It contains the following sections:
• Product Overview
• Product Appearance

3
Chapter 1 Get to Know Your Powerline Adapter
1. 1. Product Overview
TP-LINK powerline adapter aims to extend your exsiting home network, with the help of
your home’s electrical circuit.
1. 2. Product Appearance
Your powerline adapter may differ in appearance slightly from that depicted because of
the region and product version.
1. 2. 1. LED Legend
LEDs indicate the powerline adapter’s working status. For more details, please refer to
the following table.
Name Status Indication
Power
On/Off The powerline adapter is on or off.
Blinking
Once every second: Pairing is taking place.
Once every 3 seconds: Power-Saving Mode* is on.
Powerline
Yellow-green The powerline adapter is in a location with a good signal
strength.
Red The powerline adapter is in a location with a poor signal
strength. We recommend trying another wall socket.
Off The powerline adapter is not connected to any powerline
network or is in Power-Saving Mode.
Ethernet
On At least one Ethernet port is connected.
Off No Ethernet port is connected.
* If the device connected to the adapter is turned off or inactive for more than 5 minutes,
the powerline adapter will automatically switch to Power-Saving Mode.

4
Chapter 1 Get to Know Your Powerline Adapter
1. 2. 2. Physical Interface
Pair Button
Press and hold the button for 1 second to join a powerline network. Go to Secure Your
Powerline Network by Pairing for more information.
Press and hold the button for about 8 seconds to leave the existing powerline network.
Press and hold the button for more than 15 seconds to reset the powerline adapter to
factory defaults.
Power Plug
The powerline adapter has a Plug that can be connected to any standard power socket.
Ethernet Port
Connect the Ethernet port to your wired devices, such as a computer, a router or a
game console, via an Ethernet cable.
Ethernet Port
Pair Button
Plug

Chapter 2
Use Your Powerline Adapter
This chapter guides you on how to use the powerline adapter.
It contains the following sections:
• Before You Start
• Extend Your Wired Network by Plug & Play
• Secure Your Powerline Network by Pairing
• Add Another Powerline Adapter
• Manage Your Powerline Network via tpPLC Utility

6
Chapter 2 Use Your Powerline Adapter
2. 1. Before You Start
Powerline adapters work in pairs. You should have at least two powerline products to
build a powerline network. To optimize your network performance, please follow these
principles:
• All powerline adapters should be on the same electrical wiring system.
• Avoid plugging in powerline adapters and high-powered household devices (such as
washing machines and refrigerators) close to one another.
• Plug the powerline adapter directly into a wall outlet. Do not plug the powerline adapter
into a power strip, extension cord, or surge protector.
Wall Outlet Power Strip
• Use the product in below directions.

7
Chapter 2 Use Your Powerline Adapter
2. 2. Extend Your Wired Network by Plug & Play
Use two powerline adapters to set up a new powerline network
in my house.
For example, I have a router in my house, but there are not enough
LAN ports for all my wired devices. I don’t want complex and
expensive cabling. People told me that I can solve this problem
with two powerline adapters.
1. Connect one of the powerline adapters to an available LAN
port of the router using an Ethernet cable.
2. Plug the powerline adapter into a wall outlet.
3. Plug the other powerline adapter into a wall outlet on the
same electrical circuit at the place you want internet. Wait
until the powerline LED turns on.
Note: If the Powerilne LED does not turn on, reset each powerline
adapter to its factory default settings. Refer to How do I reset my powerline
adapter? for detailed information.
4. Connect your wired device, such as a computer or game
console, to the powerline adapter via an Ethernet cable.
Powerline
Router
WAN LAN
1
Adapter
TL-PA9020
2
3
Adapter
TL-PA9020
Wait until the Powerline
LED turns on.
Now enjoy the internet!
I want to:
How can I
do that?
Done!

8
Chapter 2 Use Your Powerline Adapter
2. 3. Secure Your Powerline Network by Pairing
All powerline adapters share some common factory settings, and can communicate
with one another. If you want your powerline adapters to communicate only with your
own powerline adapters, you should pair them. Thus a secured powerline network is
formed and other powerline adapters can no longer join your powerline network without
being paired.
Note: You can only pair two devices at a time.
Secure my powerline network and prevent other powerline
devices from being added to my network.
For example, I’ve extended my network using the Plug & Play
method. Now I want to secure my network.
1. Verify all powerline devices’ Power LEDs are solid on.
Tips: We recommend that you plug in your powerline devices next
to each other, or as close to each other as possible when pairing. Your
settings will not be affected. The devices can be relocated to where they
are needed once pairing is complete.
2. Press the Pair button on one of the powerline devices for 1
second. Its Power LED starts blinking.
3. Within two minutes, press the Pair button on another
powerline adapter for 1 second. Its Power LED starts
blinking. When the Powerline LED stays on, the pairing
process is complete.
Pair
within 2 minutes
6
Blinking
On
Blinking
Pair
Blinking
Enjoy your secure powerline network!
I want to:
How can I
do that?
Done!