NP204 - Powerline Adapter Netcomm - Free user manual and instructions

Product Type	Powerline Adapter (HomePlug AV compliant)
Data Rate	Up to 200 Mbps
Interface	1 x 10/100 Ethernet port
AC Pass-Through	Yes, built-in with noise filtering
Frequency Band	2–30 MHz
Security	Private Network Name (PNN) up to 64 characters; no encryption specified
Power Consumption	4.5 watts (typical)
Power Supply	AC 100–240 V, 50/60 Hz
Compatibility	Any Ethernet-enabled device (router, computer, gaming console, IPTV, etc.)
Software Utility	Powerline Utility (Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP/Vista/7; requires .NET Framework)
Simple Connect Button	Yes – for creating/joining/resetting PNN without software
LED Indicators	Power, Powerline Activity (green/amber/red for connection quality)
Package Contents	2 Powerline Adapters, 2 Ethernet cables, Quick Start Guide
Dimensions (each)	Approx. 105 x 60 x 45 mm (estimated)
Weight (each)	Approx. 150 g (estimated)
Operating Temperature	0–40 °C (estimated)
Warranty	Standard limited warranty (see manual for details)

Frequently Asked Questions - NP204 Netcomm

Can I use 200Mbps Powerline Adapters with older Powerline versions (85Mbps)?

All Powerline versions can coexist, but 200Mbps adapters are not backward compatible with 85Mbps devices. If mixing different 200Mbps versions, use Powerline Utility to set a common Private Network Name.

Can 200Mbps and 85Mbps Powerline adapters be used on the same network?

They can coexist on the same electrical wiring but cannot communicate with each other. They operate on different standards.

Which operating system is compatible with the Powerline Utility?

The Powerline Utility requires Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP/Vista/7 with the .NET Framework installed. The adapters themselves are OS-independent.

How difficult is it to set up a Powerline network?

Powerline adapters are plug and play. Simply connect an Ethernet device, plug into a wall socket, and they work. Software is only needed for changing the Private Network Name or viewing connection rates.

How many Powerline adapters do I need to create a network?

At least two adapters are required to form a Powerline network.

Is 200Mbps Powerline suitable for triple play (data, voice, video)?

Yes, triple play is supported, including broadband internet, VoIP, and HD video streaming.

Can my neighbors access my Powerline network?

Your electric meter prevents signals from leaving your house. However, it is strongly recommended to set a personalized Private Network Name to prevent unauthorized access.

What is the power consumption of the NP204?

When in use, the power consumption is approximately 4.5 watts on a 230V supply.

Should I plug the Powerline adapter directly into a wall socket or into a power strip?

For optimal performance, plug the adapter directly into a wall socket. Power strips may introduce electrical noise that degrades performance.

Does the Powerline adapter require electrical grounding?

No, Powerline networks do not require electrical grounding to function.

USER MANUAL NP204 Netcomm

200Mbps Powerline Adapters with AC Pass-through

White NetComm power strip with two charging plugs and a socket, against a black background (no text or symbols visible)

NetComm

Contents

Contents 2

Introduction 4

How Does It Work? 4

AC Pass-through 5

Package Contents 5

Device Design 5

How to Use Simple Connect....6

Determining Connection Rate 7

Getting Started 9

Plan Your Network 9

Powerline Utility....12

Requirements 12

Opening Powerline Utility 12

Powerline User Interface....14

The Powerline Utility user interface is divided into tabs. These tabs include: 14

Home 14

Private Network Name 15

Quality of Service 16

Devices 17

Firmware Upgrade....17

Frequently Asked Questions....19

Can I use 200Mbps Powerline Adapters with older Powerline versions? 19

Legal & Regulatory Information 22

Introduction

NetComm

Introduction

Powerline Adapters are ready to use out of the box and do not require the installation of any software to work. They can be connected to computers, routers, gaming consoles, hubs, IPTV set-top boxes, and other Ethernet devices regardless of operating system.

White NetGomm power strip device with two socket and three-pin socket (no visible text or symbols)

How Does It Work?

Powerline Adapters utilise the existing electrical wiring in the house as a path to send an Internet signal between a household, modern and connected device at the other end. The Powerline Adapters that are in your box are pre-paired so all you have to do is plug them in, in accordance with the QSG and you are ready to begin. With a maximum data rate of up to 200 Mbps, Powerline Adapters can reliably handle high throughput applications like broadband Internet, high definition video streaming, Voice over IP and high definition gaming. The NP201 also has a built-in AC pass-throughsocket that allows you to connect other electrical devices to the same power outlet. The AC pass-throughsocket will filter out the noise created by the connected devices, ensuring the data signal is not compromised.

NetComm Powerline Series - 200Mbps Powerline Adapters

AC Pass-through

With built in AC pass-through, you are conveniently able to use the same power point to plug in other electrical appliances. All you have to do is connect the electrical appliance into the built-in pass-through socket and it will have power as if it was connected directly into the wall. This will eliminate the need to connect your Powerline Adaptor to a power board which will improve your networking performance.

Package Contents

The package contains the following items:

• 2 Powerline Adapters
• 2 Ethernet cables
- Quick Start Guide

Device Design

White NetComm electrical outlet with two power plugs and a circular socket (no visible text or symbols)

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How to Use Simple Connect

Note: The Powerline Adapters that you have received are ready for use straight out of the box. They require no initial set up or configuration all you need to do is connected them as detailed in the Quick Start Guide. The following instructions about the Simple Connect button to configure your network are only applicable if you are wanting to change the default private network name or include more adapter into the same powerline network.

Simple Connect provides a more convenient way of creating your Powerline network without the need to open the Powerline Utility software from a computer. The button has three main functions which includes:

• Creating a Powerline Network
• Resetting the Private Network Name
• Joining an existing Powerline Network

Creating a Powerline Network

To create a Powerline network, you need at least two Powerline 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.

Notes: New Powerlines from a Twin Pack can slrescy 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.

To create a Powerline network using Simple Connect:

1 Plug your Powerlines 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.
2 Press Simple Connect for two seconds on Adapter 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.

NetComm Powerline Series - 200Mbps Powerline Adapters

5 Unplug the Powerline Adapters and then connect them to your Ethernet devices using the Ethernet cables from the product package. After connecting the Ethernet cable, plug the Adapters 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: Powerline 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 Adapter.

Resetting the Private Network Name

Simple Connect allows you to reset the Powerline Adapter's Private Network Name to a random key. When a Powerline Adapter 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:

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.
2 To confirm the Private Network Name reset, the Powerline Activity LED will switch off.

Joining an Existing Powerline Network

Simple Connect will enable a new device to join an existing network. By copying the Private Network Name of the existing network to the new Powerline.

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 Powerline Utility.

A

Getting Started

NetComm Powerline Series - 200Mbps Powerline Adapters

Getting Started

Plan Your Network

Here are ideas on how you can plan your Powerline network.

Local Network

Share ultra fast Internet connection with any computer wherever it is in the house.

graph TD
    A["Computer"] --> B["Switch"]
    C["IP TV"] --> D["Switch"]
    B --> E["Switch"]
    D --> F["Switch"]

Gaming Network

Connect your gaming console to the Internet and compete with other online players.

......

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Entertainment Network

Experience IP TV streaming into your home entertainment system.

graph TD
    A["WWW"] --> B["Router"]
    B --> C["Switch"]
    C --> D["IP TV"]
    D --> E["Router"]
    E --> F["Switch"]
    F --> G["IP TV"]
    style A fill:#f9f,stroke:#333
    style B fill:#ccf,stroke:#333
    style C fill:#cfc,stroke:#333
    style D fill:#fcc,stroke:#333
    style E fill:#cff,stroke:#333
    style F fill:#ffc,stroke:#333
    style G fill:#cfc,stroke:#333

Media Network

Realize your high tech lifestyle by converging your IP devices into a single network.

graph TD
    A["WWW"] --> B["Router"]
    B --> C["Switch 1"]
    B --> D["Switch 2"]
    B --> E["Switch 3"]
    B --> F["Switch 4"]
    B --> G["Switch 5"]
    B --> H["Switch 6"]
    B --> I["Switch 7"]
    B --> J["Switch 8"]

Powerline Utility

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Powerline Utility

Note: The Powerline utility is downloadable from the NetComm website. Please visit www.netcomm.com.au and visit the product page to download.

Powerline Utility is a software application that allows you to configure the Powerline Adapters. It is mainly used for changing the Private Network Name, detecting other Powerline Adapters in the network, and measuring the throughput of devices. Installation is straightforward and the user interface is easy to use.

Note: To use Powerline Utility, you need a computer using a Windows operating system with the .NET Framework installed. If you do not have .NET installed, the Powerline installer will install it for you.

Requirements

Your computer must meet the following requirements:

• Windows 98SE, ME, 2000, XP (32 and 64 bit), Vista (32 and 64 bit) or 7 (32 and 64 bit)
• 300 MHz Processor
  • 128 Mb of RAM
  • .NET Framework
  • Network Interface Card
  • 128 Mb of free hard disk space

Opening Powerline Utility

Two ways to open Powerline Utility:

• Double-click the Powerline Utility desktop shortcut and then select Open.
• Click the Start button, click Programs, and then click the powerline Utility icon.

Powerline User Interface

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Powerline User Interface

The Powerline Utility user Interface is divided into tabs. These tabs include:

Home
- Private Network Name
• Quality of Service
• Devices
- Firmware Upgrade

NetComm Powerline Series - 200Mbps Powerline Adapters

Private Network Name

Private Network Name provides the function to manually change the Private Network Name of local and remote Powerline Adapters.

A Private Network Name is a string of 8 to 64 characters that enables Powerline devices to communicate with each other.

If you intend to create multiple networks, you can assign different Private Network Names among your devices. You have to, however, make

sure that at least two Powerline Adapters have a similar Private Network Name. A Powerline Adapter that uses a unique or random Private

Network Name will not be able to communicate with other devices.

Note: In case you cannot connect into the network after changing to Private Networks Name, please power cycle in a device. To power cycle, disconnect and then recurrence

the Powerline /splars from the power ends.

Note: You must change the Private Network Name (PNN) on the remote Powerline Adapters before changing your local PNN. If you change the local PNN first, you will lose

connectivity to the remote

Local Private Network Name

Local Private Network Name refers to the Private Network Name of the Powerline Adapter that is directly connected to the computer where you use Powerline Utility.

To change the local Private Network Name:

1. Open Powerline Utility.
2. Click Private Network Name.
3. Type the new Private Network Name. This field is case sensitive. It accepts 8 to 64 alphanumeric characters including punctuation marks but no spaces.
4. Click Apply. When the process is complete, the message Settings Applied appears.

Remote Private Network Name

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Simulate Simple Connect Button

Simulate Simple Connect Button allows you to apply functionalities without manually pressing the Simple Connect button on a Powerline device. However, this only works on local devices.

Simple Connect	Select to search and pair with another device, or search and join an existing Powerline network.
NMK Randomize	Select to read to a random Private Network Name. A Powerline Adaptor using a random Private Network Name will be disconnected from the Powerline network and will not be able to communicate with other devices until it forms a new network or joins an existing network.
AVLN Status	Displays the Powerline Adaptors Logical Network membership status number.

Note: The Simulation Simple Connect Button functions from Powerline Utility can be used for 200Mbps Powerline versions with or without the Simple Connect button on the direct.

To simulate a Simple Connect function:

1. Connect Powerline Adapter to your computer.
2. Select a Simulate Simple Connect Button action:
   a. Simple Connect
   b. NMK Randomize
   c. AVLN Status
3. Click Simulate Button Push.

Quality of Service

NetComm Powerline Series - 200Mbps Powerline Adapters

Devices

Devices displays information about remote Powerline Adapters detected on the network. Only Powerline Adapters using the same Private Network Name as the local Powerline Adaptor will appear in the Remote Devices list.

Devices displays the following information:

TEI Displays the Terminal Equipment Identifier.
Device MAC address	Displays the Powerline MAC Address.
Bridge MAC Address	Displays the MAC Address of the Ethernet network adapter connected to the Powerline.
Connection Rate	Displays the Transmit and Receive connection rates.

Firmware Upgrade

Frequently Asked Questions

NetComm Powerline Series - 200Mbps Powerline Adapters

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use 200Mbps Powerline Adapters with older Powerline versions?

All Powerline versions can co-exist with each other. 200Mbps Powerline Adapters, however, are not backward compatible with earlier (85Mbps) Powerline releases.

If you will use different versions of 200Mbps Powerline Adapters in a single network, you need to use the Powerline Utility software to create a Private Network Name for all devices. Unlike the new version of 200Mbps Powerline, older versions do not feature the Simple Connect button which enables the device to create a common Private Network Name without using the software.

How does 200Mbps Powerline achieve a higher bandwidth than earlier Powerline releases?

200Mbps Powerline complies with the Powerline standard. It achieves higher data throughput by using a broader frequency spectrum (2-30 MHz rather than 4-21 MHz), by using a better access method (Time Division Multiple Access rather than Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Detection), and by using a better processor with a greater bitload per Hz.

Can 200Mbps Powerline Adapters be used alongside 85Mbps Powerline devices within the network?

85Mbps and 200Mbps Powerline standards can co-exist but they will not be able to communicate with each other.

Which operating system (OS) is compatible with 200Mbps Powerline?

Powerline is operating system independent. However, the Powerline Utility requires a Windows operating system (98SE/ME/2000/XP/Vista/7) with the .NET Framework installed.

How difficult is it to set up a Powerline network?

Powerline Adaptors are plug and play devices. Connect to an Ethernet device, plug it to a wall socket, and it is ready to use. Even the most inexperienced user can set up the network with ease. Installing the Powerline Utility software is only needed if you intend to manually change the Private Network Name or view the connection rate.

How many devices do I need to create a Powerline network?

At least two devices are needed to create a Powerline network.

Is 200Mbps Powerline suitable for triple play i.e. use of data, voice, and video applications simultaneously?

Yes, triple play is supported.

What data transfer rates do I need for high definition TV?

A variety of HDTV resolutions are available. The following are the most common resolutions opposite the required transfer rate:

NetComm

If one Powerline adapter is connected to a LAN switch, is it possible for other computers in the switch to communicate with other Powerline devices? Yes.

Can my neighbors access my Powerline network?

Your electric meter prevents any signal from going outside your household. However, we strongly suggest that you create your own personalized Private Network Name to prevent unauthorized access into your network.

How much is the power consumption of 200Mbps Powerline on a 230-volt power supply?

Powerline has a power consumption of 4.5 watts when in use.

Can I use Powerline Adapters to connect computers located in different floors of the building?

Yes, as long as the electric wires are connected and do not exceed 200 meters.

Can I use Powerline Adapters in an old house with old power supply lines (partly without separated ground wire)?

Yes. However, performance may be affected because of the quality of the wires.

Can I plug Powerline Adapters into a multiple socket switch or do I have to plug it directly to the wall socket?

You can plug Powerline Adapters into a multiple socket switch. However, we strongly advise to plug it directly to a wall socket to achieve optimal performance.

Do I need electrical grounding for the device?

Powerline networks do not require electrical grounding.

After a blackout, will the Powerline Adapters switch on automatically?

Yes. If you experience connection issues, unplug the device and plug it back.

What will happen if I connect two Powerlines Adapters to the same router?

This will cause collision and slow down the network traffic. To prevent collision, you need to assign different Private Network Names on each Adapter.

Appendix

NetComm

Legal & Regulatory Information

This manual is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of private study research, criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form, by any means, to it electronic mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of NetComm Limited. NetComm Limited accepts no liability or responsibility, for consequences arising from the use of this product. NetComm Limited reserves the right to change the specifications and operating details of the product without notice. NetComm is a registered trademark of NetComm Limited. All other trademarks are acknowledged the property of their respective owners.

Product Warranty

This warranty is granted on the following conditions:

1. This warranty extends to the original purchaser (you) and is not transferable;
2. This warranty shall not apply to software programs, batteries, power supplies, cables or other accessories supplied in or with the product;
3. The customer complies with all of the terms of any relevant agreement with NetComm and any other reasonable requirements of NetComm including producing such evidences of purchase as NetComm may require;
4. The cost of transporting product to and from NetComm's nominated premises is your re-spont sibily; and,
5. NetComm does not have any liability or responsibility under the warranty where any cost, loss, injury or damage of any kind, whether direct, indirect, consequential, incidental or otherwise arises out of events beyond NetComm's reasonable control. This includes but is not limited to acts of God, war, not, ambargas, acts of civil or military authorities, fire, floods, electricity outages, lighting, power surges, or shortages of materials or labour.
6. The customer is responsible for the security of their computer and network at all times. Security features may be disabled within the factory default settings. NetComm recommends that you enable these features to enhance your security.

The warranty is automatically voided if

1. You, or someone else, use the product, or attempts to use it, other than as specified by Net Comm:
2. The fault or defect in your product is the result of a voltage surge subjected to the product either by the way of power supply or communication line, whether caused by thunderstorm activity or any other causes;
3. The result is the result of accidental damage or damage in transit, including but not limited to liquid spillage;
4. Your product has been used for any purposes other than that for which it is sold, or in any way other than in strict accordance with the user manual supplied;
5. Your product has been repaired or modified or attempted to be repaired or modified, other than by a qualified person at a service centre authorised by NetComm; and,
6. The aerial number has been defaced or altered in any way or if the aerial number plate has been removed.

Limitations of Warranty

The Trade Practices Act 1974 and corresponding Scale and Territory Fair Trading Acts or legalisation of another Government ("the relevant acts") in certain circumstances imply mandatory conditions and warranties which cannot be excluded. This warranty is in addition to and not in replacement for such conditions and warranties.

To the extent permitted by the Relevant Acts, in relation to your product and any other materials provided with the product ("the Goods"), the liability of NetComm under the Relevant Acts is limited at the option of NetComm to:

■ Environment of the Ground or

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