Adding PL1000 adapters to existing AV200 Network (xav1004, xav2001)

Question

I have 3 existing AV200 adapters on my network and I just bought the compatible "PL1000" adapters.

I have found many links and sometimes contradictions in how to add an adapter, but let's start with the basics:

I have my PL1000 plugged in (and not in powersave mode)
I go to the "main" AV200 adapter (or another) and press and hold the button for 2 (and more and less) seconds
The power LED does not blink, why not? The instructions make it seem such a simple step and just says to try again.
I have actually got it to blink a few times in about the 4 hours I tried, but then I couldn't do the same on the PL1000 adapter...

I have the latest version of the Netgear powerline utility for my AV200 devices (https://kb.netgear.com/21606/Powerline-Universal-Utility-v3-1-0-4), it doesn't detect the new adapter. As I know the encryption key (as I set it up manually originally), I also tried an ethernet connection from the PL1000 to my computer, the utility still didn't detect it.

There is little information on the Netgear site that is detailed and what is there tends to be outdated, there needs to be troubleshooting for why the led won't flash after 2 seconds, I can't believe that this is not documented and that is all that stops me getting it working!

Apparently, this adapter has no software, not happy about that either. Its possible that Netgear powerline utility is not compatible with the software but I have the latest version and its not documented to support or not support the PL1000 adapter.

I believe I have the latest AV200 firmware as the powerline utility says its up to date.

michaelkenward · Answer

First bit of advice, there isn't much point in adding AV2 standard PL1000 devices to a network that consists mostly of AV200 plugs. Everything will run at the speed of the "AV200", an early generation plug that may well be slower than your Internet speed. AV200 predates AV500, let alone 1000.

The manual for the XAV2001, which dates back to 2011, is here:

XAV2001 | Product | Support | NETGEAR

Note that it delivers "Up to 200 Mbps with real throughput greater than 80 Mbps".

Second suggestion, when adding new plugs to an existing network this is the advice to follow:

>>> Adding a powerline adapter to an existing powerline network <<<

If you want software to control the plugs, you have a couple of options. The Netgear desktop genie should show plugs on its map of connected devices. You can then "right click" that and get at some of the settings.

The alternative is to get the Zyxel powerline software. Several Netgear users have found that it wipes the floor with anything that claims to be compatible with their plugs.

dbareis · Answer

Thanks for the speed advice of course if Netgear had that in the FAQ then I'd already know that, I was hoping for the best. As for speed the LED shows red but it seems fast enough.

I have soft copies of all manuals but thanks anyway.

I tried the setup again today and this time it worked straight away.... Who knows... I tried following that page and many others.

Software:

Do you know if the older powerline utility is (or isn't) supposed to work with the latest adapters? It tells you the speed of the adapters etc.
NetGear Genie on Android, you need a NetGear router to do pretty much anything
NetGear Genie on Windows, Network map seems the only relevant function and that detects a lot of devices but not the new or old EOP adapters.
Someone mentioned that this software removes WIFI drivers, it didn't do that here but it did disable the WIFI adapter!
The Zyxel software doesn't detect any EOP adapters either.

I'm thinking that the reason I can no longer detect the adapters might be that I put the 2 new ones between the ISP cable modem and my router and I'm behind the router.

michaelkenward · Answer

dbareis wrote:I'm thinking that the reason I can no longer detect the adapters might be that I put the 2 new ones between the ISP cable modem and my router and I'm behind the router.&nbsp;That's wrong. I am surprised that anything works. You have created two separate powerline networks, one of which is divorced from the router that controls traffic on your router's network.&nbsp;Here's what I would do:&nbsp;Attach one of the fast plugs to the router, as the "host" plug.Set up the second fast plug to talk to that as a "client"When that works, introduce the older, slow plugs as clients of the fast host plug.Get the right layout and your software might see and talk to the whole network.&nbsp;People like the Zyxel utility because it gives them better control over the "sleep mode" on the fast plugs. These&nbsp;things are supposed to wake up at&nbsp;the first sign of action on the network, but it seems that some go into a deeper sleep than they should and don't wake up.&nbsp;dbareis wrote:Someone mentioned that this software removes WIFI drivers, it didn't do that here but it did disable the WIFI adapter!&nbsp;Does this mean that you have powerline plugs with combined wifi access points? I can't see that in earlier messages.&nbsp;I doubt very much if the software will have anything to do with wifi drivers. There aren't any drivers. You can use these plugs without putting any software on your PC.&nbsp;Whoever you read that from is either talking bilge or is&nbsp;talking about something else.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

dbareis · Answer

I've never had problems quoting threads before but there is always a first time for everything...&nbsp;&gt;That's wrong. I am surprised that anything works.&nbsp;As I understand it all adapters with THE SAME ENCRYPTION KEY become part of the same network which means that as this is now in FRONT of my router that the router gets bypassed for some of the traffic and yes that has broken a couple of things, but it is not wrong.&nbsp;I've been forced to move my router to a location where its not easy to cable it. &nbsp;I may have to set up a 2nd encryption key/network. &nbsp;I've seen that the bandwidth is shared but as I see it either way its shared. &nbsp;I will probably replace the AV200 adapters though.&nbsp;&gt;Does this mean that you have powerline plugs with combined wifi access points?&nbsp;No the computer I'm running the Genie software on is wired and wireless, the Genie software disabled the wifi adapter. It did display an error message which I can't remember the details of.&nbsp;Wifi was working fine before, dead after, I had to use device manager to enable it again.&nbsp;&nbsp;

michaelkenward · Answer

dbareis wrote:&gt;That's wrong. I am surprised that anything works.&nbsp;As I understand it all adapters with THE SAME ENCRYPTION KEY become part of the same network which means that as this is now in FRONT of my router that the router gets bypassed for some of the traffic and yes that has broken a couple of things, but it is not wrong.It is wrong according to the advice that Netgear provides.&nbsp;Can can set up a network as you see fit, but if you want it to work as designed you should follow the maker's instructions.&nbsp;Not knowing how you have set up the modem/router combination it isn't possible to envisage the topology and work out which device is acting as the DHCP server for the traffic through which plugs.&nbsp;&gt;Does this mean that you have powerline plugs with combined wifi access points?&nbsp;No the computer I'm running the Genie software on is wired and wireless, the Genie software disabled the wifi adapter. It did display an error message which I can't remember the details of.&nbsp;My question was about the powerline plugs. I was asking if one of them is a combined LAN/wifi plug?&nbsp;I was trying to fathom the really strange suggestion that Netgear's software had done something to remove drivers for wifi devices. Then again, your explanation of that "Someone mentioned that this software removes WIFI drivers", was a hit sketchy.&nbsp;I am puzzled by the&nbsp;suggestion that the genie software disabled the wifi. In a properly set up network, the desktop software does nothing that you have not told it to do. It is simply a way of getting into the network to control its configuration. The desktop genie is really an alternative to the browser interface.&nbsp;I have suggested a possible explanation of the behaviour that you see – you are running a network with two, disconnected "host" powerline plugs – which results in the vanishing plugs. It is up to you to decide whether to follow it. A simple test would be to rearrange things as I suggested.&nbsp;The choice is yours.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

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Adding PL1000 adapters to existing AV200 Network (xav1004, xav2001)

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