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John999's avatar
John999
Aspirant
Jan 06, 2019

PLW1010 PowerLine WiFi no ethernet light

I just purchased today a set of two PowerLine adapters model PLW1010-100NAS and I am having problems with the Wi-Fi unit not receiving Ethernet.

 

I have the Netgear "sending" unit (without antennas) plugged directly into my Frontier FIOS modem/router with a new Ethernet cable.  I have the sending unit plugged into a power outlet and all three lights show up green, which I believe means that the unit has power, it is in a "good" power receptacle and it is receiving Ethernet communication from the FIOS router.  So far, so good.

 

The problem I have is with the "receiving" unit (the one with the Wi-Fi antennas).  I have it plugged into a power outlet in the same room as the "sending" unit, on the same electrical circuit breaker, idirectly into an unswitched wall outlet with no other devices plugged into that outlet.  On this "receiving" unit the Bluetooth light is solid blue, the Pick-A-Plug light is solid green, the Power LED is solid green but the Ethernet light will not illuminate.  

 

This problem occurs no matter where I plug in the "receiving" unit in the house.

 

Background:  House is 30 years old, standard copper wiring, there is a whole house surge protector installed in the main electrical panel, but when I turn off the surge protector at the electrical panel, I still have the same problem with the Ethernet light not coming on.

 

Can someone help me understand how to troubleshoot this issue?  I have read the Quick Start guide, the Instruction Manual and the bulletin boards and I have not come across an answer.  The only reference I can find to this problem on the web is that the whole house surge protector may make this soultion unworkable.

 

Please advise.

Installation

3 Replies

  • John999's avatar
    John999
    Aspirant
    Jan 06, 2019

    UPDATE

    My Powerline Wi-Fi extender is working fine.

     

    The Quick Start guide for the Powerline WiFi products is unclear..  


    When you only use Wi-Fi in the receiving unit, the Ethernet LED does not light, but the internet is still connected. The receiving unit LED only illuminates when it connected to a device using an Ethernet cable.

     

    If the instructions had made this clear, it would have saved me a lot of time!

    • michaelkenward's avatar
      michaelkenward
      Guru - Experienced User
      Jan 07, 2019
      It could be clearer, you are not the first person confused by that, but the manual does say:
       
      Ethernet LED         Solid. The Ethernet port is linked.
                                     Off. No Ethernet connection is detected.
       
      It is the blue wifi LED that tells you the state of the wireless.
       

      There is support and a manual for the PLW1010 somewhere at the end of this link:

       

      >>>> PLW1010 | Product | Support | NETGEAR <<<<

       

      See the section Meet Your Adapters.

       
      • schumaku's avatar
        schumaku
        Guru - Experienced User
        Jan 07, 2019

        Can't see anything wrong.

         

        Ethernet <> Internet ... definitively two different items. 

         

        Except that some docs are over-texted. As such a device does establish pure Layer 2 communication, does not "connect" to the Internet in any way, I can't see why thee should be an Internet LED or why one should describe anything about Internet connectivity.

        An over-texted thing is the "Pick a plug LED" in my opinion.

         

        Such a device has three network interfaces, and three associated LED:

        • Powerline  (with the "Pick a plug LED")
        • Wireless (with the Wireless LED)
        • Ethernet (with the Ethernet link and activity LED)

        With Ethernet not connected to another active Ethernet device, the Ethernet LED is off.

         

        The Troubleshooting Tips clearly say:

         

        Ethernet LED is off. • Make sure that the Ethernet cables are working and securely plugged into the devices.

         

        Granted: There is only one Ethernet port so it's a little bit difficult to plug multiple cables and devices.