Powerline 1200 -- Securing Network

[adrianmessenger]

Is there any way to verify the Powerline Network is secured?  There is no assigned status light for the encryption being enabled, nor a color or blinking code, so how do I know it has been enabled?

[michaelkenward · Accepted solution]

In the desktop genie, did you right click the plugs?

This gives more information and the ability to change the names.

I'm no expert on this, but I reckon that your analysis is spot on.

[michaelkenward]

Can you get your hands on the Powerline Utility?

Failing that, if you use the desktop Netgear genie. You can use the Network Map to check, and change, the encryption key.

I would embed a picture, but Netgear seems to have broken that bit of the forum.

[adrianmessenger]

Hi Michael,

I have Genie and per your suggestion, I downloaded and installed the Powerline Utility.  Both present similar information.

Genie, has an icon for "Powerline" on the network Map.  While it doesn't identify the Powerline model for the powerline "endpoints", it does list the firmware as "Netgear" confirming to me it is the PLP1200s it is seeing. 

On the network connection graphic it has a padlock icon, which I think means the encryption is enabled.  Additionally, the network map displays the device connected to the network via the "unkown" PLP1200s.

The Powerline Utility, shows the PLP1200 endpoints and both are listed as "unknown" with a similar padlock icon, which again am interpreting as the secruity encryption is enabled.

So am I correct in my understanding the padlock icon means encryption is enabled and active?  Both applications allow me to change or use the default encryption key.

On a side-note, I upgraded to Genie 2.4.38 for windows thinking it might improve the information presented, but what actually happened is I lost information in the grphic.  It no longer presented manufacturer and manufacturer URL for both my Synology and QNAP NAS devices.

thanks

[michaelkenward · Accepted solution]

In the desktop genie, did you right click the plugs?

This gives more information and the ability to change the names.

I'm no expert on this, but I reckon that your analysis is spot on.

[adrianmessenger]

When I "flyover" with the cursor it displays basic information of the "plugs" in genie, but right-clicking for the plugs while it does show some information, it is basically a dialog box to enable or change the encryption code. 

I've accepted your reply as the answer because your suggestions to use genie or the powerline utility provided me a way to confirm via a graphic the powerline network is "locked" (encrypted) and provide a way to change the default encryption key.  Also, when I "flyover" the lock icon in the Powerline Utility it displays text stating "Your network is secured with the private key".  While genie doesn't provide the same information from the lock icon.

I'll probably change the default key later, seems the default encryption key is easily found on the web.

Thanks for your help.