Netgear XAV5501 User Manual download pdf (Page 10)

10 | Chapter 1. Installation and Basic Configuration

XAV5501 Powerline AV+ 500 Adapter User Manual

Understanding Powerline Network Security

A Powerline network consists of two or more Powerline adapters using the same network

encryption key. Securing your network is crucial. By encrypting the information you send over

the Powerline XAV5501 Adapter, you help to keep it secure from hackers. If you do not set up

security on your network, anyone nearby with a Powerline network can potentially use their

connection to gain access to your network and information you send over the Internet. This is

especially relevant in settings such as apartment buildings, office buildings, dorm rooms, and

other more populated areas.

Powerline devices connected to the same network must use an identical encryption key. The

security used by Powerline XAV5501 Adapters is similar to the SSID and encryption keys

used in wireless networks, but you do not need software to configure Powerline XAV5501

Adapters.

There are two ways to secure your Powerline network.

• Use the Security button located on the Powerline adapter to automatically generate a

random encryption key. See

Set the Encryption Key .

• Use the XAV5501 Powerline Utility to configure your Powerline network with an

encryption key that you specify. If you are already using Powerline or HomePlug devices

then you will need to use the Powerline Utility. If not already installed, the Powerline Utility

should be installed on your computer. See

Installing the XAV5001 Powerline Utility on

page 12.

For information about using the XAV5501 Powerline Utility to configure Powerline security

or to prioritize Powerline network traffic using the Quality of Service (QoS) feature, see

Chapter 2.

Note: To return the XAV5501 Powerline AV+ 500 Adapter to its factory

default settings, see Reset a Device to Factory Settings on page 17.

Set the Encryption Key

You can use the Security button to change the default encryption key and set a private

encryption key instead. The default encryption key is HomePlugAV.

Note: Before you change the Encryption key, you need to install the

Powerline adapters and get them up and running. Otherwise, they

might not be able to communicate with each other.

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Netgear XAV5501 User Manual Page 10