dLAN® Wireless extender
© 2007 devolo® AG, Aachen (Germany) While the information in this manual has been compiled with great care, it may not be deemed an assurance of product characteristics. devolo® shall be liable only to the degree specified in the terms of sale and delivery. The reproduction and distribution of the documentation and software supplied with this product and the use of its contents is subject to written authorization from devolo®.
Preface Preface Thank you! With the dLAN® Wireless extender, you have purchased a HomePlug adapter that combines the advantages of the dLAN® and WLAN network standards in a single device. The dLAN® Wireless extender also features a LAN port with which you can connect a PC directly to the adapter.
Preface configuration interface. For instructions on connecting your Wireless extender to the dLAN® and using WLAN access, see Chapters 4 and 5. In Chapter 6, you will find out more about the free EasyClean and EasyShare applications included with your dLAN® adapter. A number of places in this manual are highlighted with special icons: Important note: you definitely should make a note of these recommendations.
Preface Package contents Please take a moment to ensure that the contents of the package are complete before starting with the installation of your dLAN® Wireless extender. You should have the following items: ● dLAN® Wireless extender adapter, ● Printed information leaflet, ● CD-ROM with devolo® software, product manual, additional documentation.
Contents Preface ............................................................................................................................3 Thank you! .........................................................................................................................3 About this manual..............................................................................................................3 devolo® on the Internet...................................................................................
3.4.3 WLAN mode ................................................................................................22 3.4.4 WLAN settings.............................................................................................23 3.4.5 WLAN filters ................................................................................................26 3.4.6 dLAN Settings..............................................................................................27 3.5 Management .................................
1 Introduction Introduction Intelligent and secure technologies such as dLAN® (networking via the household power grid) and WLAN (wireless networking) have made setting up a home network fast, easy and economical, while making the installation of expensive, dedicated wiring superfluous.
Introduction some cases, stable connections are often only possible between WLAN devices within a single room. As it is not possible to rely on hardware such as network cables (in a LAN) or household wiring (in a dLAN®) to control access to a WLAN, wireless networking naturally presents special security challenges. WLANs therefore use a number of security measures, such as a concealed network name, data encryption and access control via the MAC addresses of the network adapters. 1.
1.4 Introduction Sample applications While it would be feasible to use the Wireless extender as a simple dLAN® or WLAN adapter in combination with a variety of other network components, devolo® markets other devices such as the dLAN® 200 AV or the WLAN USB Stick which are better suited for such applications. The dLAN® Wireless extender comes into its own when interconnecting dLAN® and WLAN networks: 1.4.
Introduction connection between an existing WLAN and the devices in the dLAN® network. This is especially practical if network access is otherwise not possible via dLAN® nor by an Ethernet cable (when using a public access point to access the Internet, for example). The illustration shows how the Wireless extender connects computers in the dLAN® wirelessly to an existing router in another building, which in turn provides Internet access via Ethernet.
2 Initial use Initial use This chapter covers the hardware and software features of the dLAN® Wireless extender, as well as its installation and initial use. 2.1 Displays and connections 2.1.1 LEDs The current status of the dLAN® Wireless extender is shown by four LEDs on the housing.
Initial use ● Operation: lit continuously when the adapter is connected to the power grid. ● dLAN®: lit continuously when a connection exists to other HomePlug adapters; flashes when data is being sent or received via dLAN®. ● WLAN: lit continuously when a WLAN exists; flashes when data is being sent or received. ● LAN connection: lit continuously when a connection with the Ethernet exists; flashes when data is being sent or received in the LAN. 2.1.
Initial use standard RJ45 Ethernet patch cable. This lets you connect devices (generally desktop PCs) without WLAN adapters to your home network. 2.3 Software installation The Software folder of your dLAN® Wireless extender CD-ROM contains applications and tools for the Microsoft® Windows®, Mac OS X and Linux operating systems. The Acrobat folder contains the Acrobat Reader, which is required for reading PDF files. 2.3.
Initial use During the installation process, you will be given the choice of installing all five software components (Standard) or selecting individual ones (Custom). We recommend a complete installation of all applications, or as a minimum the devolo dLAN Configuration Wizard and devolo Informer. The devolo® software does not continuously take up resources of your Windows operating system.
2.3.2 Initial use Software for Mac OS X The Software Mac folder contains the following applications: ● The dLAN Wizard lets you link different HomePlug adapters into your own dLAN® network. ● The dLAN wireless extender configuration application starts the integrated configuration interface of your Wireless extender. The functionality of these two programs corresponds to the similar applications described in this manual for the Windows® operating system. 2.3.
3 Configuration Configuration The dLAN® Wireless extender consists of three separate, integrated network components. ● The dLAN® adapter connects the device to the dLAN® network via a power outlet. ● The WLAN station can either establish a connection to an existing wireless network or serve as an access point. ● Computers can also be connected directly to the Ethernet port of the Wireless extender as an alternative to the WLAN or in addition to it.
Configuration browser or configuration program (i.e. when you do not know its IP address). Ensure that you always have the Informer handy for such cases. Use the Device menu or the context menu that opens with a right-click on the name of the displayed dLAN® device to rename the adapter or launch either of the configuration options (Start dLAN Configuration Wizard and online configuration interface via Open Status and Management).
Configuration ● If you know the exact IP address of your adapter, you may also enter it directly in the address line of a web browser such as Microsoft Internet Explorer or Firefox (e.g. 192.168.0.17). By default, the configuration interface will open directly. If a log-in password was set under Overview Edit Configuration Security, you will be prompted for it before the configuration interface will open.
3.3 Configuration WLAN status WLAN status provides a concise overview of the current status of your dLAN® Wireless extender. WLAN Connection displays the current status of your wireless network, consisting of the name (SSID) and the selected encryption, if applicable. Connected Stations displays the network addresses of all wireless devices currently connected to your Wireless extender. These so-called MAC addresses consist of six two-digit hexadecimal numbers separated by colons. 3.
3.4.1 Configuration Security This area lets you specify or modify a log-in password for access to the configuration interface of the dLAN® Wireless extender. Enter the current password (if assigned), then enter the new password twice. By default, the integrated configuration interface of the dLAN® Wireless extender is not password-protected. However, we recommend assigning a password when the installation of the adapter is complete to protect it against tampering by third parties. 3.4.
Configuration you will not have to manually reconfigure your Wireless extender whenever you make changes in the address space of your home network. Once your Wireless extender has successfully obtained an IP address via DHCP, the address will appear with a gray background under IP Address. Should you ever forget the IP address of your dLAN® Wireless extender, use the devolo Informer (Start Programs devolo devolo Informer) to find the adapter in your network.
Configuration ● As a WLAN client: in this mode, the Wireless extender connects your dLAN® to the wireless network of an existing access point or WLAN router. In Overview Change Configuration WLAN mode, specify the operating mode of your dLAN® Wireless extender. To use your adapter as an access point, you will need to configure additional settings related to the SSID, channel and encryption (see following section).
Configuration network. The basic wireless settings and encryption methods can be configured under Overview Change Configuration WLAN Settings. When using your Wireless extender as a WLAN client, all of the options on this page are irrelevant. A message informing you of the current status will be displayed if that is the case.
Configuration any time and use your Internet connection. Under normal circumstances, you will not notice that this is occurring. Two standards are available for ensuring secure data communications in wireless networks. The older and somewhat weaker WEP standard protects communications using keys consisting of 10 or 26 digits. Simply enter a sequence of the proper number of hexadecimal characters in the Key field.
Configuration Wireless extender can also be restricted to the highly secure WPA2 method by enabling the "Only permit WPA2 (maximum security)" option. Be sure to save your changes before leaving the configuration area. We recommend always encrypting your WLAN connections. Without it, anyone within range can intrude on your home network and use your Internet connection without your authorization. Wherever possible, always choose the stronger WPA/WPA2 encryption method.
Configuration Do not forget to click Save after entering the MAC addresses. An error message will be returned if any of the values entered are invalid (e.g. because the colons are missing). Please remember to enter the MAC address of your own computer as well if you are connected to the Wireless extender via WLAN rather than the Ethernet port. Otherwise, you will lock yourself out of the device by activating the WLAN filter! 3.4.
Configuration Configuration Wizard (see section 4.2) or taken over from the existing network. The password can also be entered manually under Overview Change Configuration dLAN Settings. Enter the desired password in each of the two input fields and click Save. 3.
3.5.2 Configuration Save and load configuration All active configuration settings can be backed up by transferring them to your computer and saving them in a file. This file can then be used to restore the configuration of your dLAN® Wireless extender. This function can be useful for creating a variety of configurations that will let you quickly and easily set up the adapter for use in different network environments.
3.5.3 Configuration Update firmware The firmware of the dLAN® Wireless extender contains the adapter's operating software. devolo® may make new versions of the firmware available as downloadable files to add functions or correct bugs. Do not update your firmware unless you need a certain new function or would like to eliminate a specific bug. If you are satisfied with the function of your dLAN® Wireless extender, leave the device unchanged. To update the firmware, visit the devolo® website at www.
Establishing a connection to the dLAN® network 4 Establishing a connection to the dLAN® network 4.1 Basics Before you can use your Wireless extender in your dLAN® network, you must first establish a connection to the existing adapters in your home network. Two specific pieces of information are especially important for this: ● The dLAN® password is not only important for accessing the HomePlug network. It also serves as an encryption key, ensuring the security of the transferred data.
Establishing a connection to the dLAN® network Before beginning with this step, make a note of the security codes of all existing dLAN® adapters. This unique identifier of each dLAN® device is located on the label on the underside of the housing. The code consists of 4 x 4 letters separated by dashes (e.g. ANJR-KMOR-KSHT-QRUV). Ensure that all dLAN® adapters are connected to the power grid and computers or other network components as appropriate. 4.2.
Establishing a connection to the dLAN® network Automatically generate a random network password Alternatively, the Configuration Wizard can automatically generate a password for use with your dLAN® network. This can be done without problems, as it is only needed for setting up your home network. I wish to define my own network password or reset to factory default You can also assign a password of your own, or restore the factory default password of your dLAN® adapter.
Establishing a connection to the dLAN® network Assigning a specific password to a single adapter will exclude it from the remaining dLAN® network. If possible, use the dLAN Configuration Wizard to ensure that a single password is used throughout your entire dLAN® home network. 4.2.3 Step 3: Add dLAN adapters At this point, add further dLAN® adapters to your home network. You will need the 16-character security codes from the labels on the bottom of the adapter housings.
Establishing a connection to the dLAN® network one another in the network. If desired, continue with the configuration of the WLAN component of the dLAN® Wireless extender (see chapter 5). 4.3 Security in the dLAN® A number of mechanisms protect data communication via the power grid to guard your privacy in your dLAN®: ● A password must be assigned to all of your dLAN® devices to ensure that only your own dLAN® adapters can participate in your home network.
Establishing a connection to the dLAN® network may extend as far as the building distributor box in the case of apartment buildings.
Setting up a WLAN network 5 Setting up a WLAN network 5.1 Basics The dLAN® Wireless extender creates a bridge between dLAN® and WLAN networks. The adapter can be used in two operating modes for this purpose: ● By default, the Wireless extender is configured to act as a WLAN access point, sending and receiving data from a dLAN® to computers and other network devices via a wireless connection.
Setting up a WLAN network recommend using the various security measures provided by the Wireless extender to prevent intruders from accessing the network. To set up the dLAN® Wireless extender for operation as a WLAN access point, open the adapter's integrated configuration interface in a window of your web browser. If you know the IP address of the device, type it into the address line of your browser.
Setting up a WLAN network Assign a unique name (SSID) to your WLAN to identify it to your clients. Optionally, you can also hide the SSID. A hidden SSID is an additional security factor, as only those WLAN clients that know the exact name of the network can access it. A number of WLAN adapters have difficulties connecting to such invisible wireless networks. If you have problems connecting to a network with a hidden SSID, start by establishing a connection with the SSID visible, then hide the SSID.
Setting up a WLAN network While assigning static IP addresses to the devices in your home network and entering the addresses manually can have advantages, a change to the subnet mask may result in the configuration interface of your Wireless extender becoming inaccessible. We therefore recommend retaining the default setting as a DHCP client.
Setting up a WLAN network the devolo Informer. Go to Overview Change Configuration WLAN mode. Select WLAN client mode in this dialog box. Enter the SSID (name of the wireless network) and, if available, the WEP key for the WLAN which you want to access with the Wireless extender. Enter the WEP key as a 10-digit or 26-digit hexadecimal number.
Setting up a WLAN network Save your settings. The dLAN® Wireless extender will now reboot. This may take a moment. The adapter will now serve as a WLAN client in the specified wireless network for its dLAN®. Ensure that the client connection of the Wireless extender is accepted by the existing access point. Additional settings may be required here. Should you need the MAC address of the Wireless extender for WLAN access, it can be found on the label on the underside of the housing.
Setting up a WLAN network Ensure that all of your WLAN clients support the selected encryption standard. If in doubt, select WEP as the "lowest common denominator". ● Finally, you can use the WLAN filters to configure the dLAN® Wireless extender to connect only to specified devices using their MAC addresses as identifiers. Also see 3.4.5.
Additional devolo® software Additional devolo® software 6 Your dLAN® Wireless extender comes with two helpful utilities that can simplify your work with your home network: ● devolo EasyClean can help protect your privacy if you surf the Internet using Microsoft Internet Explorer. ● devolo EasyShare provides you with a fast, simple and reliable way of transferring files between Windows PCs in your network. 6.
Additional devolo® software We also recommend powerful and secure alternatives to Microsoft Internet Explorer such as Firefox (www.firefox.com) or Opera (www.opera.com). 6.
Additional devolo® software appreciate devolo EasyShare. This little application lets you transfer files from one computer to another simply and quickly. It even features a chat function that lets EasyShare users communicate within their local network. EasyShare can normally be found under Start Programs devolo. The dialog window of the application is divided into four sections.
Additional devolo® software appear in the EasyShare network. The application's sounds can also be enabled and disabled there. If folders have ready been shared on the various found EasyShare computers, their names can be displayed by clicking on the plus line to the left of the computer name. Click a folder to display its contents in the top right-hand section of the EasyShare window.
Appendix 7 Appendix 7.1 Technical data dLAN Wireless extender Standards Wireless specification IEEE 802.11b,g HomePlug standard 1.0 Turbo Ethernet standard IEEE 802.
Appendix Nominal voltage: 100-240 V AC Nominal current: 0.
7.
7.3 Appendix Warranty conditions The devolo AG® warranty is given to purchasers of devolo® products in addition to the warranty conditions provided by law and in accordance with the following conditions: 1 Warranty coverage a) The warranty covers the equipment delivered and all its parts.
Appendix 3 Warranty procedure a) If defects appear during the warranty period, the warranty claims must be made immediately, at the latest within a period of 7 days. b) In the case of any externally visible damage arising from transport (e.g. damage to the case), the person responsible for the transportation and the sender should be informed immediately.
Appendix 5 Operating mistakes If it becomes apparent that the reported malfunction of the device has been caused by unsuitable software, hardware, installation or operation, devolo® reserves the right to charge the purchaser for the resulting testing costs. 6 Additional regulations a) The above conditions define the complete scope of devolo’s® legal liability. b) The warranty gives no entitlement to additional claims, such as any refund in full or in part.
Index Access point 8, 22, 23 Activate WLAN 23 Administration 28 Antenna 13 Channel 24 Chat 45 Configuration interface 18 Connected stations 20 Deactivate WLAN 23 devolo EasyClean 44 devolo EasyShare 45 devolo Informer 17 DHCP 21 dLAN 8 dLAN Configuration Wizard 27, 31 dLAN password 28, 31 dLAN Wireless extender configuration 18 Encryption 20, 24, 42 Ethernet 13 Ethernet interface 17 Informer 17 Installation 14 IP address 19, 21 LAN port 13 LEDs 12 Linux 16 Load configuration 29 Log-in 21 MAC address 26 Mac
