[Mike0001]

You see, that is what I can't understand! I bought a set to connect a media player (lounge) to my router(study). Yes, you get software, but all it seems to do is change the password on each unit, you don't actually use it to connect them like a driver. The software is Powerpacket Utility and is freely downloadable.

I believe it is common to all these devices but it is really confusing in design and documentation. The single password is used to do encryption, yes, but I guess the signal can leak all over the mains. By default, when you get a unit, they all have the same password, Powerline or something.

uses 56-bit DES encryption to secure its data transmissions, and each unit comes with a unique 16-character alphabetic password (found on the underside of the unit) that must be entered in order to enable encryption on the unit. Encryption is set up simply by using PowerPacket to create a private group of HomePlug devices with a common network group name. The private group is then made invisible by any HomePlug adapter that's not a member of the group.

You see, you are asked to create a group, but what is that?

[serverguy]

Originally Posted by Mike0001

You see, that is what I can't understand! I bought a set to connect a media player (lounge) to my router(study). Yes, you get software, but all it seems to do is change the password on each unit, you don't actually use it to connect them like a driver. The software is Powerpacket Utility and is freely downloadable.

I believe it is common to all these devices but it is really confusing in design and documentation. The single password is used to do encryption, yes, but I guess the signal can leak all over the mains. By default, when you get a unit, they all have the same password, Powerline or something.



You see, you are asked to create a group, but what is that?

I assume a number of the adapters, with the same credentials?

[Mike0001]

what it doesn't explain is, is this stored in the adapters? If you have 3 adapters, can 1 create a group X with 3 and 2 create a group Y with 3? So 1 and 2 can communicate privately with 3 without 1 and 2 being connected?

[serverguy]

Originally Posted by Mike0001

what it doesn't explain is, is this stored in the adapters? If you have 3 adapters, can 1 create a group X with 3 and 2 create a group Y with 3? So 1 and 2 can communicate privately with 3 without 1 and 2 being connected?

I don't understand what you mean.

The signal won't go much further than your front door, and no one can access it anyway.

Surely you want all the adapters in your house to be able to communicate? I expect the passwords are stored in the units themselves.

On a local network, all the computers can see what the others are saying anyway, so why would it be different for Powerline?

[Mike0001]

Ok, so is it definite then that the "groups" are just "passwords"? Because it doesn't explain that anywhere. The way it is described, you set up a group to communicate with several other units privately, but that would allow others in a work environment also to set up their own groups.

If they are passwords, why not say so?

It is not clear that the signal stops at my front door, either. Encryption is only 56bit DES, therefore not exactly military grade!