Owner's Manual

Chapter 4 The Configuration Utility
PLA4215 User’s Guide
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The following table describes the labels in this screen.
4.6 Advanced Screen
Note: This feature is only available with the latest version utility. Go to the ZyXEL website
to download the latest utility and firmware for your ZyXEL HomePlug AV adapter.
You can configure the powerline adapters on your network to give priority to network traffic
depending on its importance. When you set the priority of a powerline adapter, you set how quickly
Table 4 Network Info Screen
LABEL DESCRIPTION
Adapter This field identifies which powerline network information is displayed. Different
powerline networks are identified by the Ethernet interface (network card)
connected directly to the PLA4215. Typically there is only one connection, however,
if your computer has two network cards and both are connected to a PLA4215, then
you have two powerline networks.
Central
Coordinator
MAC
The Central Coordinator of the powerline network is the powerline adapter which
keeps track of which devices are part of the network as well as synchronizes
communication within the powerline network. If the Central Coordinator is removed
from the powerline network then another powerline adapter takes its place. This
field displays the MAC address of the PLA4215 which is the Central Coordinator of
the powerline network. The powerline adapters in your powerline network
automatically select the Central Coordinator.
The information provided in the following table reflects transmission rate information about the
powerline adapters which communicate in your powerline network.
The powerline adapters listed in this table are all the powerline adapters in your powerline network
except the powerline adapter selected in the Configuration page of the configuration utility. In other
words, if the Local powerline adapter is selected in the Configuration screen, then this table will
display the rates of transmission from the powerline adapter connected to the computer running the
configuration utility to all the Remote powerline adapters.
Site This field displays:
• Local, if it is the PLA4215 directly connected to the computer running the
configuration utility.
• Remote, if it is a PLA4215 in your powerline network but not directly connected
to the computer running the configuration utility.
MAC Address This field displays the MAC address of your powerline adapter. The MAC address of
your powerline adapter can be found by looking at the label on your device. It
consists of six pairs of hexadecimal characters (hexadecimal characters are “0-9”
and “a-f”). In the case of the PLA4215, this label is on the bottom of the device.
Transmit Rate
(Mbps)
This field displays how fast information is sent from the powerline adapter selected
in the Configuration screen to this powerline adapter. The rate is given in the
following format: “application data transmission rate / raw data transmission rate”.
Application data reflects more accurately how fast devices are transmitting
application relevant traffic (for example Internet Protocol (IP) traffic). Raw data
refers to the whole payload of the packets transmitted across the powerline
network.
Receive Rate
(Mbps)
This field displays how fast information is received from the powerline adapter
selected in the Configuration screen to this powerline adapter. The rate is given in
the following format: “application data transmission rate / raw data transmission
rate”. Application data reflects more accurately how fast devices are transmitting
application relevant traffic (for example Internet Protocol (IP) traffic). Raw data
refers to the whole payload of the packets transmitted across the powerline
network.