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#Wd livewire powerline av network kit manual software
There is no configuration to be done, no software required (though there is a utility provided by WD), and network connectivity is almost instant once set up. Plug in the other unit in a different location and connect it with ethernet cable to the devices that require network access. Connect one unit to either a router or switch already on your network with an ethernet cable and plug in the AC cable.
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Setting up the Livewire is incredibly easy. The two adapters can be as far as part as desired provided they are on the same electrical grid. Each unit has four connectors, so you can plug in three devices to one (the fourth is used to connect it to the rest of your network) and four devices to the other. They’re about the size of a 3.5″ desktop hard drive, though not quite as long. They resemble network switches because they effectively are, only they’re connected to one another through power outlets rather than a long ethernet cable. The Livewire kit consists of two HomePlug AV adapters which look very familiar to anyone versed in networking technology. There has also been an increase in concern over the amount of RF noise produced by wireless routers and various networked enabled devices that are everywhere these days WiFi, despite being almost ubiquitous these days, remains a fickle mistress with issues regarding range, interference, reliability, and security.
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Running cable inside existing walls is a nightmare, and having them on the outside is an eyesore. It’s not a revolutionary technology that is going to replace traditional methods, but it does provide an alternative when WiFi or wired ethernet are undesirable or difficult to implement.Įthernet is a tried and true way to network but older homes, apartment buildings, and condos are not wired, and adding it after the fact is no easy task. Powerline kits have been around for awhile, but are now more popular than ever due to the ever increasing number of network capable devices popping up in homes all over the industrialized world. The WD Livewire is a powerline networking kit based on the HomePlug AV standard, allowing users to connect devices via the electrical grid within a building.
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