PLA6456

SteveSybesma
SteveSybesma Posts: 8
First Comment
edited April 2021 in Nebula

Anyone set up multiple PLA networks using these and having problems with your network being brought down? I'm guessing by a broadcast traffic flood.

That's been my experience.

I never saw this with the older product (PLA5456).

All Replies

  • Zyxel_Richard
    Zyxel_Richard Posts: 218  Zyxel Employee
    First Anniversary 10 Comments Friend Collector First Answer

    Hi @SteveSybesma

    Sorry for your bad experience at first, I think we need more symptom description to analyze the case and figure out the root cause.

    Two types of information I’d like to know more detail from your side:

    First, Environment changes:

    May I know how those PLA devices got deployed in your site?

    Does the issue only triggered by simply PLA model changed, or meanwhile other factors like deployed location, numbers of PLA models, applications used also changed as well?

    (Beside, hope there is no power circuit changes in your house, for traffic is more recommended undergoing inside single electricity circuit for PLA devices)

    Second, Issue Symptom and Performance:

    May I know what “brought down” in your above message means? (Low throughput/Unable to access Home router or device’s local GUI/ Unable to access the Internet)

    Does the symptom occur always or randomly? What’s the color of three LED status during it occurs?

    Do all devices connecting to PLA suffer for the issue, or only some of them encountered?

     If possible, please show the PLA’s local GUI with HW version, FW version, and Available Connections information, thanks in advance for your reply, glad to provide tech support for you : )


    Best Regards,

    Richard

  • I have an open ticket with ZyXEL support in case you are part of them, but I didn't think so.

    Ticket number is 124144. I sent them a Visio of my home network.

    I sent complete screenshots below of all 6 tabs of PLA endpoint that this laptop I'm on and a GS1900-8 switch are connected to (laptop to switch to PLA endpoint).


    Q: May I know how those PLA devices got deployed in your site?

    A: I installed them as I did with the previous model (PLA5456)

    Q: Does the issue only triggered by simply PLA model changed, or meanwhile other factors like deployed location, numbers of PLA models, applications used also changed as well?

    (Beside, hope there is no power circuit changes in your house, for traffic is more recommended undergoing inside single electricity circuit for PLA devices)

    A: Only change was the PLA model. Location is the same, only one model has ever been used (so this was only a change from PLA5456 to PLA6456), same applications as before, same network and endpoint hardware as before, same OSes as before.

    Q: May I know what “brought down” in your above message means? (Low throughput/Unable to access Home router or device’s local GUI/ Unable to access the Internet)

    A: It means that both my internal network and internet connectivity is being disabled by more than one pair installed (more accurately...more than one PLA network because I use one pair per network). That means I could reach any device (except the switch and PLA endpoint I was connected to and sometimes not even that) from any endpoint, not to mention the internet. I could not reach the router and the domain_master in any event. There seems to be a broadcast flood or something that happens when more than one PLA network is connected. I do not know that is exactly the case but it seems to be something like that and all the connectivity is knocked out. This is given that I attempted to establish four different PLA network names.

    Q: Does the symptom occur always or randomly? What’s the color of three LED status during it occurs?

    A: It occurs frequently enough that it seems like it's 100% of the time. Occasionally I have a very short period of connectivity. I did not check the LED status lights.

    Q: Do all devices connecting to PLA suffer for the issue, or only some of them encountered?

    A: Yes, all endpoint devices have the same issue. PCs, wifi radios, set top boxes, etc...

    BELOW IS THE ENDPOINT PLA I'M CONNECTED TO AND ONLY DIFFERENCE ON THE OTHER THREE PLA ENDPOINTS WERE JUST THE "DOMAIN NAME":


  • Zyxel_Richard
    Zyxel_Richard Posts: 218  Zyxel Employee
    First Anniversary 10 Comments Friend Collector First Answer

    @SteveSybesma

    Thanks you for providing required information, those do lots of helps to analyze the issue :))

    Since you've already created a ticket, we'll keep tracking your issue and update any progress for you on our ticket system.

    Thanks again for visiting the forum and sharing your experience.


    Best regards,

    Richard

  • Are you with ZyXEL support?

    I'm not getting very good assistance with these PLA6456.

    I had accidentally created a 2nd ticket and Abiud replied thinking I was needing help with PLA5456 which is not the case.

    He gave me instructions for that model that I did not ask for.

    So I await help on how to properly pair 4 different PLA networks so they are all encrypted, have a pairing password and have a network name (domain name) that I choose rather than using HomeGrid.

    I spent nearly $400 on these to make the same use of them as the older model, made a big effort to show you what I have (including the Visio file showing my home network) and think I should get more prompt help.

    I need this to be completely resolved before this weekend. This cannot go into next week.

    Thanks!

  • Hello Richard,

    I'm going to assume Abiud's instructions emailed to me were for the PLA6456 and the subject line he put in for the PLA5456 was a mistake.

    Below is what I have after pushing the ENCRYPT/RESET button 1ST on the Domain_Master for a few seconds and (less than a minute later) 2ND on the End_Point for a few seconds. The result is not exactly what I wanted however (didn't want a random domain name), though encryption is ENABLED for the first time on both ends. I prefer to select a domain name if possible and still have encryption...ignorant request I will admit. Is it possible?

    What I hope to have is a Domain Name I select for each pair, encryption enabled (as it is now), pairing password set (does pairing password have to be different between each pair?), and last how do I know by the GUI below that the two PLAs are actually paired (because I show Available Connections?). Does the act of pressing the Encrypt/Reset button eliminate the necessity of pairing?

    Sorry for the dumb questions but I'm trying to cover the bases so I have thorough knowledge about these and have no doubts about any of it.



  • Zyxel_Richard
    Zyxel_Richard Posts: 218  Zyxel Employee
    First Anniversary 10 Comments Friend Collector First Answer
    edited April 2020

    Hi @SteveSybesma

    So I shortly summarized the requirement in your site: total four pairs of PLA connection should be established, right?

    Before answering your questions, I first briefly introduce how PLAs connect to each other:

    It requires both PLA devices has the same "pairing password" and "domain name" to connect each other. By default settings, all PLA6456s have the same domain name, so after powered up, they can connect to each other.

    If you want separate particular paired connections, you need to set different domain name on each of PLA devices. (Password is optional for pairing purpose)

    The action of pressing Reset/Encryption is to trigger PLAs paring each other.(for short pressing time), Or reset the device back to system default configurations (for longer pressing time)

    And YES, after two PLAs pairing each other successful, you can check the status under "Available Connections"

    If you still have more questions , welcome to make a post here, we'll be glad to support you :)

    Or also you can check our PLA6456 User guide for more detail information if you're interested in our porduct :)

    https://download.zyxel.com/PLA6456/user_guide/PLA6456_V1.0.pdf

  • I'M ABSOLUTELY BURNING HOT ANGRY RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Too DAMNED late!!! I followed Abiud's instructions for the PLA5456 because for some damned reason he thought I was looking for support for those. I NEVER ASKED FOR SUPPORT FOR THE PLA5456 WHICH I HAD FUCKING WORKING PERFECTLY BEFORE I BOUGHT THIS MISERABLE HOMEGRID SHIT WHICH I THOUGHT WAS BETTER!!!!!!!

    I'm so damned angry at the lack of decent support for these AFTER ALL THE EFFORT I MADE TO GIVE YOU INFORMATION WHICH WAS MANY TIMES YOUR EFFORT, that I've made up my mind and boxing up all 4 pairs and sending them back to Amazon, WHERE I WILL GIVE THE WORST POSSIBLE REVIEW!!! I HOPE THIS PRODUCT FAILS BECAUSE IT'S OFF TO A HORRIBLE START!!!

    I also followed YOUR INSTRUCTION TO THE LETTER and also THE MANUAL'S INSTRUCTIONS TO THE LETTER (WHICH I ALREADY HAD) AND TOLD YOU BEFORE WERE NOT VERY CLEAR. Soon as I pair the 3rd pair, it starts taking down my entire home network!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Soon as I pair the 4th pair, I have NOTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DAMN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    AT LEAST TWO PAIRS OF YOUR ADAPTERS ARE DEFECTIVE IN SOME WAY!!!!!!!!

    This is not worth the FUCKING GRIEF ANYMORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    $400 WORTH OF YOUR CRAP AND $4,000 WORTH OF FUCKING NERVE-WRACKING HELL TRYING AND FAILING TO GET IT WORKING RIGHT!!!

    I'm refunding ALL 8 of these and paying $2,000 to install ethernet in my god-damned walls like I should have in the first place AND THAT IS GUARANTEED TO WORK FAR BETTER. Your support SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    DELETE MY VISIO DOCUMENT BECAUSE IT SICKENS ME I SENT THAT TO YOU SPENDING OVER HALF AN HOUR CREATING IT. I'M BOILING ANGRY AT YOUR COMPANY!!! YOU CAN'T GET IT RIGHT!!!

    MATTER OF FACT DELETE ALL OF MY ZYXEL ACCOUNTS AND THIS POST IF YOU WANT. YOU CANNOT STOP ME FROM PLASTERING THE INTERNET WITH BAD REVIEWS OF THIS FAILED PRODUCT.

  • Zyxel_Richard
    Zyxel_Richard Posts: 218  Zyxel Employee
    First Anniversary 10 Comments Friend Collector First Answer
    edited April 2020

    Hi @SteveSybesma

    I made a demo lab in my site, with three pairs of PLAs in different domain name, and the connection is successfully established, and the ping test works well with access GUI is good, too.

    (In my topology, 6 PLAs are plugged in two power extension cords, while my PC is connected to one end node PLA )

    [Pair 1: 34/35] [Pair 2: 36/37] [Pair 3: 38/39 ]

    Below I put the ping test result, with device local GUI setup information (where only "Domain name is changed")

    Also, speed test as below:


    Sorry for causing your inconvenience and bad user experience. Our local contact will soon contact with you and help you with product return,refunding and other things we can do.

    If there is still anything need help, welcome to make posts at forum, we'll still be glad to provide tech-support for you

    And base on our forum policy, it's not allowed to use offensive and expletive words in the post. Thanks again for contacting us in the forum.

    Best Regards,

    Richard

  • The test you did wasn't adequate.

    My situation involved 4 pairs of PLA6456 with GS1900-8 switches at the endpoints and then devices connected to those switches. Plus two access points and a lot of wifi devices.

    The problem started with the 3rd pair. The 4th pair completely knocked out my home network.

    I'm returning these four pairs of PLA6456 to Amazon and they are already boxed up.

    The refund process with Amazon already started and I have a shipping label.

    Whether you had some bad PLAs in the 4 pairs I bought is irrelevant to me because I refuse to do anymore troubleshooting with these. I will have them shipped out today or tomorrow.

    Someone else will be very frustrated with these if they get sold as used by Amazon.

    Hopefully Amazon will return them back to you, and they really should.

    If you need the serial numbers of these so you can intercept them before they get resold, here they are:


    S190747001085

    S190747001086


    S190747001087

    S190747001088


    S190747001095

    S190747001096


    S190747001097

    S190747001098


    The four pairs of PLA5456 I have are already back in use again, and that is temporary.

    I'm getting an appointment with a guy who does network cabling to put 4 drops in my house.

    I don't care if they cost $500 a piece, that is worth it to me. Probably will cost much less.

    I'm getting out of PLAs altogether. I'll keep the PLA5456s I have for an emergency situation..

    This experience permanently ended my attraction to PLAs.

    I'm sorry for the bad language but this was totally frustrating and destroyed my faith in your products, which I spent a lot of money on over the years.

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