Adding extender to existing powerline network broke original pairing

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Adding extender to existing powerline network broke original pairing

This thread has been locked for further replies. You can start a new thread to share your ideas or ask questions.
Adding extender to existing powerline network broke original pairing
Adding extender to existing powerline network broke original pairing
2022-12-31 22:23:47
Hardware Version: V5
Firmware Version:

I've had a powerline network configured for a few years already using the TL-PA4010 and the TL-WPA4220.

 

I wanted to try and add some additional ethernet connections so I bought the TL-PA4010P KIT (comprising two adapters with AC pass-through).

 

When I first tried to pair the new TL-PA4010P with the TL-PA4010 it didn't work. I can't remember exactly what happened but I left it and tried again another day.

 

The second time I plugged one of the TL-PA4010P units in next to the TL-PA4010 (i.e. the other socket in a two-socket outlet). This way, I was able to successfully pair it and then move it back to location I actually wanted it and the pairing was retained. I did the same with the second TL-PA4010P unit.

 

However, I then found that my existing TL-WPA4220 was no longer on the powerline network (i.e. it had, I guess, lost its pairing). But when I try to pair it with the TL-PA4010 it doesn't work. I press the pair button on the TL-PA4010 for one second and the power LED flashes. But when I press the pair button on the TL-WPA4220 nothing happens. The power, ethernet and WiFi LEDs are all lit, but when I press the pair button the power LED doesn't start flashing. I've tried pressing the pair button for 6 seconds and nothing happens. I've unplugged it and plugged it back in. I've tried using the reset switch; this successfully resets the device (in that all the LEDs eventually go off and then it boots up again). I've tried pairing both in the location I want the device to be and also in the socket next to the TL-PA4010. But none of these things has made the pairing work.

 

The WiFi access point in the TL-WPA4220 it still working: I can connect devices to the WiFi. Obviously, the device itself is not connected to the network so the WiFi doesn't give access to any other hosts on the network (including my cable modem/router, so there's no internet access).

 

Any suggestions why the pairing is not working with my TL-WPA4220?

 

Also, is it expected that the original pairing between the TL-PA4010 and the TL-WPA4220 would be lost when pairing additional devices?

 

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Re:Adding extender to existing powerline network broke original pairing
2023-01-01 22:06:37

I've now got this working. The short answer is not to use the pairing buttons. There's apparently a management tool, tpPLC, that you can use to manage your powerline network. The software is available for Windows, macOS and Android (and maybe iOS too). I use Linux on all my computers and Android on my phone. So I can't use the desktop application, but I can possibly use the Android one.

 

So the first thing I tried was plugging the WPA4220 into my router and connecting my Android phone to the WiFi access point that my router provides (rather than the one that the WPA4220 provides). However, the tpPLC app was not able to find any powerline devices in this way.

 

One of my computers is connected via ethernet to the router too. So I tried looking for the WPA4220 device in the DHCP assignments list in the router's management interface in order to find the WPA4220's IP address. I found it and visited that IP address in my browser. Here I found a management interface that seems to be similar to the tpPLC app. From here, I was able to add the TL-PA4010 and the two TL-PA4010P devices by typing in their powerline keys.

 

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