How much of a concern is data security across a shared power-distribution topology, both in a multiresident neighborhood environment and in a multiapartment single-premises setting, and how do you consequently educate consumers on the potential need to change the default encryption password and make other security adjustments? What encryption scheme(s) does HomePlug AV use, is encryption enabled by default (and at what performance impact versus an encryption-disabled alternative configuration), and can the encryption protocol be upgraded or otherwise enhanced on a situation-by-situation basis?

This is always a good question for any digital-communications technology. Intellon has worked to build a simple connection scheme into the HomePlug AV standard. It enables pushbutton pairing and network-joining, along with (of course) comprehending the corresponding encryption key. Our customers are starting to offer this pushbutton feature, which makes pairing very easy; push the button on the first device, push the button on the second device, and you are done. Adding more network nodes occurs in similar manner. For products that do not yet have the pushbutton feature, a software disk provides customization, just as with Wi-Fi products.

Some of our customers are shipping devices with randomized passwords, which require the user to use the pushbuttons for pairing. Others are shipping pre-mated packaged adapter pairs, for secure out-of-the-box use. These are just a few of the available strategies that move users away from universal passwords that could compromise security.