From reading the reviews it appears that two livewires can be securely linked to create a private connection between them (see e.g CNET)
Is it then possible to add additional Livewire units to this secure connection so that they can all connect each other securely ?
Yes, you can add additional Livewires (and I believe other HomePlug certified adapters) beyond the 2 that come in the kit.
From the User Manual:
Expand the Network with Additional WD Livewire Devices
Note: WD Livewire devices can be added to an existing powerline network with one or more non-WD devices if the devices are HomePlug Alliance AV Certified. Go to www.homeplug.org for further information.
Connect a power cable to each device, then plug the opposite end into an AC
power outlet in the desired location. The power LED illuminates on each additional device.
Press the Sync button on ALL devices (WD Livewire and other powerline adapters)
within 2 minutes of installation to join an existing powerline network that includes
other manufacturers’ Homeplug Alliance AV certified devices.
Since you’re using the Sync button (creates a private network), it should be secure. I think you can also password protect it with the WD Livewire Utility software.
Grant seems to know what he’s talking about, but if you want additional help/info you shold post in the correct forum (this is the WDLive Media Player Network forum).
Yeah, only they don’t have a forum for it, do they? 
Maybe the ACCESSORIES forum?
There’s a couple of posts about it in the Announcements and General Discussions area – maybe this guy’s the first person to actually BUY this product?
I’m still not quite sure why I want it or what to do with it.
I wonder if I can put the other end of one of those pairs in my neighbor’s house. We’re on the same transformer… Then I can put a remote NAS there and do backups to it. :smileyvery-happy:
Hmmm – interesting, but I thought you needed to be on the same circuit.
As you know, I’m NOT a hardware guy, but in the “old” days I used to use a lot of X-10 stuff in my house and (at least back then) houses had two separate circuits so only half of your house could talk to the other half. You needed to use a bridge if you wanted to control something on one circuit to the other (and sometimes the circuit split in the middle of a room).
I have no idea if they wire houses the same way or if this will have any impact on the Livewire but I’m going to find out (because where I want to use it is clear over on the other side of my house). Then again, I’m just playing around – if it doesn’t work I really don’t care.
…right. The “old” stuff had a problem crossing the “Phases” in the house. I think EVERY US-based house has a single-phase, three-conductor system (with A being 180 degrees of B, and C being Neutral).
The new stuff has jumped that hurdle of crossing the phase boundary.
The only barrier in the way between houses is DISTANCE, and then the transformer.
The transformer will keep digital info from readily crossing the secondary back onto the high-voltage primary.
I’ll be interested to hear how your experiment turns out (I don’t have any neighbors I’d want to have access to my network :>).
Although the more I think about it the less I think I really have any use for it at all – for me it will be more a matter of just playing around (because the other Live I have across the house has it’s own drive and I never play anything other than stuff on it). And as my time would have it I haven’t even opened the box up yet (I *might* get around to it in a week or two).
I was using two wireless devices around my TV: a Belkin N USB adapter (shared amongst the Lives) and a Linksys WAP54G just for my old Xbox. Looked a bit messy, especially the Linksys AP.
The WD Livewire handily replaced both, and allows the Xbox, Live and Plus to be hooked up simultaneously (plus there’s room for an additional device, e.g. an internet enabled BD player if I find one going cheap).
However, when transferring files to an attached HDD, I notice that the Livewire is literally half the speed of my Belkin N wireless adapter, despite the Livewire reporting connections up to (and above) 140Mbit. It usually drops to 70Mbit during transfers and achieves 3MB/sec or less (~24Mbit sustained). Does that sound right?
No idea how fast the Belkin connects (it connected to my laptop at 130Mbit once but the Live is vague - any way to check?). It transfers around 5-6MB/sec regularly but I’ve seen up to 8MB/sec “on a good day”, on avg about 48Mbit sustained.
I’m tempted to re-attach the Belkin for the faster file transfers and just leave the other Live and Xbox on Livewire where speed isn’t an issue (streaming 720p works fine and I only need internet on the Xbox for FTP access).
What kind of transfer speeds are you guys getting out of it?
-edit-
Should mention I’m in a rented apartment and I’m probably lucky to even get the speeds I’m getting. :D
Thanks for the replies Sorry about posting it in the wrong forum - I saw ‘networking’ but somehow missed the WD TV Live bit 
although there doesnt seem to be a ‘right’ forum for it anyway 
That’s okay – we couldn’t exactly figure out the right forum for it either .
Looks like this thread may still be open…there does not appear to be a Livewire discussion anywhere else. I have a wdlive with a 1.5tb wd external and a wireless usb adapt. I was unplugging & carrying the external to my pc to transfer large files. When I saw an ad for Livewire I figured I could use it to watch basic video & skip the transfer to external. I have good wiring, units are plugged in & I have the software loaded. I seem to be having a **bleep** of a time setting up the wired network though and was hoping to see where others have gotten some suggestions. One of the things I don’t get is wdlive requires the usb wireless to be plugged in when setting up the wired network, which I’ve done. It seems to want to stay on the wireless though and I can’t figure out how to prevent it. If I pull the adapter, I don’t get anything on the livewire. I’ll tweak it around some more and post any results. If all else fails I’ll contact WD for some help.
If I understand you correctly, you want to use the Livewire on the Live, correct? Then you do NOT want to connect wirelessly (although that sounds misleading, since it IS wireless).
While I haven’t tried it I will be doing so soon but I would connect the Livewire to the Live (even THAT sounds confusing) but configure the network setup on the Live as “wired” (because it is, really). The only catch there is if the Livewire itself needs to be configured somehow first (I haven’t gotten that far, too busy with other projects) but if so, you could connect it first to a computer and set it up, and then disconnect it and attach it to the Live.
If you ever get this working, let ME know (I’ll do vice versa but I can’t promise when I’ll try it – I’m about two weeks behind in all the honeydo list I have).
The Livewire is (or should) be very easy to set up.
Plug one into your router (and nearby power socket).
Plug the other into your Live (and nearby power socket).
Don’t use an extension strip.
When they’re powered on, the Livewire Utility software should be able to see them (give them enough time to find the router and get an IP). They may or may not communicate at this point.
Next step is to hit the Sync button on one Livewire, then walk across and hit Sync on the other. The PLC-Link light should go off, flicker, then re-establish. If it doesn’t, try pressing Sync again (didn’t work first tim for me!).
Livewire Utility should report that the units are now a Private Network.
On the Live, unplug the wireless device. Go to Network setup and connect Wired. It should have no problem finding an IP and connecting.
An existing wireless connection is not a requirement to complete network setup on the Live.
Ideally, connect another device (e.g. a laptop but disable wireless temporarily) and try to verify that the Livewire connection is actually working. At least that way, we know if we’ve got a Livewire problem or a Live problem.
Let us know if you still have issues after trying the above.
Not really sure what else to suggest at this point; there are seemingly only a handful of Livewire users out there and very little support, official or otherwise!
Thanks for jumping in, Grant. I just don’t have the time right now to even unpack it, but that sounds about what I thought it would be.
I’ve actually tried all that, many times in fact but perhaps not in the right order. I intend to give it another go tonight. I do remember trying the wired network setup on the live with the wireless usb removed and nothing happens - it doesn’t start setup because it doesn’t see a network. I will start anew, step by step, as you advise and report back later. Thanks.
Try this: Plug both LiveWires into the SAME RECEPTACLE (use extension cords, if necessary, but NOT POWER STRIPS.)
If they can’t sync then, something is seriously wrong. If they DO sync, then move one to the other outlet and try again.
If they DON’T SYNC, it’s possible there’s a wiring problem.
OK, unplugged everything, replugged, synced. turned on live, went to network setup, pulled wireless usb-setup stayed on!
However auto setup didn’t find it. Plugged laptop into box 1 & retried auto - no go. Plugged laptop into box 2 - no go. Logged into router and jotted down ip, sub etc. Tried manual setup - SUCCESS! I had tried before to no avail-too many number combos, finally got it right.
Anyway the livewire/live combo does exactly what I wanted - played everything I threw at it - no playback issues like with wireless, even played bluray/mkv with no problems (thanks to latest beta upgrade). According to utility prog, speeds ranged from 50 to 110.
Thanks to all.
And thanks to YOU for sticking with it and reporting your results back here (you might want to mark your own answer as the solution to help others).
Now I know when I get around to it what to try .
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