System and method for authenticating/registering network device in power line communication (PLC)

An apparatus for communicating securely over a power line communications (PLC) network, comprising:

• a first streaming media device configured for communicating data over a power line communications (PLC) network with at least a second streaming media device;
• a microprocessor and memory on said first streaming media device;
• programming executable on said microprocessor for,
• determining when said first streaming media device and said second streaming media device are coupled to one another through a separate power socket within said first streaming media device or said second streaming media device,
• activating a PLC data filter associated with said separate power socket during a registration process to prevent data communicated over said separate power socket from being distributed beyond the separate power socket connection over the PLC network,
• communicating and storing a network key for controlling encryption and decryption of data over the PLC network so that said first streaming media device and said second streaming media device are configured with a compatible network key,
• deactivating said PLC data filter after the network key has been received,
• replacing said separate power socket coupling, at any desired subsequent time, with a PLC network connection.

A method of securely sharing a network key utilized in the encryption and decryption of streaming media communicated between streaming media devices on a power line communications (PLC) network, comprising:

• establishing a direct power connection between a first streaming media device and a second streaming media device;
• detecting that said second streaming media device is coupled to said direct power connection;
• determining that said second streaming media device is not already using a network key which is compatible with said first streaming media device;
• blocking PLC data from being communicated beyond said direct power line connection to the PLC network;
• passing a network key from said first streaming media device to said second streaming media device to update the previous values for use by said second streaming media device in communicating over the PLC network;
• and
• wherein said direct power line connection can be severed and said second streaming media device connected within the PLC network to which said first streaming media device is connected.