Getting my gaming consoles online without any access to a wireless network.

Digito

So I've got a Wii and a PS3, and yanno what? They're pretty awesome. I like 'em. But they'd be more awesome if I could connect them to the internet, which sounds like it's usually a fairly easy process. The catch? Well my house kind of uses a wired internet connection and a very straightforwards one, a cable modem that the computer is hooked up to, no router. Now I recall hearing something about some kind of adapter you can buy or something, but I'm not entirely sure how that process goes or how much money I'm looking at. I don't suppose anyone else here's managed to unlock the secrets of online Wii-gaming without an existing wireless connection and could enlighten me? I've got friends I need to prove my clear and objective superiority to in the world of monster hunting.

EDIT: A little extra information I figured might be useful, the way our current setup works is that we're paying the cable company (Time Warner) for two IP addresses, and we have two computers, each one plugged into an ethernet hub which in turn is plugged into the modem itself. Could I just get some kind of adapter to plug a third cable into the Wii, hook that up to the hub and away I go? Or would I need to start shelling out extra money for a third static IP address, as our house is only allowed two right now?

jclast

I don't know why you are paying for 2 static IPs in the first place, but the way most people I know run is to pay for one dynamic IP (it is the default choice from most cable companies, buy a router (wireless would be best for your PS3 and Wii, I would recommend this one), and then let it dole out local IPs as it needs to. If it turns out you don't need the 2 static IPs (running a web server from home is about the only reason I can think of to do that) you will probably save money in the long run even after the $50 expense for that router.

TNTrooper

You can connect them to a PC and have it share it's internet connection with other devices.

Digito

There's a way to just connect a console to a PC and do it that way? That sounds like it'd be the easiest way I think.

MichaelLC

Yeah, just get a wireless router. The one jclast linked is an oldie but goodie, otherwise the newer Cisco E3XXX series is decent.

Why do you have two IPs again? You had mentioned it in one of your old posts too. Unless TWC is doing something very strange, when you sin up for net access, whether it's cable or DSL, you basically get 'unlimited' connections; PCs, phones, consoles, etc. Of course they're all sharing the same line so speed may suffer, but you shouldn't need multiple IPs.

Digito

Bit of a long story, but we'd attempted to use a router in the past and couldn't get it to work. Unfortunately this kind of turned the family off on them. On top of that, neither computer in the house has support for wireless in it (to the best of my knowledge), so it'd take some considerable convincing to get the house switched over to wireless. It's not strictly impossible, but I'd have my work cut out for me which is why I'm trying to get the consoles only by way of a wired connection, as honestly that would be much easier for me right now. (Not having to convince family, primarily.)

It really is quite annoying, but that's currently beyond my control.

Foomy

You wouldn't have to switch the current computers over to wireless, you'd just unplug that hub you have and put the router in where it was, it would just happen to also have wireless for your consoles to use.

something like this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833124190 would work well enough. the WRT54GL is a very reliable peice of hardware.
not sure how it didn't work for you in the past, but modern routers are built pretty idiot proof, in that you just plug in the cables and it'll work.

you could get the wired adapter for the wii http://www.amazon.ca/DUS0204-Nintendo-Wii-Lan-Adapter/dp/B000MXDT80/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1324182583&sr=8-4
and run a cable to it from a hub, but hubs are really shitty technology for connecting multiple devices(they work sorta like a splitter for internet, so they send all the packets to all devices connected to it, and this can cause problems) and couldn't guarantee no problems in using both the computer and wii at the same time.

Essee

Yeah, there's no need for any of your current non-wireless machines to support wireless. Heck, I have a modem that is solely connected to a wireless router, and I have a 360 and desktop computer plugged right into it while my Wii, PS3, laptop, and other handhelds are all wirelessly connected. And yeah, most routers are super-easy to set up now. All you'd have to do is attach it to the modem and plug stuff in just like it was before really. To protect your wireless devices, you'll want to set the wireless to use WPA2 security (if everything you have supports it, and since you only care about the Wii and PS3, they do support it), but that doesn't do anything to your other computers. As best I recall, that's pretty much all the setup you'd need unless you need port forwarding for playing your PC games online or something (which would only affect you, right? I presume the other people in your family don't play major video games if they hate routers so much).

I would really recommend going this route. The PS3 can easily be connected via ethernet cable if it can reach your existing hubs and whatnot, but I think the wired adapter for the Wii alone is probably priced such that just getting yourself a relatively cheap wireless router is a better bet... and doing that lets you easily get any new wireless devices you might pick up online as well. Just, for the love of god, don't buy a Belkin router. Just don't. Trust me on this. I would indeed go with the WRT54GL that was linked twice, or anything else cheap you can find that lets you stick DD-WRT or Tomato on it (these are free, open-source firmwares that make your router awesome and should be easy to install). By the way, yeah, install one of those two on that router if you pick it up. Probably DD-WRT because I hear great things about it all the time.

Also, as others said, I have no idea why you guys are paying for two IP addresses, but I can pretty much guarantee you're wasting money doing that. Maybe your family will be more cool with you changing things around if you tell them they can probably save money on their internet AND have things be more awesome in the house if they follow your advice.

Draygo

You should get a router, but if you absolutely wont touch them...

Get a second network card for one of the PC's and share the internet connection. Its a bit more tricky to setup but completly doable.

Seriously, just get a router. If you need more details on how to do the above just post.

Digito

Hmm, looking at that wireless router, if you really can just plug in the non-wireless machines and have everything work without much setting up, that might just do the trick. I think my family is under the impression routers only come in either wired or wireless, and cannot support both. This might work.

To clarify, the decision to or not to use a router isn't really mine to make, but I can make an attempt to convince my family to try it. Granted, 60 bucks is pushing it but it seems worth a shot anyways, this looks like the easiest way to go if it really is as simple as just hooking up the router, plugging the computers back into it, and having everything work nicely. (I'm fairly technically inclined, my family less so.)

DevoutlyApathetic

It sounds like you're on a plan from years ago when TimeWarner tried to convince people that they had to pay for each computer they hooked up to the service. Most people ignored them and just put a router between the modem and the computer and TW couldn't really do anything about it. It isn't like they have any reason to try and lower your monthly bill.

Deebaser

Yeah and if you think the $60 will be an uphill battle, just point out that by ditching the second line you'll be saving money in two months tops

jclast

The router I linked (and just about every other wireless router out there) has ethernet ports on it as well as wireless antennae. Mine has 4 ports (in addition to the one input) where I have a desktop PC and my Vonage box. My 2 laptops, Wii, PS3, 360, Tivo, and Kindle (and right now my in-laws' 2 laptops) all connect to it just fine.

Draygo

On top of that if you need to expand your network with more wired connections you can go out and get a 8-16-32 port switch. Most routers on the market give you 4 ethernet ports. Ive seen anywhere from 4-8 on most consumer routers.

As far as difficulty to setup it depends. If you are using cable its very easy, if you are using DSL you need to know how to setup the PPPoe connection. Not very hard to do, but it wont be as simple as plugging it in.

And to do the wireless correctly you are going to have to go through the setup on the router at least once, in addition you need to change the routers default password to prevent viruses from attacking it (there are viruses out there that change the dns settings on routers to point to infected dns servers for example).

Digito

Alright! Got the router and it seems to be working great so far, on the wired connection so far anyways. Uhh, only problem is the automatic setup CD isn't working because my CD drive appears to have suddenly kicked the bucket. That's rather poor timing. I recall hearing something about having to set up some kinda security or encryption, but I'm not entirely sure what's involved or how to do that.

Foomy

Digito wrote:

Alright! Got the router and it seems to be working great so far, on the wired connection so far anyways. Uhh, only problem is the automatic setup CD isn't working because my CD drive appears to have suddenly kicked the bucket. That's rather poor timing. I recall hearing something about having to set up some kinda security or encryption, but I'm not entirely sure what's involved or how to do that.

don't worry about the cd, it's just full of useless bloatware software.

open up a web browser and go to http://192.168.1.1 , there will either be no password, or a default one you can find in the manual.
first go to the administration tab and set a new password for your router
now go to the wireless tab, and enter a network name(ssd)
than click wireless security and set the security mode to WPA2-Personal and than enter a password for it.
save settings and your done.