Would this work? (getting my 360 on-line)

Evander

So, long story short, I REFUSE to spend 100 bucks for an adapter to get my 360 online, since that is really too much money. Unfortunately, because basically no one uses them anymore, ethernet bridges are particularly expensive.

However, I think I've found a way of doing things that would only run 30~40 bucks. It involves using the following three items (or something very similar):

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833156152
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BSN4UY/ref=pd_cp_e_1/104-3928720-1259146?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-41&pf_rd_r=1Q8HAZ66TW1YENCXKC0N&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_p=250314601&pf_rd_i=B000AA2SMS
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812107293

And then an ethernet cable to top it all off.

SO, would this actually work?

Fort1tude

Doubt it

EDIT: Just get a long ethernet cable here http://www.cablewholesale.com/catalog/cat5enetworkcables.htm

drhazard

How close is your 360 to you PC? I was surprised to find out that Internet Connection Sharing works for the 360, which is nice, as I have a wireless card in my PC and use my widescreen monitor for my 360 as well.

Evander

there is NO way to plug the 360 into a PC or the cable modem. it would require draping cables all through hallways and stairways, and just has no possible way of working.

Naebliss

I use this as an access point for my pc. It's fifty bucks, but it works well. If your interested I can go hook it up to my 360 to verify that it works well with that too.

mojojoeo

With connection sharing do you need a crossover cable?

exoplasm

mojojoeo wrote: »

With connection sharing do you need a crossover cable?

Yes, or a switch. This does require 2 network ports on your desktop...

As for wireless bridging, the USB to USB idea will not work.. nice try, though.

Naebliss' suggestion should work since that router can be configured for bridge mode.

Also you can find a generic ethernet-wifi adapter similar to the original xbox (not 360) version for under $50 I'm sure and it should work just the same.

Keep in mind that the walls in your house will affect signal quality as well as the quality of your primary router/access point.

Burtletoy

Play Link works great. Even better if you buy it for like $5 on eBay.

Edit: To answer your question, no it won't work. I have a USB wireless connector thing that came with my computer that didn't do anything when I tried it with my 360.

PikaPuff

Naebliss wrote: »

I use this as an access point for my pc. It's fifty bucks, but it works well. If your interested I can go hook it up to my 360 to verify that it works well with that too.

I nice coincidence, but me and my brother were up late last night trying to make a wireless bridge/ access point/ whatever and failed.

Any good place to learn how to make one correctly? My current plan is cable modem -> Linksys wts54gs -> (wireless bridge) -> buffalo whr-g54s -> 360

the linksys is also hooked up to a wired desktop and several wireless computers.

we couldn't get it to work and a linksys picture showed that you needed a router and then the two other routers needed for the bridge.

h8b1llg8ts

Isn't there a cheap wireless USB Adaptor that works with the 360 too?

I heard of an alternative for the one for the Wii ...

Naebliss

I nice coincidence, but me and my brother were up late last night trying to make a wireless bridge/ access point/ whatever and failed.

If your having problems with the setup then I might be able to help. My bridge defaults to a 1.1.1.1 ip so I had to set my pc to 1.1.1.2 in order to access it via browser (this little detail by the way took me forever since at the time I didn't know much about networking ). Once you do that everything else is user friendly.

Evangir

I run a 100 foot cable from the router downstairs to my switch upstairs. 100 feet. It's not so bad. You get used to the mess of cable hanging around all over the place, although the colour (neon blue) was probably a poor choice. Honestly though, if that truly isn't an option, you're probably stuck buying the wireless adapter

Burtletoy

Evangir wrote: »

I run a 100 foot cable from the router downstairs to my switch upstairs. 100 feet. It's not so bad. You get used to the mess of cable hanging around all over the place, although the colour (neon blue) was probably a poor choice. Honestly though, if that truly isn't an option, you're probably stuck buying the wireless adapter

No, get a Play Link its cheaper and made for that exact situation. Also the wireless adapter for old Xbox's work on the 360 aswell from what I've been told, might be able to find one of those for cheaper.

Evander

exoplasm wrote: »

mojojoeo wrote: »

With connection sharing do you need a crossover cable?

Yes, or a switch. This does require 2 network ports on your desktop...

As for wireless bridging, the USB to USB idea will not work.. nice try, though.

Naebliss' suggestion should work since that router can be configured for bridge mode.

Also you can find a generic ethernet-wifi adapter similar to the original xbox (not 360) version for under $50 I'm sure and it should work just the same.

Keep in mind that the walls in your house will affect signal quality as well as the quality of your primary router/access point.

I've taken my wireless laptop into the same room as the 360, and had it work just fine.

In theory, I could use the laptop for connection sharing, but that just seems like it would be too much o a hassle each time I wanted to hop on-line.

Evander

Evangir wrote: »

I run a 100 foot cable from the router downstairs to my switch upstairs. 100 feet. It's not so bad. You get used to the mess of cable hanging around all over the place, although the colour (neon blue) was probably a poor choice. Honestly though, if that truly isn't an option, you're probably stuck buying the wireless adapter

If it were my house, I wouldn't mind doing it, but I'm living in my parents' house right now, and they wouldn't be too keen on wires everywhere.

Evander

Burtletoy wrote: »

Evangir wrote: »

I run a 100 foot cable from the router downstairs to my switch upstairs. 100 feet. It's not so bad. You get used to the mess of cable hanging around all over the place, although the colour (neon blue) was probably a poor choice. Honestly though, if that truly isn't an option, you're probably stuck buying the wireless adapter

No, get a Play Link its cheaper and made for that exact situation. Also the wireless adapter for old Xbox's work on the 360 aswell from what I've been told, might be able to find one of those for cheaper.

any specs on the play link? like range, ability to go through walls/floors, etc?

Burtletoy

I believe IGN had a review on them that I read before I got mine, suffice to say mine is going ~12ft and through 2 walls and connects fine

Edit:

IGN wrote:

1.5Mbps connection

100-foot range

8.0/10 Overall

Evander

And what type of signals will it interfere with/will interfere with it? Our house is full of various signals already.

Burtletoy

It's Radiowaves, so I don't think it'll mess with anything actually...but I'm not too sure about that. I'm running bluetooth for my Wii, Mouse & Keyboard along with wireless 360 controller and our wireless router for 3 computers in our apartment. It seems to handel it fine.

Evander

Burtletoy wrote: »

It's Radiowaves, so I don't think it'll mess with anything actually...but I'm not too sure about that. I'm running bluetooth for my Wii, Mouse & Keyboard along with wireless 360 controller and our wireless router for 3 computers in our apartment. It seems to handel it fine.

we have a whole network of wireless phones in the house that I believe work on RF

also, my Wavebirds.



The play Link DOES look good, but it is honestly crazy that there is no cheap way to take advantage of the wireless network I ALREADY have.

PikaPuff

Naebliss wrote: »

I nice coincidence, but me and my brother were up late last night trying to make a wireless bridge/ access point/ whatever and failed.

If your having problems with the setup then I might be able to help. My bridge defaults to a 1.1.1.1 ip so I had to set my pc to 1.1.1.2 in order to access it via browser (this little detail by the way took me forever since at the time I didn't know much about networking ). Once you do that everything else is user friendly.

getting to the settings was easy. I couldn't get it to work. it's all there in my post.

so I returned the buffalo router (bought yesterday), and found a shelf full of play links at circuit city with a $19.99 sign on the shelf. Saw one of the boxes still had it's original price of $79.99. Bought. Rang up and after tax as $18.something.

Works perfectly. Evander, I have 3 cells phones (consider them voice only), wireless home phone, wireless router, and 6 devices hooked up wirelessly to the router. Play link worked perfectly and effortlessly. Router the play link is attached to is upstairs corner bedroom, 360 the other play link is downstairs in garage. I'd say 30ft, 2-3 walls.

Deusfaux

run the damn cables through the cold air returns and such already

it might take a couple hours but then you're not dicking around with other solutions and you got a reliable hard line to it.

PikaPuff

cold.. air.... returns?

Rookie

PikaPuff wrote: »

cold.. air.... returns?

I think he means a vent.

PikaPuff

Yeah. Just thinking how not many houses in Hawaii have that. Evander can probably pull that off, but the play link is a great option if he can find one. use the cable, and if you see a play link at the store, pick it up.

templewulf

You could get a standard Linksys 54G wireless router, then upload third party firmware that allows it to function as a bridge / switch. The built-in firmware allows it to be a router or access point, but there's not a built-in bridge function. The nice thing is that they were $30 - $40 when they were new, so you should be able to get them pretty cheaply by now.

I'm at work now, so I can't dig up that firmware link, but googling "Linksys bridge firmware" might turn up something interesting.

Evander

Deusfaux wrote: »

run the damn cables through the cold air returns and such already

it might take a couple hours but then you're not dicking around with other solutions and you got a reliable hard line to it.

Again, not my place, and my folks would be opposed to it.

If I had the ability to take any of the simple solutions, they'd be taken by now.

Evander

templewulf wrote: »

You could get a standard Linksys 54G wireless router, then upload third party firmware that allows it to function as a bridge / switch. The built-in firmware allows it to be a router or access point, but there's not a built-in bridge function. The nice thing is that they were $30 - $40 when they were new, so you should be able to get them pretty cheaply by now.

I'm at work now, so I can't dig up that firmware link, but googling "Linksys bridge firmware" might turn up something interesting.

I'd be hesitant mostly because I actually have a linksys game-bridge thing at home (my brother bought it for his PS2, years back) and that thing practically never works.

templewulf

Evander wrote: »

templewulf wrote: »

You could get a standard Linksys 54G wireless router, then upload third party firmware that allows it to function as a bridge / switch. The built-in firmware allows it to be a router or access point, but there's not a built-in bridge function. The nice thing is that they were $30 - $40 when they were new, so you should be able to get them pretty cheaply by now.

I'm at work now, so I can't dig up that firmware link, but googling "Linksys bridge firmware" might turn up something interesting.

I'd be hesitant mostly because I actually have a linksys game-bridge thing at home (my brother bought it for his PS2, years back) and that thing practically never works.

I usually never have a problem with their hardware (to say nothing of their awful tech support), but I can sympathize with your feelings about it. Netgear is usually the one that acts up on me. What brand do you use for network hardware if not Linksys?

Quantux

I highly recommend this product:

Right here.

But seriously, just get a bridge. Everywhere I'm looking they can be had for ~$50. Both price watch and price grabber pointed me to here.

mspencer

Evander wrote: »

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833156152

Just plug that by itself into the back of your 360.

You definitely cannot use those gender changers to connect two USB devices to each other. For one thing, 5V DC has to come from somewhere, and standard IEEE 802.3 Ethernet doesn't carry power.

Burtletoy

mspencer wrote: »

Evander wrote: »

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833156152

Just plug that by itself into the back of your 360.

You definitely cannot use those gender changers to connect two USB devices to each other. For one thing, 5V DC has to come from somewhere, and standard IEEE 802.3 Ethernet doesn't carry power.

I'm pretty sure that doesn't work, I've tried a diffrent wireless usb adapter that came with my computer and it doesn't work with the 360.

Allforce

Sounds like the "simple solution" is to suck it up and buy the wireless thing for the 360. You shop around you can find them cheap. The local videogame shop here sells em for 40 bucks used when they have them in (granted they're generally nuts when it comes to pricing stuff though).

But I'd talk some sense into your parents and just run the hard line through the cold air return and then under/along the baseboards. Noone will ever see it and maybe your dad would jump at the chance to tackle a project with you some weekend.

Barring either of those, just move out already (unless you're under 16).

NailbunnyPD

I'm pretty sure that if you find a router that will run some iteration of the hacked firmwares that are available, you can convert a router into a bridge. It might take some research and some tweaking, at which point you might question the value of your time vs the cost savings.

FatmanGames

My brother used his linksys wireless bridge to hook his 360 up. It worked great.

Until he wanted to stream video from his PC, that is. Keep that in mind for any wireless solution (except expensive "802.11a", I guess).

Basically, you plug an Ethernet cable from your 360 to bridge, and that connects wirelessly (duh) to your 802.11g router.

Evander

Allforce wrote: »

Barring either of those, just move out already (unless you're under 16).

Yeah, but I just moved back in.

Moving out now = sinking money into a really crappy apartment for years to come

Staying here a while = living pretty much expense free, meaning I have time to save up to make sure I actually LIKE the place I live in next.

Not to mention that they pay for food, and bought a car for my use (I cover gas, but they cover insurance)

They're paying for pretty much everything other than my phone bill. They even foot the bill for some of my clothes purchases, computer parts purchases, school expenses, etc.



I'd be fucking crazy to look this gift horse in the mouth.

Evander

NailbunnyPD wrote: »

I'm pretty sure that if you find a router that will run some iteration of the hacked firmwares that are available, you can convert a router into a bridge. It might take some research and some tweaking, at which point you might question the value of your time vs the cost savings.

my time is worth $12.50 an hour.

if I can do this in under four hours, I'd say it's worth it.



We actually have a few spare linksys and netgear routers lying around the house. I need to check if any of them would work with that firmware.

Evander

templewulf wrote: »

Evander wrote: »

templewulf wrote: »

You could get a standard Linksys 54G wireless router, then upload third party firmware that allows it to function as a bridge / switch. The built-in firmware allows it to be a router or access point, but there's not a built-in bridge function. The nice thing is that they were $30 - $40 when they were new, so you should be able to get them pretty cheaply by now.

I'm at work now, so I can't dig up that firmware link, but googling "Linksys bridge firmware" might turn up something interesting.

I'd be hesitant mostly because I actually have a linksys game-bridge thing at home (my brother bought it for his PS2, years back) and that thing practically never works.

I usually never have a problem with their hardware (to say nothing of their awful tech support), but I can sympathize with your feelings about it. Netgear is usually the one that acts up on me. What brand do you use for network hardware if not Linksys?

The network in the house uses whatever the hell Verizon gave us (hooray for FiOs)

Last year, when I was in the apartment, I was using a Netgear router, and never had any real trouble with it. I used my laptop, my DS, my PSP, and my Wii all with it just fine.

Raslin

Just to point it out...

If you have a laptop with a wireless card, you can just attach the 360 to the laptop with an ethernet cord and get internet that way. I think it took me like 2 minutes of setting up some settings and it was all good.

Evander

FatmanGames wrote: »

Basically, you plug an Ethernet cable from your 360 to bridge, and that connects wirelessly (duh) to your 802.11g router.

But what do I do with this power cable? Do I try to fit it into the phone socket? And why is the cupholder on my computer broken?

;-)



I've set up simple wireless networks before. I know how to plug componants into each other. My issue is that I want to find workable componants that won't cost me a bundle. So far, the cheapest plan seems to be finding out if any of the spare routers in the house will run the cracked firmware.

Short of that, is that anyone here that owns a Linksys game adapter, and had trouble with it in the past, but got it to work fine afterwards? Like I said before, I have access to one, but I've NEVER been able to get it to work consistantly. It'll connect fine, but it eventually always loses the connection, and has to be pluged into the router to be "retaught" how to connect; at least once every couple of weeks, and sometimes every couple of days. I've read about other people having issues with it, but if any of y'all know of any real solutions for it I'd be appreciative.

NailbunnyPD

http://www.dd-wrt.com is what I use (on my router, no need for bridge.)