xbox 360 wireless - what should I do?

thefais

I recently got an xbox 360 (GTA!), but there is one problem: I have no wires in the basement to hook it up to the webs. Upstairs there is a DLink N-router. My PC is also down here, connected wirelessly.

Should I:

a) Get a wireless adapter for the xbox? Subquestion: will regular old usb wireless adapters work, or just the branded, $100 adapter?

b) Use my pc as a gateway, connecting the xbox using traditional internet tubes? I have an additional wired router to make that possible.

Money's not a huge issue, but $100 for an adapter is something I'd not want to do purely on principle.
Thanks!

Daedalus

Only the branded USB adapter will work. You can use a wireless bridge (that hooks up to the Ethernet jack), though. There's also the old "buy one or two hundred feet of Cat-5e and a power drill" option.

BubbaT

If your computer's on all the time I'd just use ICS with that.

If you have a Fry's nearby, I believe the Airlink AR430w is on sale through Tuesday for ~$18, and can be flashed to DD-WRT.

thefais

BubbaT wrote: »

If your computer's on all the time I'd just use ICS with that.

If you have a Fry's nearby, I believe the Airlink AR430w is on sale through Tuesday for ~$18, and can be flashed to DD-WRT.

LANs and networking has always been my weakness, computer-wise. Everything else I'm quite savvy with, but I can never make heads or tails of anything to do with networks, and IPs, and ports, so forgive me if I'm asking stupid questions.

ICS seems to be the way to go, but is it possible to hook up a non-wireless router with my PC and Xbox, and that will work?

Also: would the ethernet cable coming out of the pc go into the main internet port of the router, or into any of the regular ones (like the 360)?

Daedalus

thefais wrote: »

BubbaT wrote: »

If your computer's on all the time I'd just use ICS with that.

If you have a Fry's nearby, I believe the Airlink AR430w is on sale through Tuesday for ~$18, and can be flashed to DD-WRT.

LANs and networking has always been my weakness, computer-wise. Everything else I'm quite savvy with, but I can never make heads or tails of anything to do with networks, and IPs, and ports, so forgive me if I'm asking stupid questions.

ICS seems to be the way to go, but is it possible to hook up a non-wireless router with my PC and Xbox, and that will work?

Also: would the ethernet cable coming out of the pc go into the main internet port of the router, or into any of the regular ones (like the 360)?

If you didn't set it up right, you'd end up with double-NAT, which sucks.

thefais

Daedalus wrote: »

thefais wrote: »

BubbaT wrote: »

If your computer's on all the time I'd just use ICS with that.

If you have a Fry's nearby, I believe the Airlink AR430w is on sale through Tuesday for ~$18, and can be flashed to DD-WRT.

LANs and networking has always been my weakness, computer-wise. Everything else I'm quite savvy with, but I can never make heads or tails of anything to do with networks, and IPs, and ports, so forgive me if I'm asking stupid questions.

ICS seems to be the way to go, but is it possible to hook up a non-wireless router with my PC and Xbox, and that will work?

Also: would the ethernet cable coming out of the pc go into the main internet port of the router, or into any of the regular ones (like the 360)?

If you didn't set it up right, you'd end up with double-NAT, which sucks.

Something I wouldn't have noticed to be sure. How would I get around this issue, if I'm trying to use the second router as a bridge from my wirelessly connected PC to my 360 - and it isn't connected to the net except through the PC? Or would I have to try something else?

ginguskahn

As usual this is where I recommend the Apple Airport Express, should be the same price or cheaper than the official adapter but with many more uses (WDS range extender, Wireless printer port, airtunes) plus you can hook the ethernet port up to a switch and use it for lots of devices, not just the Xbox.

syndalis

ginguskahn wrote: »

As usual this is where I recommend the Apple Airport Express, should be the same price or cheaper than the official adapter but with many more uses (WDS range extender, Wireless printer port, airtunes) plus you can hook the ethernet port up to a switch and use it for lots of devices, not just the Xbox.

This.

totally ignore any apple heebee jeebies you may or may not have and get the airport express. Wireless extender from hell, VERY SMALL footprint, easy to use it to hook up a ton of wired devices, 802.11n (if you get an 802.11n base station), USB device extension, etc. etc. Its a very handy thing, and costs the same as the much more limited wireless adapter for the 360.

thefais

Airport express, eh? I don't have any apple heebie jeebies, as long as it works with PCs. Sounds interesting, certainly, although the 360 is the only thing I would really use it for--if I can't get the ICS thingy to work, then I'll certainly look into it a little more.

Evil_Reaver

syndalis wrote: »

ginguskahn wrote: »

As usual this is where I recommend the Apple Airport Express, should be the same price or cheaper than the official adapter but with many more uses (WDS range extender, Wireless printer port, airtunes) plus you can hook the ethernet port up to a switch and use it for lots of devices, not just the Xbox.

This.

totally ignore any apple heebee jeebies you may or may not have and get the airport express. Wireless extender from hell, VERY SMALL footprint, easy to use it to hook up a ton of wired devices, 802.11n (if you get an 802.11n base station), USB device extension, etc. etc. Its a very handy thing, and costs the same as the much more limited wireless adapter for the 360.

As much as I like Apple products, why would you recommend an Airport Express when he can buy a Microsoft Xbox 360 wireless adapter for the same price and have it work right out of the box?

Airport Express: $99.00
Xbox 360 Wireless Adapter: $99.99

Even going the Amazon route, the wireless adapter is cheaper than the Airport Express.

ginguskahn

Because the Apple adapter supports "N", The 360 one does not
The Apple adapter supports between 1 and as many devices as you have switch ports for, the 360 one does not
The Apple one can act as a range extender, the 360 one cannot
The Apple one can do AirTunes, the 360 one cannot
The Apple one has a usb printer port, the 360 one does not
The Apple one has other uses, besides being an Xbox Wireless adapter. Does the 360 one even work in windows?
The Apple one is not an overpriced usb adapter, the 360 one is.

Edit: The Apple one will even charge your iPod

thefais

Heheh. All of the extra reasons for getting Airport express doesn't really apply for what I need, but having the option is nice. Plus I can get discounts on the apple one (as a student) that I can't get from Microsoft.

That being said - if I can do it the cheaper way, setting up a gateway connection via my PC, I will do that.

ginguskahn

thefais wrote: »

Heheh. All of the extra reasons for getting Airport express doesn't really apply for what I need, but having the option is nice. Plus I can get discounts on the apple one (as a student) that I can't get from Microsoft.

That being said - if I can do it the cheaper way, setting up a gateway connection via my PC, I will do that.

Well yeah, free/the cost of a network card (practically free these days) always has its benefits

darkenedwing

if you are able to plug a ethernet cable into your PC, that would be the easiest route.
I have my ethernet cable that came with my 360 running from it to my laptops ethernet port, and bridge my LAN and wireless internet connections, and I am able to connect to the internet through it.
Works perfectly.

PikaPuff

Try to find a play link. I found several at Circuit City for $20 a while ago. No more at my store's location, though.

thefais

PikaPuff wrote: »

Try to find a play link. I found several at Circuit City for $20 a while ago. No more at my store's location, though.

Unfortunately, the play link doesn't seem to be available in Canada, and shipping across the border is unnecessarily expensive at the best of times.

Looks like I'll be trying the ICS tonight (once I get home from work). Wish me luck!

ginguskahn

Good luck, do post if you need any assistance

mastman

ginguskahn wrote: »

Because the Apple adapter supports "N", The 360 one does not

wireless g is much faster than your cable or dsl internet connection
wireless n is much much faster

choosing n for increased speed is a moot point

ElJeffe

thefais wrote: »

LANs and networking has always been my weakness, computer-wise. Everything else I'm quite savvy with, but I can never make heads or tails of anything to do with networks, and IPs, and ports, so forgive me if I'm asking stupid questions.

This is me, as well, which is why I just went with the $100 Xbox one. If you're able to get a cheaper route to work, I applaud you - I would've if I wasn't such a network 'tard, but it was worth the extra money to me to just never have to worry about it.

BubbaT

N would only be if you're doing a lot of media streaming from your PC to your 360.

If you're super-worried about the connection while gaming, well, you should probably look into the "long ethernet cable + power drill" route.

ginguskahn

mastman wrote: »

ginguskahn wrote: »

Because the Apple adapter supports "N", The 360 one does not

wireless g is much faster than your cable or dsl internet connection
wireless n is much much faster

choosing n for increased speed is a moot point

N also has better range and he already has an N router in this case, would be nice to keep to the top speed, and as BubbaT said, deffo can't hurt for media streaming (although I used to steam high def content to my 360 on a G network with no issues at all).

syndalis

Yeah, in this case, getting an airport express means that he can use it with many other devices, with far less range/packet issues, at much greater speed.

I cannot in good conscience recommend the 100 dollar microsoft adapter at this point.

ElJeffe

syndalis wrote: »

I cannot in good conscience recommend the 100 dollar microsoft adapter at this point.

But the $100 adapter is white! It matches the 360!

ginguskahn

but its not Apple White!!!

thefais

Okay, sooo my ICS shenanigans didn't work. When I tried to set it up my computer says:

Internet Connection Sharing Cannot be enabled
A LAN connection is already configured with the IP address that is required for automatic IP addressing.

What does that even mean? Does one of the other computers on the network have ICS enabled already, or do I have to do some sort of funky IP forwarding business with the wireless router? I tried changing the router's IP address, but to no avail. What's taking the IP, and how do I stop it?

Networking, why must you be my kryptonite?

darkenedwing

try bridging your connections. plug in your ethernet cable from your 360 into your PC, then bridge your LAN connection and your wireless internet connection (select them both at the same time, right click, and select bridge).

txt

darkenedwing wrote: »

if you are able to plug a ethernet cable into your PC, that would be the easiest route.
I have my ethernet cable that came with my 360 running from it to my laptops ethernet port, and bridge my LAN and wireless internet connections, and I am able to connect to the internet through it.
Works perfectly.

This works perfectly for me also. Though I did have to change the MTU on my router and a few other settings, but they probably should have been changed to start with.

thefais

darkenedwing wrote: »

try bridging your connections. plug in your ethernet cable from your 360 into your PC, then bridge your LAN connection and your wireless internet connection (select them both at the same time, right click, and select bridge).

When I tried that on my laptop, the wireless connection (which works perfectly otherwise) shuts off and won't reconnect. It'll talk to the xbox, but it can't access the tubes. Then when it's off the bridge, it works. It's like it knows exactly what I want it to do, but decides to do the opposite just for shits & giggles.

Gyral

Amazon is selling the Xbox 360 Wireless Network Adapter for $77.99 right now.

I tried to find the Play Link, but the only site that had it for $20 wouldn't let me complete my transaction. Every other place seemed to have it for $50-80 in varying states of new and used.

Fristle

The Airport Express was mentioned, but for 10 more dollars I would advocate the Linksys WET200:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833124266

I have an earlier version of this product, so I can't comment on this one specifically, but they do the exact same thing.

Basically, for $110, you can supply not only your Xbox360 with connectivity to your wireless router, but also your Tivo, your HTPC, your PS2, your friend's laptop when they visit and you don't want to give them your wireless security passphrase ... everything. If I had a PS3 I would plug it into the bridge too. It is always more convenient for me to connect into the switch since it means not having to configure the device for WPA.

It doesn't stream music or act as a wireless print server like the Airport Express, but I just rely on a network printer (after giving up on finding reliable print server doo-dads).

thefais

Success!

I was able to set up a bridge connection through my PC, so I can now play GTA4 online!

quovadis13

thefais wrote: »

Success!

I was able to set up a bridge connection through my PC, so I can now play GTA4 online!

Would you mind posting how exactly? I seem to be having the same problems you are.