How to connect Blu Ray player to WiFi

Niceguyeddie616

I'm getting a Sony BDP-S350 Blu Ray player after Christmas, and found that it has an ethernet port for firmware updates and BD live stuff. I'd like to take advantage of this, but my house has wireless internet and the player will be upstairs from the router. Is there anyway that I can connect it to my WiFi network? The guy at Circuit City said that I would have to go downstairs and connect it, but he didn't seem to know much.

bsjezz

you'd have to buy another wireless router and use it as a bridge, i imagine

Nakatomi2010

Buffalo makes a device, it's about 50 bucks, called an "Ethernet Converter", it's actually a wireless bridge, a device designed specifically to do what you're trying to do....

Alternatively you could look into the Ethernet over Power lines stuff, people who don't live in an area prone to lightning strikes (So, anyone outside of Florida), swear by them doing awesome stuff...

Mmmm... Cocks...

bsjezz wrote: »

you'd have to buy another wireless router and use it as a bridge, i imagine

Yea most routers can have custom firmware placed on them to do some amazing things.
You could just drop some cash on a bridge, but this way you solve your problem and have another router sitting around, and more ports in case you want to hook something else wired to the internet in that same room.

Niceguyeddie616

Sounds cool, I have some money still left over I guess, but how do I turn a wireless router into a wireless bridge? and could someone explain ethernet over power lines to me?

ElPresPufferfish

If you're mostly concerned with firmware updates, you can probably download and burn them to a CD, or order a CD from Sony. That's how I update my BDP-S300.

mcdermott

Niceguyeddie616 wrote: »

Sounds cool, I have some money still left over I guess, but how do I turn a wireless router into a wireless bridge? and could someone explain ethernet over power lines to me?

You buy a router that supports custom firmware (for your purposes, I think even the Linksys WRT54G or similar will work...but the WRT54GL is recommended). Flash said firmware. Then follow instructions on firmware's FAQ to set it up as a bridge.

You can pick up a WRT54GL for like $45 if you shop around a bit, should do just fine for you.

Alternately something like this would probably be more than decent, and if you shop around a bit you can probably get it for a smidge cheaper as well. But really I recommend a router-as-bridge setup, as it provides more functionality and long-term use for very little more money.

EDIT: Note that there are many devices similar to the linked 802.11b "gaming adapter" (which is basically a bridge) available that are newer, or run 802.11g. But that devices has all the functionality you need for your purposes, for substantially less.

capnrico

Ethernet over power lines is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. You plug an ethernet bridge into your wall at each end, and it uses the existing power lines to communicate. It's something that sort of either works or doesn't (works better on simple homes, like apartments or something, if you try it with a section of a home that was added after the initial construction, depending on how the power was done, it might not work). For full benefit, you pretty much have to plug directly into the wall, surge protectors and the like can end up filtering out your network. Also, some household devices can interfere with them (touch lamps are one that springs immediately to mind). When I used them temporarily, they generally worked decently, but any high-traffic things (torrents, for example), would end up locking them up.

vinaykagarwal

To wirelessly connect a Blu-ray player to Internet, you need a device that may be called by many names including wireless bridge, wireless gaming adapter, wireless access point, and AP client. Even their prices vary all over since it is hard to compare. Here is a page that lists all the Blu-ray wireless connection options available and their pricing.