I just want to download some Professor Layton puzzles!

August 31, 2009 11:34 AM

Where can I find a Nintendo DS wifi hotspot in Rochester, NY that works?

The "hotspot" located on the Nintendo website is out of date (places are no longer in business, or the connection doesn't work) and I don't really want to drive around the county to every place listed just to find out it doesn't work.

(I can't use the USB connector thing because from what I understand it's PC only.)

posted by Lucinda to computers & internet (11 answers total)

Any Gamespot should have one. Sometimes Best Buy has one too... anywhere they have a demo DS set up for you to play usually has one.
posted by IndigoRain at 11:40 AM on August 31, 2009

I stopped at Game Stop on my way home from work and they said they didn't have a WiFi Internet connection (which is apparently what you need to download additional content) - they have a WiFi connection that allows you to download game demos and movies.
posted by Lucinda at 12:12 PM on August 31, 2009

Do you know of any cafes with public wifi? Any wifi connection will work with the DS, IIRC, as long as you have the password.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 12:23 PM on August 31, 2009

If it's the same deal as the first game, you don't need a specific DS hotspot, just find an open wireless network and connect your DS to it.
posted by Gortuk at 12:25 PM on August 31, 2009

Seconding PhoBWanKenobi: if you don't have WiFi at home, just hit up your local coffee shop.
posted by halogen at 12:30 PM on August 31, 2009

Your local library probably has free wifi as well.

Do you have wifi at home? Because if you do you don't need to go anywhere.
posted by O9scar at 12:43 PM on August 31, 2009

Any wifi connection will work with the DS, IIRC, as long as you have the password.

I don't think that's true for Nintendo DS and Nintendo DS Lite systems. Last time I checked, Nintendo DS could only connect to routers using WEP security. The more-common WPA security is not supported.

I believe Nintendo DSi can connect through either WEP or WPA.
posted by muddgirl at 12:54 PM on August 31, 2009

The DS can only do WEP. The DSi can do WPA and WEP as of earlier this year.
posted by damn dirty ape at 2:02 PM on August 31, 2009

I don't think that's true for Nintendo DS and Nintendo DS Lite systems. Last time I checked, Nintendo DS could only connect to routers using WEP security. The more-common WPA security is not supported.

Whoops, knew I was forgetting something.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 2:09 PM on August 31, 2009

Well, I found a coffee shop that worked. Phew!

(I think the problem I was having with the WiFi places I was trying before (libraries, Dunkin' Donuts, etc.) was that they didn't use WPA security. If I had a DSi I could just do it from home.)
posted by Lucinda at 2:14 PM on August 31, 2009

The DS can only do WEP. The DSi can do WPA and WEP as of earlier this year.

Which is awesome news - however, games like Mario Kart that have online functionality are stuck with WEP on a DSi. They have their own network stack on the cart itself. Bummer!
posted by porn in the woods at 5:22 PM on August 31, 2009