How to connect an X-Box 360 to a wireless network.

December 20, 2006 9:54 AM

I am trying to come up with a solution to play by X-Box 360 on a TV that is downstairs while my router is upstairs. Is it possible to buy a second wireless router (I currently have a Linksys WRT54GC), set the second router near the 360, and then connect the Ethernet cable from the 2nd router to the 360?

If this is possible, does anyone have a link to the instructions that should be used to setup this configuration?

Any other ideas would be appreciated.

Thanks,

I know Linksys offers a Game Adapter but I’d like to avoid the cost if possible.

posted by jonshadow to Computers & Internet (15 answers total)

This would be your best bet functionally, as it simply makes your X360 its own addressable wireless device. Played with one to connect an Xbox to my wireless network. Absolutely effortless. Bit expensive, though.
posted by grabbingsand at 10:00 AM on December 20, 2006

Oh. You know about it already. Nevermind.
(Still, it does exactly what you want. Maybe second-hand? eBay?)
posted by grabbingsand at 10:01 AM on December 20, 2006

As a mea culpa, here are some instructions for a two router solution.
posted by grabbingsand at 10:03 AM on December 20, 2006 [1 favorite]

I use a Logitech Playlink


Not as expensive as the Linksys and it still does the job fine. I got it off of Woot for 20 dollars so you may be able to find some cheap deals on ebay from people who bought it then.
posted by aznhalf at 10:29 AM on December 20, 2006

I'm a bit confused -- you have a wireless router already, and you're looking for something less expensive than the linksys Game Adapter or (I'm assuming, although you don't mention it) the 360 Wireless Network Adapter? But why consider a jerry-rigged system including a second wireless router that might be thirty bucks cheaper than either of those options? Here's another possibility -- Logitech Play Link. The price is right and it works well for playing games. I've never used it for anything else, so can't speak to what it's like for downloading whatever off the Marketplace. I'd give that a try. Woot occasionally has them.
posted by incessant at 10:35 AM on December 20, 2006

How do you use a controller for the box from a great distance? Seems to me that the video is only half the problem.
posted by Steven C. Den Beste at 10:47 AM on December 20, 2006

Yes, you can.

You can setup two routers to do WDS if your current router supports it. I know the WRT-54(G|GS) can use the DD-WRT 3rd party firmware which supports WDS, but i'm not sure about the WRT-54GC. I use DD-WRT and it's awesome.

I'm not sure if when you setup a router in repeater mode that the ethernet ports on the back work, i'd assume they still do. So that's an option too. If you can find a router that will work in repeater mode with your current router (e.g. a linksys 54G router that supports repeater mode) should work.

You might be able to buy an access point (WAP-54G) and set it up in Client mode. That's basically what those expensive game adapters are: Access points setup in client mode. AP's are sometimes fickle on what types of routers they connect to, so you might have some trouble getting it to work. The documentation on linksys' site says that the WAP-54G in client mode can only connect to another WAP-54G in AP mode - but i don't buy it. When i worked at D-Link we had the same type of restrictions on the website, but it was mainly was a guideline rather than a rule.

Oh, and the Logitech Play Link looks awesome for the price. I'd look into that first.

b1tr0t: he doesn't want to run a cable downstairs, he wants: the wireless routers to talk to each other wirelessly, the upstairs devices to wire into the upstairs router, the downstairs devices to wire into the downstairs router.
posted by escher at 10:56 AM on December 20, 2006

A wireless bridge seems like it would do the trick and it's solves the problem you are looking to solve without the extra complications of an additional router.
posted by chrisroberts at 10:57 AM on December 20, 2006

I use a linksys wireless bridge for exactly this. The setup was just a matter of following the default installation instructions. It talks to my Linksys wireless router just fine. I also have other consoles and devices plugged into the bridge, since it accepts 4 inputs.
posted by Joh at 11:27 AM on December 20, 2006

client mode works beautifully on a WRT54 (linux based) running DD-WRT. i used this for years for my media center PC until i switched to powerline networking.

you also get to use all 4 ports on the back as a regular switch when using DD-WRT for client mode.
posted by joeblough at 11:31 AM on December 20, 2006

just get a bridge. something like this (though I'd get a better brand - personally, I like NetGear, Linksys and TRENDnet/TRENDware - but that one should do it). cheaper than running another router. less of a pain in the ass than running two routers and trying to make them talk to each other. (I would also avoid that Logitech dealie, since it makes its own non-standard wireless network. I'm all for reducing complexity.)
posted by mrg at 11:51 AM on December 20, 2006

Get hold of an old cheap B-spec wireless bridge. Theres plenty on ebay and you can pick them up for pennies.

They will work fine for gaming ( know I use one) but may start to choke if you are streaming video through MCE.
posted by gergtreble at 1:14 PM on December 20, 2006

I recommend the Asus WL-330 Pocket Access Point. I have one setup as a bridge for my wireless network and I can plug anything into it; including a PC, a hub/switch then a bunch of things and even my network-enabled Commodore 64.
posted by krisjohn at 2:39 PM on December 20, 2006

What am I missing from this? Why not just buy the Xbox 360 Wireless Adapter, plug it in, and configure it through the Xbox itself? The only down side is that it's like $90.
posted by jeversol at 12:14 AM on December 21, 2006

I nth the question from jeversol, incessant, etc. My setup is nearly exactly what you describe, flipped -- my wireless router is in the basement, my 360 on the big DLP upstairs on the complete other side of the house.

The signal strength is fine to work with the 360 Wireless Adapter linked above, plus our Wii and connect two other PCs besides. Is there something to the question that I'm missing?
posted by Adelwolf at 11:29 AM on December 21, 2006