I've recently had broadband enabled in my house and want to set up a wireless network to allow wireless internet access for my laptop and also to allow wireless Xbox Live gaming.

I did some research but after speaking to the sales bod in PC World I came away confused.

He has told me I need to get an ADSL modem/router (that's fine), wireless PC card for the laptop (fine), microfilters (fine) and a wireless ethernet bridge for the Xbox that offers a 'repeat' mode. He said otherwise it will operate in 'bridged' mode and mean that no other wireless devices will work whilst I am connected to Xbox Live. Is that right?

And if it is, would it slow down my online gaming too much anyway to be sharing a 1024/256Kbps ADSL connection with say my GF surfing the web on the laptop whilst I was gaming?

I have tried to find a Wireless-Ethernet bridge with repeat mode but have so far failed. However I have seen Wireless Access Points that do have it, but can I connect one of these directly to my Xbox via Ethernet? Would it work the same as a wireless-ethernet bridge?

Please help, brain frazzled and Xbox Live is calling

 

http://www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk

Ask there, they'll deffo be able to help you and have very competitive prices etc.

 

I'd recommend one of these for your wireless modem/router:
http://www.dabs.com/uk/Search2/Produ...quicklinx=2VCD

And I'd recommend one of these for the ethernet bridge:
http://www.dabs.com/uk/Search2/Produ...quicklinx=34LT

This is what I have for Xbox Live and it works a treat.

Don't let some of the bad reviews on the Dabs site bother you - I think these are by people with little or no computer savvy and basically they've set it up wrong...!

Mine worked out of the box - just get it to autodetect your line type, enter your username and password in the web interface, and hey presto.

You should then set up WEP to prevent people from sitting in their car outside with a laptop, using your broadband...
I can go into that further if you like.

 

www.apple.com/airportexpress + a wireless card for your PC/Laptop + 1 metre ethernet cable

Its what I use and it works perfick. Has the added bonus of being able to stream music to your DVD player/hifi.

 

PC World - bless them, the teenagers do try there best

Gaming can be affected by your g/f activity. If your g/f is just surfing away then that should be fine. You only start to see problems when you download/bit torrent/video messaging etc while gaming.

FYI - Bridges do not have a repeat mode - they just bridge Access points and some wireless router support wireless repeating or better known as WDS. However you do not need this function.

If you have broadband via your BT line then the NETGEAR DG834G and NETGEAR WGE111 is all you need to allow your XBOX to wirelessly access XBOX Live. If your g/f laptop needs wireless then either a NETGEAR WG511 or I have seen a WG111 bundled with a DG834G would do nicely.

With wireless is always best to stay with the same manufacture.

 

Thanks for the info

So with the NetGear DG834G + NetGear WGE111 + NetGear WG511/111 the GF could in theory do her web surfing whilst I play XBox Live - without anything having this 'repeat mode'?

Do you have this setup? Was it easy to configure??

 

Hi

Either the following

DG834G + WG111 Bundle and WGE111

or

DG834G, WG511 and WGE111

NETGEAR are easy to configure and you could say I work within the industry

 

Yeah, the Netgear's are a piece of cake to configure.

I've got my router upstairs next to the PC and the bridge sat downstairs on top of the telly for the Xbox - 98% signal, so no worries on that front either.

 

I have that setup.... and it ALL works seamlessly !!


as previously said.... bridge works out of the box.....

However.... don't expect it to work the second you switch it on..... will take 30 secs or so to find the signal from your DG834G

Phil