Right, the time has come to get wireless-d up. What do I need and where do I start? • Non-Gaming • Apple, Mac, and iPod • Eurogamer.net

GingerMagician 17 Oct 2005 17:06:33 3,011 posts
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OK, I've been thinking about sorting this out for a while and now I've got the cash to buy all the bits I need (I think). With the 360 coming up at the end of the year (or perhaps early 2006 for me), I want to get everything in place. Please bear with me, as I'm a networking beginner and want to check what I need.

At the moment, I have separate direct connections for my Mac (iMac G5) and Xbox Live. The iMac connection is through a Hermstedt USB modem, while the Xbox connects through a D-Link ethernet modem. I don't have any kind of router. The two bits of kit are in different rooms, so I plug in/unplug accordingly. Understandably, this pisses the wife off when I'm playing Live in the lounge and she can't get online in the spare room. I also want to add a wireless iBook to the set up at some point.......when the money rolls in......

As I understand it all I need is a wireless router (with modem built in?? Or do I use existing ethernet router??) that is compatible with the Xbox, together with an Airport Extreme card for the iMac.

Router sits behind TV with Xbox plugged into it. Mac talks to router from spare room. Job done.

Have I missed anything? If not, can you give me some recommendations for a Xbox & Mac friendly wireless router?

Any help would be much appreciated!

GingerMagician 17 Oct 2005 17:10:33 3,011 posts
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Oh dear...... not liking the sound of that. I am only intending on hooking the 'box up with an ethernet cable though - is it still that bad?

Huntcjna 17 Oct 2005 17:12:41 13,890 posts
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I have a dlink ethernet wireless gaming bridge for my xbox and it worked a bloody dream

sam_spade 17 Oct 2005 17:14:59 15,745 posts
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Cable the Xbox
Wifi the Mac

I've never had trouble with a mac on wireless, windows is a bit frustrating.

GingerMagician 17 Oct 2005 17:17:10 3,011 posts
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sam_spade wrote:
Cable the Xbox
Wifi the Mac

I've never had trouble with a mac on wireless, windows is a bit frustrating.

Any specific type of router I need to work with Airport Extreme?

Huntcjna 17 Oct 2005 17:18:40 13,890 posts
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Bill Door wrote:
Mines 3comm, with a 3comm wifi router. Sometimes the xbox doesn't resolve the DNS and sometimes it says Xbox live cant be found.

/kicks xbox.

/breaks foot

I used to get that all the time until I realised the ethernet bridge to the xbox cant "kickstart" the router so I switch my desktop pc on first and away it goes without any problems

Deleted user 17 October 2005 17:19:47

I'd also say wire the Xbox and wireless the Macs. Everything works with Airport Extreme as far as I can tell. I love my little Airport Extreme box thingy, and AirTunes is a fab added bonus.

GingerMagician 17 Oct 2005 17:23:18 3,011 posts
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mouse wrote:
I'd also say wire the Xbox and wireless the Macs. Everything works with Airport Extreme as far as I can tell. I love my little Airport Extreme box thingy, and AirTunes is a fab added bonus.

So are you on the Airport Extreme Base station then mouse? How many ethernet (in) ports has it got?

Deleted user 17 October 2005 17:25:08

Yep. Just the one input. It's not a router, it's just a wireless access point. I have a little four port router that I got for about �20 from Maplin - one lead takes the net conn from my set top box, one lead feeds my PC, another the Xbox, and the other goes to my Airport.

Edited by mouse at 17:28:51 17-10-2005

GingerMagician 17 Oct 2005 17:27:01 3,011 posts
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mouse wrote:
Yep. Just the one input. It's not a router, it's just a wireless access point.

Doesn't that mean I can't wire the Xbox into it so that it "shares" the connection with the Mac.

/is starting to get confused

GingerMagician 17 Oct 2005 17:27:45 3,011 posts
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mouse wrote:
Yep. Just the one input. It's not a router, it's just a wireless access point. I have a little four port router that I got for about �20 from Maplin - one lead takes the net conn from my set top box, one lead feeds my PC, another the Xbox, and the other goes to my Airport.

Edited by mouse at 17:28:51 17-10-2005

That was quick edit that clarified things!

Deleted user 17 October 2005 17:28:14

If you want the Xbox on wireless, get a wireless adapter for it, and it will connect to the Airport. If you want the Xbox wired, connect it to the router.

Setting up the base station was the most painless experience I've ever had with wireless. I just plugged it in and it worked. No fucking about. I've got two devices running off it in my flat; my PSP and my iBook, but I've brought it into the office before and had the PSP and a couple of lappies - including a Windows one - running on it without a problem.

Also, Windows iTunes will send music to the base station's AirTunes interface even if you're on a wired network - if a machine can see it, it can use it. Bloody fantastic being able to have both my laptop and PC play music through my stereo without me having to physically plug them into it.

Edited by mouse at 17:33:44 17-10-2005

GingerMagician 17 Oct 2005 17:31:21 3,011 posts
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mouse wrote:
If you want the Xbox on wireless, get a wireless adapter for it, and it will connect to the Airport. If you want the Xbox wired, connect it to the router.

Setting up the base station was the most painless experience I've ever had with wireless. I just plugged it in and it worked. No fucking about.

Sounds sweet mouse. Does the Mac need the base station to talk to a router, or will it talk to a "normal" wireless router with just the Airport card, thereby negating the need for the base station?

Deleted user 17 October 2005 17:32:15

Yep you can use Airport Extreme on any old wireless network as far as I can tell - works fine in my office.

GingerMagician 17 Oct 2005 17:39:29 3,011 posts
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mouse wrote:
Yep you can use Airport Extreme on any old wireless network as far as I can tell - works fine in my office.

Might go that route (arf...) to be honest then. I'm going to need the router to share the connection anyway, so it should keep the cost to a minimum if I leave the Base Station for the moment.

GingerMagician 17 Oct 2005 17:45:28 3,011 posts
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What do you think of this badger?

Edited by GingerMagician at 17:47:58 17-10-2005

tiddles 17 Oct 2005 17:52:19 3,555 posts
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GingerMagician wrote:
What do you think of this badger?

Edited by GingerMagician at 17:47:58 17-10-2005

Are you going to be using your existing modem with this router, or do you want to get an all-in-one? That one looks like it doesn't have a modem built in.

It's generally easier with an all-in-one box, imho.

GingerMagician 17 Oct 2005 18:54:09 3,011 posts
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tiddles wrote:

GingerMagician wrote:
What do you think of this badger?

Edited by GingerMagician at 17:47:58 17-10-2005

Are you going to be using your existing modem with this router, or do you want to get an all-in-one? That one looks like it doesn't have a modem built in.

It's generally easier with an all-in-one box, imho.

I've got a D-Link modem that should be compatible with this, no?

tiddles 17 Oct 2005 20:48:41 3,555 posts
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How do you connect to the modem? If it's an Ethernet cable you'll be fine, but if it's USB it won't work.

I have a Belkin wireless router connected to a Globespan modem, and it works OK, but it can be a bit annoying - eg. two control panels, having to open the same ports twice for BitTorrent etc...

EDIT: Sorry, didn't read your first post again... should be fine to work with the Ethernet modem.

Edited by tiddles at 20:52:08 17-10-2005

Nemesis 17 Oct 2005 22:34:34 20,312 posts
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Or..

..go get the Airport Extreme ( http://www.apple.com/airportextreme/ )

You'll then have one hard-port for the Xbox, wireless (B/G or both ratings) for the iMac G5 and any other wireless 802.11 based kit. You can put the ethernet modem on the other port to sort out the connection out.
Supports up to 50 users.

You're outlay on the Extreme should be about 150 notes, plus a bit more for the card on the iMac G5....which you can fit yerself or take to a dealer.

GingerMagician 17 Oct 2005 22:37:33 3,011 posts
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I thought there weren't any ethernet ports for the Xbox? At least that what mouse seemed to be telling me earlier. Does it perform the router function when it's doing it wired up? Is the Xbox even compatible?

Not doubting you Nem - just don't want to make the wrong decision!

Nemesis 17 Oct 2005 22:43:15 20,312 posts
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Two types of Airport units.

One....Express. One ethernet port (for the modem), one shared USB and one audio jack for iTunes. Wireless G/B broadcast.

Other...Extreme. Two ethernet ports (one to modem, one for hard-point cable ...such as the Xbox) and wireless G/B broadcast.

I've got the Express at home cos I don't need a wired ethernet connection to anything; all is wireless here.

Check the link above for the specifics.

GingerMagician 17 Oct 2005 22:45:57 3,011 posts
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Nemesis wrote:
Two types of Airport units.

One....Express. One ethernet port (for the modem), one shared USB and one audio jack for iTunes. Wireless G/B broadcast.

Other...Extreme. Two ethernet ports (one to modem, one for hard-point cable ...such as the Xbox) and wireless G/B broadcast.

I've got the Express at home cos I don't need a wired ethernet connection to anything; all is wireless here.

Check the link above for the specifics.

Just been having a read and it looks ideal. The only question mark in my mind is whether the Xbox will play ball when it's running through the Base Station.

GingerMagician 17 Oct 2005 23:02:10 3,011 posts
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Oh, I forgot - I'm planning on getting Sky+

The Sky box will need to be connected to the phone line won't it? So I guess a router with more than one ethernet port might be the way to go.

Why is all this shit so complicated. I know it's not REALLY complicated, but it ain't simple either is it?!

tiddles 17 Oct 2005 23:53:42 3,555 posts
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GingerMagician wrote:
Oh, I forgot - I'm planning on getting Sky+

The Sky box will need to be connected to the phone line won't it? So I guess a router with more than one ethernet port might be the way to go.

Why is all this shit so complicated. I know it's not REALLY complicated, but it ain't simple either is it?!

Sky+ just goes into the standard phone line... nothing to do with the Ethernet connections.

GingerMagician 20 Oct 2005 09:42:58 3,011 posts
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Ok guys, still need some help.

Have picked up the Airport card, but am still trying to work out whether I go for an Airport Extreme Base Station or for a "normal" wireless router.

My questions are these:
- does the Airport Base Station perform the functions of a router (i.e. does it share the network/internet connection) when one device is wireless (Mac) and one device is wired up to it (Xbox)?
- if the answer to the above question is yes, is the Base Station Xbox Live compatible?

I've been searching all sorts of Apple forums, but can't seem to get the info I require. The monkey in the London Apple Store wasn't a lot of use yesterday either.

Any help would be most appreciated!

Deleted user 20 October 2005 09:50:32

dont forgett the silver foil around your head to stop the wireless signals adjusting your brain chemistry.

GingerMagician 20 Oct 2005 10:03:10 3,011 posts
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Madder Max wrote:
dont forgett the silver foil around your head to stop the wireless signals adjusting your brain chemistry.

I've been getting headaches this week as it is!

/dons foil hat

Anyone help me?

tiddles 20 Oct 2005 13:24:27 3,555 posts
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Looks like Airport Extreme base stations have an Ethernet socket too, so you'll be able to share the connection. afaik, the Xbox makes a normal wired connection to a network, like any other Ethernet device (mine just plugs into the router) - no reason I'm aware of why it shouldn't work like this with the Airport Extreme. Might be worth checking one of the Xbox forums?

Grunk 20 Oct 2005 13:33:00 4,718 posts
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When I get round to buying one I was gonna leave the xbox plugged into the wall in a discreet location.

And pump only the AV signals to the telly wirelessly. means if I ever get a plasma screen, there wont be any wires trailing up the wall. (I'll install a power socket half way up).

Also HDTV senders have to work in the 5GHz band at least because of bandwidth requirements, which is handy as it means it doesn't go tits south when someone switches on a microwave.