Anyone using XBox Live over wireless LAN? (1 Viewer)

[Brett G]

With speeds up to 11 Mbps, I assume wireless LAN is a feasible option for XBox Live. And with a device such as the Linksys WET11, it would be possible. Since my broadband connection is in my computer room and my XBox is in the living room (about 30 ft. away) I'd love to not have to run CAT5 cable between the two. And since I already have an 802.11b access point, this seems like the perfect solution.
Since my connection caps off at about 1.5 Mbps DL and 128 Kbps UL (both of which are well below average WLAN speeds), I can't see any problems with this setup. Anyone have any experience?
-Brett

 

[Joe Szott]

Brett,
I am in a similar situation and plan to use the similar dlink solution for Xbox Live!
http://www.dlink.com/products/dwl810/
I don't think there will be any problems with this sort of setup. I've gamed a bit on my wife's wireless laptop and lag wasn't a problem. I'll let you know come Nov 16

 

[Brian J Dupuis]

Yeah, I'm very tempted to do the same thing... WAP for the Xbox instead of digging through walls to run some new CAT5. Right now I just moved the whole DSL/wireless router complex into the back of the entertainment center, leaving a PC lacking in the Internet department . As long as my wife can still access the Internet from her laptop, I'm golden, but I would like to get my PC back on, and this seems like a good solution. I've heard that it's just dandy, and I would expect it to be. The only possible problem I could think of is a slight additional latency depending on what security you select, but I have to assume this would be negligible.

 

[Michael St. Clair]

I've heard that with encryption, you are looking at a total 5ms of additional latency.

If that is truly the case, I can't see it making any real difference.

I've heard some people claim substantial lag for online gaming with 802.11b, but I'll bet a dollar that they are having wireless packet loss.

 

[Joe Szott]

Brian,

It works just fantastic as a hub for multiple computers. My wife has a wireles card in her laptop and it is just as fast as my PC (wired) for browsing, etc. Also, the wireless hub we use has a parallel port on the back, so the printer now sits off in a corner with the wireless access hub and can be accessed by all the machines easily.

I highly suggest it if you have the $ and want to elimate some CAT5 in your casa, 802.11b really works. Hopefully it will work for Xbox Live! as well...

 

[Brian E]

Some people were talking abou this on one of the various XBox forums and it sounds like it works ok. People are connecting with 56K and making it work ok (according to them their are no speed problems) so I can't see wireless being a big problem.

 

[Troy LaMont]

How is everyone using wireless connections with the Xbox when there'e no wireless PCI card slot or PCMCIA port to connect the receiver end to on the Xbox?

I use a Belikin wireless router but my Xbox is connected via CAT5 (hardwired). I'd love to do it wireless...

Thanks.

Troy

 

[Mike_G]

I'm using the WET11. No problems. No latency.

Mike

 

[Joe Szott]

Troy,

Take a peek at the two wireless devices that Brett and I placed in the first two posts. That's what you need to do wireless Xbox Live!, an OS-less access port device.

Mike - Did you get the Linksys device and Xbox Live hooked up already? How did it go?

-Joe

 

[Mike_G]

Hooking up the XBox was easy. I hooked the WET11 to my laptop to configure it, and once I did that, I disconencted the cable from my laptop and hooked it up to my XBox.

My XBox got a network connection easily and I was playing NFL Fever just as if it was wired.

It also works with my PS2.

Mike

 

[Chris Rock]

Help me understand this a little better:
In order to get this working, what do you need? DO you need a wireless router ($100+) AND another device (like a Wireless Bridge or a Wireless Access Point or something ($100+)?

I'd really like to do away with the LONG run of CAT5 Cable...but I need to know what to buy.

 

[Mike_G]

Chris,
My problem is that my WAP is downstairs, but my XBox and PS2 are upstairs. My PCs and Mac are downstairs, so it's much easier to wire them all up downstairs.

The WET11 is designed for devices that have Ethernet but no 802.11b. If you have a WAP already, and you can wire your XBox/PS2 into it, no you don't NEED the WET11 Wireless Bridge. However, if your situation is like mine and your consoles are far from your WAP, you need the WET11.

Mike

 

[Chris Rock]

There's a cool diagram here that helped me understand it.
Mike, thanks for helping clear it up.
It looks like I'm gonna bite the bullet and get the Wireless Router/WAP & the WET11. It looks like the best solution.

 

[Michael St. Clair]

FYI, the WAP11 can now be configured as a (dedicated) bridge as long as it has the latest firmware.

So you can use it as a bridge (like WET11) with 2 antennas. And if you ever want to convert it into a (non-router) Access Point instead, you can.

And it costs about the same $109.95 from Gateway, free shipping.

Why does the Router/WAP/switch, the bridge, and the WAP which can be configured as a dedicated bridge all cost almost exactly the same? Makes no sense to me.

The Router/WAP/switch has to cost a lot more to make than then others. And the bridge should cost the least of all. But street retail is practically identical.

 

[William C]

Beta tester here, using Linlsys WET 11 and BEFW11S4 v2 router, Gamertag = Warpiggy

Seems to work well with Moto GP, the real test will be Unreal Championship. Haven't tried Fever 2003 and Whacked is appropriatly named. I need to replace some 2.4GHZ telephones now!

Anyone know optimal setting with this WAN setup?

 

[Chris Rock]

Can I ask one of you the difference between the Linksys WAP11 Wireless Access Point (which can be configured as a bridge) and the WET11 Wireless - Ethernet bridge?

I'm about to plunk down the $200+ on the Wireless Router & Bridge OR WAP. I need to know what the difference is.

 

[Brett G]

Chris,

The main difference is that the WET11 is not an access point. If you already have an access point (which you must to be able to use the WET11), then another one is not really necessary. It could be nice to have, though, for roaming. I think the main advantage of the WET11 is it's size and simplicity.

I'm wondering if the BEFW11S4 can act as a bridge. At about the same cost as the WET11 you can get four ports and another access point. That would be nice.

-Brett

 

[Chris Rock]

So you're telling me that the difference is that the WET11 can SEND wireless signals, but not RECEIVE them, whereas the WAP11 can do both?

 

[Brett G]

So you're telling me that the difference is that the WET11 can SEND wireless signals, but not RECEIVE them, whereas the WAP11 can do both?

Well, a wireless LAN connection is bi-directional, so the WET11 can receive wireless signals. Basically, the WET11 can only communicate with an access point, while the WAP11 can communicate with another access point and/or ANY 802.11b device.

Does that make sense?

-Brett

 

[Michael St. Clair]

Well, a wireless LAN connection is bi-directional, so the WET11 can receive wireless signals. Basically, the WET11 can only communicate with an access point, while the WAP11 can communicate with another access point and/or ANY 802.11b device.

But can't an access point only talk to another access point via a cable?

Regardless, if you get a WAP11, you will configure it as a bridge. When it does this, it is a dedicated bridge and will not give any additional functionality over the WET11.

So if you are starting from scratch, you need

1) The WAP/router/switch
and
2) A WET11 or a WAP11. The WAP11 is larger and needs more configuration. And once it is configured, you will not get any additional functionality. You just get the flexibility to retask it in the future if you want.