Prewiring for XBox live via cable modem (1 Viewer)

[Joel Mack]

do I need to buy a cat 5 cable that's long enough to run from the office to my HT and a router to split the signal coming from the cable modem so both the cpu and XBox can be connected at the same time?

Yes.

Edit: Whoa! How'd my reply end up being before the original post? Freaky, man...

 

[Carl Johnson]

Tomorrow I'm gonna be down in my crawlspace and while I'm down there I want do do some wiring to take my XBox online. I've done some research but I'm not 100% certain what I need to buy to make this work. I don't know what any of this stuff is, these are just terms I've picked up on. In addition to the XBox live pack that's being released in November do I need to buy a cat 5 cable that's long enough to run from the office to my HT and a router to split the signal coming from the cable modem so both the cpu and XBox can be connected at the same time?

thx

 

[Carl Johnson]

It doesn't get much faster than that Joel
Any suggestions on where I can get this stuff cheap?

 

[Masood Ali]

CompUSA had a 4-port router for $30 (don't quote me on that) after MIR, CAT5 should be $15 for 50+ ft.

 

[Ryan Coleman]

Make sure to check with your cable provider to make sure they still let you network.

I know up here our provider (Rogers) has some messed up config that only lets one PC connect unless you give them more $$$ - about 10 a month I think.

Any idea if it'll be possible to stick another Ethernet card in my PC and then run the Xbox "through" my tower?

 

[Joel Mack]

I know up here our provider (Rogers) has some messed up config that only lets one PC connect unless you give them more $$$ - about 10 a month I think.

That's what you need the router for. It acts as the one PC and then serves dynamic IP addresses to everything connected to it.

 

[Michael D. Bunting]

I just purchased a new home (yeah!) this week. My choice for a Home Network is going to be wireless, with service from AT&T Broadband.
I will have a total of 2 PC's on the network...and then 1 XBOX for when Xbox goes Live!
I want to purchase these products here (on sale this week at Best Buy):
Item #1
EtherFast® Cable Modem with USB and Ethernet Connection
Item #2
EtherFast® Wireless AP + Cable/DSL Router w/4-Port Switch
And then also purchase this for my laptop:
Item #3
Instant Wireless Network PC Card
This takes care of both PC's (1 Desktop and 1 Laptop) which leaves only the XBOX left to network...
Do I just need to run a CAT 5 Network cable from the Router (Item # 2 above) to the XBOX? Is this connected via the 4 port switch?
I believe I have it figured right...but just wanted to make sure before buying everything...
thanks in advance for any help!

 

[Dave E H]

You _could_ use a Linksys wireless bridge this - to connec the Xbox via wireless, but I ran a cable anyway to my Xbox, as I didn't want any possibility that the wireless would create lag for my Xbox - i wanted the best possible experience, so I went with a wired connection.
YMMV, but if you've got the ability, I'd say run the wire.

 

[Michael D. Bunting]

Dave: Thanks for the link to the Linksys wireless bridge...I had missed that when I put my system plan together. I agree with you though on just running the wire....that's probably what I'll do.

I think my main PC and the XBOX will be in the same room anyway, so running the wire shouldn't be that big of a deal. My wife may want me to eliminate as many wires as possible though...so I may eventually have no choice but to go with the bridge you linked to above.

Thanks again!

Mike

 

[Dave E H]

No worries. GOod luck with the wires. My suggestion would be to use a Cat 5 cable but come up with a good way of hiding the wires. I'm boing to buy a wire run this week to hide all my cables comind down the wall form the ceiling - I spent 2 hours last night in a the ceiling of my 100 year old house so that the installs would be as clean as possible.

Ahh - what I'll do for gaming...

 

[Arthur Legardo]

Ryan Coleman,

Make sure to check with your cable provider to make sure they still let you network.
I know up here our provider (Rogers) has some messed up config that only lets one PC connect unless you give them more $$$ - about 10 a month I think.

I hope you didn't buy that extra IP address from Rogers. As far as I know your lease agreement with Rogers is for the rental of a cable modem and one IP address, nothing messy about it. I stopped paying the $10 fee for an extra IP address as soon as routers became available up here for a decent price, right now I have 3 computers, my X-Box and PS2 (via Sony Network Adapter) connected to my Rogers Highspeed Service. Heck, my cousin has his house wired along with her sister's house next door wired up to one subscription!