Anyone willing to help me understand wireless connections?

[mdgrim]

More specifically setting up my xbox360 wireless network adapter, This -> http://www.gadtech.com/wp-content/u...802-11n-xbox-360-wireless-network-adapter.jpg to be more exact.

Anyways let me give you guys a little explanation before I start firing out questions. As a present for my last birthday (all the way back in May) I received a wireless network adapter for my 360 so I could finally get the platform out of the family room (about 10 feet away from the computer). However as time went on I was unable to solve the questions I had about actually getting the device working and in the process brought about multiple other questions. The reason I have finally decided to bring my questions here is because no one else seems to have the answers. Also my father is good at making situations more difficult than they should be haha.

I stumbled upon this website -> http://www.ehow.com/how_4579006_configure-xbox-wireless-network-adapter.html earlier today which stated that "The Xbox 360 connects to the Internet through your home network via a wireless network adapter that is sold separately".

Here comes the questions.

~ Seeing as I already have the 360 adapter. Is the only other device I need a wireless adapter that connects to my computer,router,etc?

~ The current modem/router my family owns are NOT wireless. Would I need a wireless modem(if there is a such a thing) and a wireless router for this to work? Or just the wireless adapter as long as everything else is connected through cables.

~ My computer uses a broadband/DSL connection from a local area internet provider (http://www.ironton.com/). Does this 'connection' have wireless capability? I know it is a foolish question but my father seems to believe that certain internet connections/providers have the ability to be wireless while others do not (I however don't think this is true lol).

~ Seeing as my computer connects to the internet via cables, would I have to change any internet settings or create a new connection to use my wireless items?

These are the only questions I can think of currently and I'll be very happy if I see any of them answered

P.S. I am still not computer/tech savvy. lol

 

[DUCE]

Hey mdgrim!

To be able to use the wireless adaptor, you would definitely need a wireless router for this to happen. DSL is compatible for use with a router, so I wouldn't worry about that too much. Specifically, since the adapter you got is an 802.11n specific adapter, you would need a wireless router that has N-network capability to get the full benefit of a N-class wireless network. I personally like Linksys routers, so I would look into getting one of those. D-Link and Netgear are pretty decent brands as well. Here's an example of a D-Link router I ran into that's gotten pretty good reviews and the price is pretty inexpensive for a wireless-N router (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...m_re=wireless_N_router-_-33-127-288-_-Product). As for the cables, when you do get the router, you'll see the router has ports specifically to allow you to plug cables into wherever is necessary.

Here's a little diagram on how a typical home network is setup that'll help explain a little bit:

This is what the back of a typical wireless router would look like.

As you can see, there's a number of Ethernet ports, which are labled A (usually around 4, it depends on the model), which you would plug in devices you want to have a wired connection to. By devices I mean PCs and the such. How you plug in the DSL router would be the same as if you were plugging it into your PC, except you would plug in the DSL cable to the WAN port (which is labeled B), which in turn would enable other network devices access the Internet!

If you have any questions, feel free to hit me up in Steam, and I'll give you a hand!

 

[mdgrim]

Alright, nice! So in other words the only thing I need to purchase is a wireless router? The connections from my modem to router can stay as they are currently and the same goes for router to PC? And I wouldn't need to mess with any of my internet settings correct? If I'm understanding what your saying correctly, the only thing I need is a N-network capable router to replace my current router. If thats the case then this whole ting seriously got out of hand and my parents got way too worked up about it haha.

Thanks for the info DUCE =D

 

[DUCE]

Hah it happens, bud. Technology can be quite intimidating, so I wouldn't feel too bad. But yeah to answer your questions:

1. Just to differentiate the two (since its a common mixup) the modem is the device that the Internet Service Provider (ISP) gives you that allows you to connect to their service. Most of the time the connection goes like this: wire from the wall outlet to the modem, Ethernet cable to PC. A router is a device that allows multiple devices to share one connection point. Think of it as a splitter.

2. Usually you can simply plug in the devices and your set, since most wireless routers will handle all the addressing and stuff automatically by default. (I won't go into the specifics of DHCP).

3. 802.11n is backwards compatible with G-network wireless routers, and I believe B (I'm a bit rusty on what's backwards compatible), however you won't get the full benefits if you went with a 802.11n wireless router. So for simplicity sakes, go with that. Mind you, 802.11n is a newer wireless standard and not as widely used as 802.11g, so that means that the pricing is a bit higher. So shop around and see if you can find a better deal, or if you have a preference for a specific vendor, but the one I linked you is a solid router.

 

[mdgrim]

epic, I know what I'm asking for as a Christmas present lol. Besides Kinect =p

 

[DUCE]

Haha go for it! But yeah when the time comes and you need assistance setting it up, let me know and I'll assist.

 

[mdgrim]

probably going to run over to bestbuy sometime in this week and pick up one of these.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/D-Link+...3577562535&skuId=8305568&st=router&cp=1&lp=14
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/D-Link+...18154721479&skuId=9706754&st=router&cp=1&lp=1

I don't really care if they have a fast transfer rate as our internet has very, very slow download/upload speeds and it only has to reach 30 to 50 feet away to the xbox360 adapter =p (through a floor and two rooms over from the computer position) Anyways if I run into problems, and I'm sure I will... I'll poke you on steam or with forum PMs haha