When Microsoft’s original Xbox emerged, it featured an integrated Ethernet port that let you play against other players through a special Ethernet cable or via Microsoft’s Xbox Live. The Xbox 360 includes an integrated Ethernet port as well. Unlike the original Xbox, the Xbox 360 lets you do more than just play games online. With the Xbox 360 you can stream digital images, music, and video from other PCs. If you’re dying to get your Xbox 360 connected to your home PC, but reluctant to string an Ethernet cable across the living room floor, Microsoft’s Wireless Network Adapter is the way to go.

The Wireless Network Adapter supports virtually all wireless network standards available today. That means if you already have a wireless network in place, the Wireless Network Adapter should be compatible with it. If you’re new to wireless networking, however, you should understand the basic differences between wireless standards.

Microsoft recommends using 802.11a. This standard has a top-speed of 54Mbps under ideal conditions. What makes 802.11a advantageous is not its speed but the 5GHz frequency it uses to send and receive data. Few wireless devices use this 5GHz band, making 802.11a less susceptible to interference.

802.11b and 802.11g are more widely used than 802.11a. Both operate in the more crowded 2.4GHz band, making them more susceptible to interference from cordless phones, Bluetooth-enabled cell phones, microwave ovens, and even Microsoft’s own wireless controllers. 802.11g is theoretically as fast as 802.11a although interference from other devices may reduce the network’s performance. 802.11b operates at a much slower 11Mbps. 802.11g speeds
can fall to 11Mbps when an 802.11b device connects to the network.

You can also connect two Xbox 360 units to one another. To network two Xbox 360s, you’ll need a Wireless Network Adapter for each system.

If you don’t already have a wireless network in place, you’ll need to configure your wireless router. Each router is different so you’ll need to consult your router’s documentation for more information. In general, however, you’ll connect your broadband modem to the wireless router’s WAN (not to be confused with WLAN). Usually, you’ll need to connect at least one computer to one of the wireless router’s LAN ports. You’ll use this system to configure the router. Consult you router’s documentation for more information about configuring your router.

You can get all the information you need from your wireless router. Normally, you configure your router through a Web browser. If you don’t know how to configure your router, consult your router’s documentation. You’ll need to find the wireless network name (often referred to as a Service Set Identifier or SSID), the wireless channel your router uses, and your security settings. Specifically, you’ll need to know the security standard your router uses and any keys or passphrases. The Wireless Network Adapter supports WPA-2 (Wi-Fi Protected Access), WPA, and WEP (Wired Equivalence Privacy). WPA-2 is the best security standard, and WPA is better then WEP. WEP is better than nothing and might be your only choice if using older equipment. The Wireless Network Adapter supports 64-bit and 128-bit WEP keys.

To continue in Part 2