Your wireless Xbox connection just got faster

(Credit: Gizmogroove)

We had seen the wireless 802.11n Xbox 360 adapter pop up a few months ago and now Microsoft has officially released the $100 Wi-Fi accessory. In anticipation of the console's next firmware update--which will allow for 1080p video content off the Xbox Live Marketplace--the adapter promises a faster connection, better range, and improved security.

With the Wireless N Network Adapter now available, Microsoft has lowered the price on the existing a/b/g-compatible wireless adapter to as low as $70 online.

We'll have a full review of the new Xbox 360 wireless networking accessory in the coming days.

(Source: GameSpot)

[repituar]

My current adapter works just fine. I will pass on this one.....BTW - "FIRST" ;0)

[logangreer]

These Xbox Wifi adapters are so ridiculously overpriced it's a joke. It's like they're not even trying to give people a fair deal, or even make it appear to be a fair deal.

I have an Xbox and love it, but I plug an ethernet cable into it from my router.

Think about it. The Wii costs around $200. The Xbox wifi adapter costs $100. Seriously?

[xmaster_dosx]

same here, i run a 50 ft cable from my computor room to myroom for my xbox. it works just fine

[hynguyen02]

I couldn't agree with you more. My only reply back to Microsoft is "Thanks but no thanks!". I already got mine, and it is a PS3. How can you charge people with $100 for this? Also, the 60GB hard drive is another $100??? I don't even want to mention about Blu-ray. I'm not trying to be cheap or anything, I already got all these stuff. I just want people to know that this system can add up to $400, minimum!

Everytime when there is a commercial about the Xbox360, I just laugh my a** off. This is how they advertised "You can get an Xbox 360 for only $199". Wow, this is such a good deal. Who are they trying to fool?

[bhec99]

Probably one of the most over priced (and almost necessary) accessories of all time. Yes! Half the price of a Wii that has built in Wi-Fi! Ridiculous. Can there not be a 3rd party adapter made? Is that against the rules?

[EdCenter]

There's a way to connect the Xbox 360 via ETHERNET to a cheap Linksys router, but set up the router in a way so that it acts as a Wifi adapter. But this requires some technical know-how as you have to flash the firmware.
Essentially what you're doing (which I think Tom Merritt might consider doing a how-to on) is you have your Xbox 360, connect it to the firmware-modded Linksys router, and the router acts as a bridge to connect to your home Wifi router.

[docstar7]

my vote would still go with the even more ridiculously priced hard drives.

[football0552]

Just ethernet the Xbox to a computer and have your computer act as a bridge.... So find an old laptop you have sitting around and tell Msoft stick it on this one.

[AppleLuver]

You can connect it to a computer with Mac OS X, but that would require you to have your computer on whenever you want to play Xbox Live, and not everyone has a computer near there TV or a Mac.

It works great with my Airport Extreme Router.

[darkr]

IF you look at the SPECs of the wifi adapter it not only beats MOST of your standard laptop WIFI adapter but it also beats your Precious ps3's wifi adapter
and i have both systems

its a DUAL band adapter that supports the A/B/G (the first one)
plus it already supports 2.4ghz and 5ghz
ps 3 only supports 2.4 ghz which has issues with microwaves
most wifi adapters you buy are 2.4 or highend ones are just 2.4ghz
btw A has a better for range and reliability but most cards including ps3 doesn't support it
http://www.xbox.com/en-US/hardware/x/xbox360wirelessnetadapter/default.htm

ps3 only supports 2.4ghz as we all know sucks when around 2.4ghhz devices like cellphone and wireless handsets

[troyoverton]

EdCenter:
I've done exactly this, and all because there's a little coat closet between the bedroom where the router is and the xbox. It works, but it's not great. (DD-WRT v24sp2, with a 54Gv2 and a 54GSv2 connected to each other.)

One thing you have to consider about using two wireless routers paired to each other is that your theoretical bandwidth is something like half of the total, so... like 27? It's hardly enough to do the job.

However, plugged directly into a Catalyst 3550... Now that's a beautiful thing. I also have the wifi adapter (which a buddy is currently borrowing...)

How does M$ actually see the right to charge this LUDICROUS amount? Any normal adapter is less than $50, but with Microsoft, I guess we just get to pay double for something that should already be on board. It makes it alot easier to figure out where the multi-billion dollar quarterly profits are coming from.

@darkr: But that still doesn't justify the price. For much less than even $70 I can either:
1) Run an ethernet cable directly to my second story floor room for a superior connection AND speed;
or
2) By myself a wireless router, flash it with DD-WRT firmware, and have a customizable wireless connection that beats the Microsoft option, no sweat.

When the Microsoft option cost $100, there would've been enough money left over to buy a brand new game. The fact that MS thinks that they can charge so much for hardware that's now pretty inexpensive (Wireless, HDD) is BS. In this day and age when even picture frames and toasters (for all I know) include wireless capabilities, and the competition has wireless in their consoles, AND most home networks are outfitted for wireless, doesn't it make sense to include a feature that would greatly increase the value of your product at little cost to yourself? ESPECIALLY when considering how little of the console market the 360 has?

P.S: A does not have better range realistically. The signal is more likely to suffer a greater interference by walls.

[Donniebrasco]

I have 4 2.4 Ghz phones handseats scattered throughout the house and have no connectivity issues with my PS3.

I also don't see what the big deal about N is for a gaming console. I could see the advantage using it within a network for file transfer or sharing, but N won't help your Xbox Live experience when even the fastest FIOS connection is only 50 Mbps. They could release a router and adapter that supported 1Tbps and it wouldn't matter until the ISP can offer anything close to that.

With that said, sharing media between my PS3 and laptop is smooth right now with G.

[erharri]

Dlink has the DAP-1522 Xtreme N Duo Wireless Bridge/Access Point that you can use to connect all of your ethernet enabled gaming devices to your wireless network. I use this unit to connect my X-Box, my PS3, my Blu-Ray player and my HTPC to my wireless network and it works great. It has 4-ports so instead of buyng Microsofts x-box only dongle this covers all of my devices with one small appliance.

[Khubo]

EdCenter hit the nail on the head. I was one of the lucky ones that picked up an Arcade from WalMart for $99 last weekend. Since I will be using it as a dvd player and a media center extender I need to connect it to my network and I need something faster than wireless G to effectively stream HD. I knew that Microsoft was coming out with a wireless N adapter but I also knew that it would be at least $100. Instead, I found a refurbed linksys wireless N router and I will load DD-WRT on it and tusn it into a bridge instead. This solution cost me $25 bucks and should give me all the throughput that I need. As an added bonus I can now add my Roku M500 to my network wired so I don't have to slow down my entire wireless network with a wireless A/B device.

[phuongnwade]

In your review, I'd love to know if it allows the Xbox to be a windows media center extender. The G adapter allows streaming of videos but only through the menu's, you can't use it for media center. (I know ethernet is better, but I can't run the cables to where my TV is)

I was thinking of a powerline ethernet adaptor and at these prices I think I will get better speed out of that.

[phuongnwade]

Don't do the powerline ethernet - they don't work, I purchased one adn was getting throughput of about 12mps

[FrostyD7]

I cant believe the old one never got a chance to get any lower than 70-80 dollars. I would love to have one of these, but theres no way im paying more than what a new game costs. These things are worth 40 bucks maximum, the old one should be sold for 20 now.

[swu88]

Picked mine up when Circuit City was going under. My local store literally only had a shelf full of them left on the final days. Picked it up for $20 :P

[mgheff]

it still isn't worth t at all..$100? come one that is half of an xbox 360 arcade...microsoft really knows how to rip people off...

[pickles319]

But its one hell of a profit. A WiFi adapter is almost necessary unless you keep your Xbox right next to your router.

[mgheff]

that is very true, but for a system that basically lives off of its Live service, you'd think it would come with the main thing needed to take advantage of it: wifi. It is really kind of sleazy in my book, but people are willing to pay for it, so...

[AppleLuver]

Unless you have a setup with ethernet cables going through your walls to every room like me :)

@mgheff

I couldn't have put it better myself :)

[NitDawg]

I used a $30 wireless bridge up until I moved into a house where I hard-lined it into my router. Worked great.

[x2142x]

While this is definitely overpriced, I'm just happy for the fact that it's black to match my Elite. Even if this thing was 50 dollars I would buy it (which is still overpriced) but 100? Come on Microsoft you should know better.

[Will1977a]

This is the reason I won't buy another Microsoft console. I have more invested in my 360 (wifi, hd-dvd) than I spent on my early ps3 ($600) and it still can't do half what the ps3 can. I'm out of memory on my Xbox HDD so now I just don't spend money dowloading to it. Microsoft's loss as I won't pay their ridiculous price for a bigger HDD.

[mgheff]

Sony gets you initially, but Microsoft nickel and dimes you for everything under the sun...if they just had everything included...

[C433Z]

Just get an original xbox router for about $40

http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-Wireless-Network-Adapter-MN740/dp/B00005QBX9/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1232140511&sr=1-2

[njjay2008]

The original Xbox Adapter doesn't work with the 360.

[futureman123]

Yes, it does work... the original xbox wireless adapter is simply a branded ethernet bridge, it will work with anything!

[kalel33]

Yep, works just fine. I moved to a new place where I could hook through ethernet, but using a wireless bridge is the best/value way to hook up the 360 wirelessly.

[njjay2008]

Wow it actually did work! Yay!

[Shrrt Rver]

Quick question can you use an external harddrive for game saves and other things on the 360? Thinking about getting an Arcade if I can just use a 500gb portable hardrive to do the job that an Elites preinstalled drive does.

[BCF1968]

No you can't. You can with a PS3. Or you can also swap out the HDD in the PS3 with any laptop HDD. If you could use an external HDD then MS couldn't force you to get one of those $50 512 MB memory cards.

"can you use an external harddrive for game saves and other things on the 360?"

"No you can't. You can with a PS3."

Actually, you can't with a PS3. The PS3 only allows non-copyrighted media (photos, videos) to be played off an external hard drive or USB flash drive. Game installs and saves still have to be stored on the internal hard drive.

[shlurpee]

I actually bought an xbox arcade when walmart was running its $100 gift card deal. I came home and learned that xbox live/netflix access costs $50/year, wifi will cost $100, and I have no harddrive, another $100-$150, JUST TO GET IT TO WORK! Even with the $100 gift card it will cost the same as a PS3 and not have blu-ray. So I am selling the xbox and saving for a PS3. Wifi, HDD, free online/netflix access, oh and it has Blu-ray. No brainer.

[xmaster_dosx]

the PS3 really is the better deal now. I have everything i need for my 360 and ill say it cost quite a bit.

[CrashPad63]

Come on people stop the " oh I didnt know that" Xbox has charged for the wireless adapter from day one, The Arcade is for just that the Wii type game market.
You sudo PS fanbois really gotta find a new act.

[grysl]

I have and enjoy both the PS3 and XBox360, so no fanboy stuff here... but I have to say, the built-in Wi-Fi on the PS3 (at least the slim version that I bought) is unbelievably slow. The Microsoft add-on might be absurdly expensive, but it works amazinglly well. No other device on my wireless network has this problem, but I can die waiting to download a 1GB demo on the PS3 (not to mention the interminable "installation" after the fact). I dread starting up a disc-based game and getting the "need to download update" screen, because I know it means I have 20 minutes before I'll be playing anything.

And as far as the cost of XBox Live goes, if you want nice things... Even at $50 a year, XBox Live is just a considerably better service. I'd rather get a great service for less than $5 a month than PS3's barely-good-enough-to-be-free online service.

I love my PS3. It's a great blu-ray player (arguably the best on the market), and it was worth buying just for Uncharted 2. But XBox 360 is the champ this generation. Hands down. It's not my fault you fell for the Arcade bundle. Read up next time.

[Byteme2009]

@ grysl - as far as the PS3 update, I haven't had to do one for a while now and while they are large downloads for the update just try and remember to check for updates when you finish a gaming session, or at other times when you are not gaming (like sitting down to watch TV, whatever) If there is one available it can be downloading while you are not using the unit.

[tmt345]

costs half the price of the console LOL. whats even funnier is how people actually buy these things!

this should cost no more than $30-40 TOPS.

[BCF1968]

The XBOX website and Best Buy still have the old one listed at $100 wal-mart has it for $77. Even at $70 it's way overpriced.

Amazing how you can get a 120 GB PS3 with built in wireless AND blu-ray for $300 and a 120 GB 360 with wi-fi is at least $370 and you still don't get blu-ray. Explain why that is. It's amazing that a company that like to tout about it's online capabilities doesn't bother to put wi-fi in it's system. And for those that say just use ethernet. Well to most of us that isn't practical. And even if I considered I still have to pay for the ethernet cord. And have you priced a 50 foot cord? Because that's the minimum length I'd need. So either way wi-fi or ethernet it's going to cost you extra to get online with the 360. Not to mention the ridiculous $50 per year membership fee for XBL. What are they going to charge for the 250 GB HDD when it comes out $200-$250?

[bobmonkey07]

ethernet cables aren't expensive actually, unless you're the kind of person who buys everything at bestbuy, thinking it really is the best buy...

[DMBoricua]

Wow, come on. PS3 = wireless internet (with FREE online multiplayer gaming), Blu-ray, motion sensing wireless controllers, I'm telling you. If it werent for all the Halo games (which I love so much) being JUST ON the 360, I'd be otherwise totally bitter on the system. I just hope Halo 3 and ODST come out for PC so I wont be forced to waste money on the 360 JUST for those 2 games.

[CrashPad63]

Xbox 360+ the best gaming experince. So who is right or wrong. Get a life fanboi.

[jsnowbordr47]

How many games really make true use of the SixAxis Controller? Not even COD: MW2 makes much use (if any at all) My cousin was playing MW2 on his PS3 yesterday and I asked him if it used SixAxis, and he said if it did, he hadn't used it yet.lol

As for the wireless internet. I've played on PSN and one of its weakpoints is that it is so buggy. In one evening playing Socom: Confrontation I remember having to reboot the game at least 4 times. And yesterday while playing COD: MW2 we coudln't even invite or join my cousins friends (always got an error message saying the session was over). You get what you pay for.

And, the point of this new Wi-Fi adapter is that it's significantly faster than any of the wi-fi options you have in the PS3 or the Wii. It uses 802.11n while everyone else uses 802.11g. It's a noticeable speed bump.

As for Blu-Ray. Well, I can't speak for you, but my cousin doesn't have a single Blu-Ray movie for his PS3. And I have quite a few friends with PS3's who have maybe 1 or 2 movies max on Blu-Ray.

[mgheff]

these attempts at standing up for Microsoft are just pitiful. Everyone knows that the PS3 is generally better, but since everyone got the Xbox when it first came out before the PS3, they don't feel like switching over from something they have invested a great deal of money in. Eventually, Sony's online service will get to the point of Microsoft's, and its main feature (aside from Halo if you really must have it) will not look so hot for 50 more dollars. Having no built in wifi is so amazingly lame I just don't even know what to say. I can't think of anything dumber in a gaming system. Oh wait, the 33 percent failure rate...

[Byteme2009]

@ jsnowbord47 - I will say that I have had a PS3 for nearly a year now and I only own one bluray movie. That said, I haven't bought a DVD either. I have rented very few DVD's though, going with the bluray option whenever possible. As the price of the bluray movies come down I will no doubt start buying more. Oh, and the one bluray movie I bought was Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen which was cheaper to buy the bluray version over the DVD version when I happened to look at buying it :)

[dctech08]

now the built in ps3 wifi is out matched. hummmmm.....

[BCF1968]

Too bad that most people still use wireless b/g routers. So it doesn't matter. Fact is a 360 with wireless N is $100 more than a PS3 with wireless G. Wireless N isn't worth $100 to most people. Also it's not like Sony couldn't come out with a wireless N adapter for the PS3 and it won't cost $100 either.

[Donniebrasco]

Anyone try just plugging a N adapter into a PS3? I mean a lot of other stuff just works plugged into the USB on a PS3. I still don't think its necessary when my Fios connection is only 15 mbps and I stream from my laptop just fine on G.

[xmaster_dosx]

the 360 isnt a totaly bad system, its just M$ wants you to buy a bunch of stuff you kinda need to play the system to the fullest and thats why they suck. i love my 360 and my PS3, but if i had to recommend one it would be the PS3, its just the better deal now.

[bhec99]

Does anyone know what security setting works with a bridged DD-WRT Router? I have tried a few but I cannot seem to protect the network with the bridge feature on. Thanks

[Shrrt Rver]

Ok thanks BCF1968. Guess I will have to get an Elite since the pro has disappeared.