X-Box 360 Wireless Networking Adapter ~ A Big Price For A Small Device

My kids got the X-Box 360 Elite as well as numerous games. They played and played and played and figured out how to beat or win most of the games. They wanted more. They wanted to go on-line and play X-Box Live against friends and other opponents that they did not know.

The main problem I encountered was that the X-Box 360 was in a separate game room making it impractical to run a line from the main computer modem across the house and into another room. We have a wireless system set up between our computers, but the wireless antenna that works on our computers would not work on the X-Box 360. I tried, but it was a big no-go.

X-Box 360 support was helpful in telling me about the Wireless Networking Adaptor and so off I went in search of this device. $100, yes, one-hundred dollars is the general cost of this small device. You may save a few dollars shopping around, but expect to spend some big bucks on this adaptor.

The X-Box 360 Wireless Networking Adapter lets you connect your X-Box 360 system wirelessly to your home network for X-Box Live or to another X-Box 360 system for head-to-head action. This Wireless Networking Adapter is designed to work only with the X-Box 360 game system. It is an expensive "optional" device that is a must if you want to go Live.

Besides playing Live, you can use this Wireless Adapter to transfer videos and music to your Xbox 360 system from your computer, chat with your friends, and download movies. Think of the Wireless Networking Adapter as a mini-modem that sort of turns your X-Box 360 into computer of sorts connected to the internet.

The Wireless Networking Adapter is a small slim white rectangle about 3 inches long. There is a USB cord that you attaches to your X-Box 360 system. The adapter has 2 small tabs where you can directly attach it on the back of your console. You will also see a small LED light that glows green when the adapter is on and working. The attached antenna lies flush against the side and can be swiveled in only one direction for better reception.

In order to use the X-Box 360 Wireless Networking Adapter with X-Box Live, you must have a high-speed Internet connection in place, or the device will not function. Another area to be aware of is that not all routers or modems are compatible with this adapter. There is a full listing of compatible home networking equipment on the X-Box 360 website.

I had a heck of a time setting up the adapter to work with my modem as I had the modem running through the wireless antenna router. It took many frustrating calls to my ISP and to X-Box 360 support to finally figure it out. X-Box Support is more than patient and will stay on line with you until they can help you, or they will set up a call back time after they research the problem. My ISP was horrible in that they "could not help me as the equipment was not theirs."

Connecting your X-Box 360 to a new or existing wireless network is supposed to be easy as long as you know what your wireless network settings are - if you do not know how to find these you can call your ISP and they can help you.

Actually attaching the adapter to your X-Box 360 is really very easy. Your wireless networking adapter attaches directly to the back of your X-Box 360 console. There are 2 little "tabs" on the back of the adapter that fit right into the two small slots on the back of the console. Just press the adapter until you hear a click that the tabs are in place. You then connect the USB connector into the USB port that is right next to where you just attached the adapter. Flip up the antenna and that's it.

You do have the option of not clipping the adapter in place which is what we ended up doing. For the best reception we found that the adapter worked best being in front of the X-Box 360 console instead of in the back.

For set up you need to access the set-up screens of your wireless access point. You can access most of your wireless network settings on the set-up screens for your router or wireless modem. To connect your X-Box 360 to a wireless network you will need to:
1. Turn on your X-Box 360 and any wireless networking devices such as your router.
2. Attach the Wireless Networking Adapter to the back of your X-Box 360 console.
3. Go to the System area of the X-Box "Dashboard" to enter your network settings.
4. If all settings are correct, your X-Box 360 should now be connected to your wireless network.
It all sounds easy, and I do not think it was the fault of the adapter, but I just could not get the settings correct so that it would be compatible with my wireless network. Finally through numerous calls to X-Box Support we did get it to work. Yeah!

The X-Box 360 Wireless Networking Adapter is both dual band 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz wireless signals. It compatible with and conforms to all three current wireless network standards (802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11g). The adapter is also powered by the X-Box 360 so there are no other plugs or cords to have to deal with.

The Wireless Adapter comes in one of those practically indestructible plastic blister packs. I had to use scissors to get mine open. There is an instruction manual that comes with the adapter and it is quite easy to read and understand using diagrams and pictures to walk you through the whole set up process.

Once we got the adapter working it has done a beautiful job. The room that the X-Box is in is behind a fireplace wall but the reception works everytime and has never interrupted game play during all of their Live time. I'm not sure why I had such a hard time getting the adapter to work with my modem and router, but X-Box Support was wonderful through all of the phone calls.

If you are looking to get a Wireless Adapter for your X-Box 360 and have an extra $100 to spare, I highly recommend this device for all of your Live play, or for downloading of music and video.

Thanks for reading! Judy