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Microsoft Xbox 360 Wireless Networking Adapter
by Seven17
@ About @
I have had this network adaptor for 3 years now, and it still works like new. This is the really good thing with this, because once you buy one, you won't buy anther one, unlike the consoles when they get red ring. This does not have errors and overheating, although it does get quite hot to touch. It does put up with ... a lot of strain, being at the back of the console near the fans, and after a while gets incredibly warm back there, but still works without mechanical fault.
@Signal @
I live in a house where the hub is at the back of the house, and the console at the front, which means the signal has to travel through walls and various other obstacles to get to the console. For any other network adapter I've owned this would not be a problem, with little interference. This one though, very rarely gets above 2 bars, and occasionally dips to 1 (out of a possible 3) so the majority of the time it's getting half the signal it should, which causes lag.
Online gameplay tends to lag out quite a lot as the ping rises. Sending messages takes a couple seconds longer while the connection thinks about it for a while on a loading screen, and if you are trying to download a very large file, it takes hours for a couple gig worth of game demos. It really isn't great quality, and the connectivity isn't good either.
Setting up is really easy where you can just plug and play because the console automatically recognises the adapter, and under "My Xbox" performs a scan of local networks automatically. The network adapter tells the Xbox what wireless networks are in range and can be set to automatically join, or manually ask which network to join each time.
@ Overall @
This seems like a lot of money for a rubbish network adapter. I would recommend the Ethernet alternative for Xbox 360 consoles because they are faster, don't cost the earth and signal quality isn't a problem anymore since you're already connected to the hub directly.
I paid £59.99 for this adapter and it feels like an absolute rip off, but you have to buy it because Microsoft won't let the console accept anything else, so they can charge the earth for it and you will have to buy it. Wrong, you don't have to buy it, get a cheap £4.99 Ethernet cable, save money and have considerably better results.
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Microsoft Xbox 360 Wireless Networking Adapter
by stufflover
I recently bought my partner a new Xbox 360 slimline (MW3 Edition) and as the biggest TV in our house is in the front room, he decided that this new console was to go in the front room in place of the old Xbox 360 we already owned.
I decided to put the older console in the bedroom, so that I could play it whilst my partner ... was on his console in the front room, but to be able to play online I would need to get a wireless adapter as the older consoles do not have a built in wireless capability like the new ones do. It was either that or get the worlds longest ethernet cable to be able to plug the console into the modem!!
I had a look in Game for a wireless adapter, but I was unprepared to pay the amount they were asking for either a new or a second hand one, and so I went online. Strangely enough I found a preowned one of the Game website for just £20 - £15 cheaper than the preowned ones in store!! I ordered this and waited for it to arrive, as I was in no rush to get the Xbox online again.
The item actually arrived rather quickly and I went straight to work at connecting the Xbox online, just incase there was a problem with the item and it needed to be returned. I was not too sure how to connect one of these adapters, as there was no instructions with the item, being second hand, but it was all pretty simple.
The adapter connects through USB and there is two ports on the front of my Xbox and one on the back. The one on the back is the better one to use though as there is a clip on the adapter which locks onto the back of the Xbox, so it is connected and away tidily with no wires or messy eyesores. There is a small aerial on the top of the adapter which you unfold and point up so it can recieve the wireless signal from your Wifi.
The adapter is powered through the USB port of the Xbox so there is no need to worry about plugging it into the mains. When you first plug the adapter into the Xbox and turn the console on, a notification will pop up on the screen asking you to configure the adapter. Just press yes and this will do the process automatically and it was actually quite quick to do this. Once this has finished, a screen will show up which tells you what Wifi signals has been picked up and you just scroll through and select the network you wish to join.
You then type in your WIFI password, should one be required, and the connection is complete. The Xbox will remember this WIFI connection every time you wish to sign into Xbox live, and you ca leave the adapter plugged into the Xbox all the time, as it turns off when you turn off the console and turns on when you turn on the console. There is no need to do anything else with it, you will soon probably forget it is there and just carry on with your gaming.
I am actually really pleased with this purchase and I am glad I bought it. It is definatley worth the money I paid for it, and I am glad that I did not pay the higher prices, as brand new these cost £50!! If you are able to get one cheaper, even a preowned one, I would recommend this, as I do not think it is worth £50 to be able to play games online, especially if you will only be doing so once in a while.
All in all, this was a good buy and I am glad I got it. It is simple to set up, simple to use and so far has given me no problems *touch wood*. I could not ask for better, as it does the exact job I want it to do, and I did not have have to pay a fortune for it. Even if it only lasts me a year or two, it is totally worth the £20 I paid for it.
You can buy these preowned and brand new in Game, on the Game website and in places like Gamestation and selected Blockbusters too. You can also buy them online on sites such as Amazon and eBay, but it is always best to have a look around for the best price, as it is not worth paying out too much for these.
I give this Microsoft Xbox 360 Wireless Adapter a 5 out of 5 stars, as it is perfect for the job. Totally recommended.
*This review is also on Ciao under the user name of Hailee*
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Netgear WNA1100 Wireless-N 150 USB Adapter
by broxi3781
My son inherited my old Packard Bell I- Start when I got the new Medion a couple of years ago. Up until recently though, it has only been used for cd-rom games, mostly educational. As he is getting older though, he kept asking us to make it work online for Jumpstart - a complete educational online world for children. We thought the ... computer just wasn't fast enough and were planning to add more ram (which I still hope to try soon). However he said he could not get any internet sites working, and after checking, the wireless connection upstairs was coming through in speeds of about 1 megabyte per second. After messing about with the antenna from our wireless router we were able to boost this too 4 mbps (megabytes per second) . This is still not adequate to do anything.
Of course we could have gone for a wired connection - but naturally his room is situated at the farthest point from the cable line. I did a bit of fiddling around with the computer and came to the conclusion the bargain bluetooth usb adaptor ny husband had picked up was the culprit and we should try another one. Of course the fact that my sons room is a blackhole as far wireless connections, or even phone signals are concerned did not help. You can make or recieve calls from his room, and my husbands laptop will often not pick up a signal in there either.
My husband ended up buying this at Curry's for £19.99 but you can get from Amazon £15. It's just a matter of whether you would rather wait to save a fiver - I would have but my husband was already in shop to buy a cheaper and out stock of model. My husband wanted to go ahead and get it there and then. The girl at Curry's was quite helpful and said this was one of their best adaptors, and while there are adaptors which support more mbps it can't go faster than your internet connection and this should be all that was needed. She also said we could return it if it didn't do the trick, - regardless of the reason. This made me agree to buy from Curry's as at least we wouldn't be out if we still couldn't get a signal.
Inside the box we found a cd to install the software, the usb adaptor stick, a small black plastic stand which they call a cradle, instructions , and a black usb to usb cable. I wish I had measured the cable, but it is now running from the back of the computer's tower unit and attached to the wall to prevent it tangling with other wires and being pulled about the children. I am guessing this to be about 1 metre in length, perhaps a bit more.
Installation was extremely simple and staright forward. I expect my 6 year old could have managed himself. You plug in the dongle, either directly or with the cable, pop in the cd and click ok a few times. The whole process, including pulling the computer out from the wall and stapling in the wire took roughly 5 minutes.
And now the moment of truth - would it work? Would it make a noticeable difference? Yes it certainly did. Although the actual connection now is only 54 mbps, far short of this routers maximum speed of 150 mbps, the difference is incredible. My son is delighted that he can now surf the net and both boys can play simple games like Pingu and Hotwheels online. He can even get onto Jumpstart, but this still is a bit slow. Still it works where we couldn't even load the programme before. Now that we have the internet sorted, I hope to get some more ram and hopefully he shopuld have a pretty good pc after that, considering his age and needs.
We are using this with windows XP. The box says it can also be used for Vista and Windows 7. Further tech details can all be found at either Amazon or Curry's website, but there is a 1- 888 number for tech support 24 -7. As we had no need to call them, I can't tell if you if they are helpful or not. This product also comes with a 2 year warranty.
Although we are using this for an older desktop pc that did not have a wireless internet connection, I think it's main use is likely to be for laptops. Having seen the difference it makes, I do feel it was worth the money. My son is absolutely over the moon to have his own internet now. I would certainly recommend this adaptor to anyone who needs a bit of a boost to wireless signal, or just to set up a wireless connection. This gets a full 5 stars from the entire family.
Note I really did not know what to put for variety of features. This does one thing only - but does it very well - good enough in my book.
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