Advice please? (regarding getting online)

[lustyhitter]

I seem to have lost my WI-FI USB doohickey. I had it somewhere last month but the little bugger seems to have disappeared.

This USB Connector has been discontinued although some places sell it at $39.99 CAN, too high a price.

I have a wired router that was given to me by Bell when I signed a contract with them back in January 2007. I can get wireless routers for $10 less, maybe even less than that.

My question: How exactly does a wireless router work in regards to connecting to the Internet with my ISP and going online with my PS3 and Nintendo Wii?

Everything is in the same room (the PC and consoles).

Thanks.

 

[Puffoluffagus]

Umm... it works essentially the same as a wired router would, as far as I know. I'm not technically savvy about networking on the whole, but I know my way around routers for the most part.

The only thing different from a wired router that I can think of is that you would have to worry about interference from other devices that use the same frequency (cordless phones for instance), distance and coverage in your house, and most importantly, encryption of your wireless router so that neighbors and passer-bys don't leech your bandwidth.

But as far as what every router is supposed to do, a wireless router will do as well. Taking the IP address your ISP gives you, assign separate IP addresses to your devices, and give them access to the internet.

Anything else in particular you are looking for?

Depending on how much online gaming you do, it is said to be better to have your consoles hard wired to your router to prevent latency I assume. So, even with the pick-up of a wireless router, you may still want to hard wire your PS3 and PC and then have your Wii connect wirelessly. You can always pick up a USB LAN adapter for the Wii if you wanted to go all hard wired as well.

FWIW, I have a Wii, Xbox 360, and 3 or 4 laptops/pcs hooked up wireless to the router at my house and I don't experience much lag. If anything I need to add an additional wireless router to extend the range of network by setting up a Wireless Distribution System.

 

[lustyhitter]

[quote name='Puffoluf$$$us']Umm... it works essentially the same as a wired router would, as far as I know. I'm not technically savvy about networking on the whole, but I know my way around routers for the most part.

The only thing different from a wired router that I can think of is that you would have to worry about interference from other devices that use the same frequency (cordless phones for instance), distance and coverage in your house, and most importantly, encryption of your wireless router so that neighbors and passer-bys don't leech your bandwidth.

But as far as what every router is supposed to do, a wireless router will do as well. Taking the IP address your ISP gives you, assign separate IP addresses to your devices, and give them access to the internet.

Anything else in particular you are looking for?

Depending on how much online gaming you do, it is said to be better to have your consoles hard wired to your router to prevent latency I assume. So, even with the pick-up of a wireless router, you may still want to hard wire your PS3 and PC and then have your Wii connect wirelessly. You can always pick up a USB LAN adapter for the Wii if you wanted to go all hard wired as well.

FWIW, I have a Wii, Xbox 360, and 3 or 4 laptops/pcs hooked up wireless to the router at my house and I don't experience much lag. If anything I need to add an additional wireless router to extend the range of network by setting up a Wireless Distribution System.[/QUOTE]

Thank you for your help. There's no need for the PS3 and PC to be wireless. I'll just buy a wireless router for the Wii if I can't find my doohickey. They are $30 CAN at a factory outlet near my house.