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Subject: Easy help for those wanting to buy equipment for a broadband connec...
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Okay, now these are simple explanations, from the point of view of connection only. I'm not tech support, so don't go asking me how to configure this that or the other settings...

First, you need an ISP. They may supply you with a modem as part of your agreement. Otherwise you will have to buy one. Either way ensure it has an ethernet port and NOT usb, (unless you are going by the 2nd wired method below.)

Second, a connection to your xbox. This is where you start facing choices. There are three basic choices, with both wired and wireless for each.

1) Direct to xbox, no PC
If you only have an xbox to connect.

1) Wired : If you only have an xbox to connect and you want to go hardwired, plug the cable supplied with your modem into the xbox and the modem. Easy.
1) Wireless : If you only have an xbox to connect and you want to go wireless, you will need to buy a couple of wireless components called bridges. They are independant of operating system so you need only attach one to the xbox and one to the modem, they should already be pre-configured to work in an ad-hoc mode where they will talk to each other. If not, most are easily set up via a web-based program.

2) Xbox being shared through the PC
If you have a USB-only modem this is the only practical way to do this.

2) Wired : Hook the modem into the PC. Use the USB port if possible, or else you will have to ensure that your computer has 2 ethernet ports, usually by installing another one. No offence, but if you need this guide you probably shouldn't be doing that yourself.
Then you will need to connect an ethernet cable from your pc to your xbox, then enable a feature of windows called internet connection sharing. I have absolutely no idea if this is even possible on mac.
2) Wireless : If you don't want to install anything inside the pc, use the USB cable to hook the modem into the PC. Otherwise, use the ethernet port. If you used the USB port, you'll again need a couple of bridges in ad-hoc mode, one in the pc's ethernet port and the other in the xbox.
If you are using the ethernet port for the modem connection, you'll need either a USB wireless key or to install a wireless pci card on the motherboard.

Whichever way you do part 2), you'll then need to enable a feature of windows called internet connection sharing. I have absolutely no idea if this is even possible on mac. Doing that, however, can slow the connection a bit, and the pc will need to be on in order for your xbox to connect to the internet.

3) Xbox sharing the connection with the PC
This really is the most effective way to share your connection

3) Wired : Unless you buy an all-in-one modem/router, you will need to buy a router. Connect your modem to your router, then connect your pc and your xbox to two separate ethernet ports on the modem. Some modems have both USB and ethernet connections. If you have one of these, you may not need a router at all. Just connect your pc via USB and your Xbox via ethernet.
3) Wireless : Again, you can get all-in-one wireless modem/routers. These will talk directly to the wireless bridge you attach to your xbox, and either the wireless device on your pc, or if your connection is handy to the pc, directly to the pc via ethernet. Otherwise you can connect a wireless router to your modem. This will talk directly to the wireless bridge you connect to your xbox and and either the wireless device on your pc, or if your connection is handy to the pc, directly to the pc via ethernet. If you have an existing wired router, you can get away with simply adding a wireless access point to give it wireless capability.

Any questions, just give me a hoy and i'll be happy to try and answer. But please be patient, I'm in Australia so the time delay is about 12 or 15 hours if you're in the US. Plus i work bloody hard...

Now that wasn't so hard was it?

  • 08.03.2004 6:42 AM PDT
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everyone should read this, thx

  • 08.03.2004 7:04 AM PDT
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Sidenote

Wireless:
For 90% of people it won't matter if you go with 802.11b or 802.11g.
* Typical broadband connection is 1.5mbps
* 802.11b is 11 mpbs
* 802.11g is 52 mbps

So your bottleneck will be your internet connection not your wireless speed. The only time you would see a difference is if you do a lot of file transfers on a home network.

My advice is the save the cash and go with 802.11b.

[Edited on 8/3/2004 7:21:43 AM]

  • 08.03.2004 7:17 AM PDT
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Another side note. If anyone has a broadband connection currently you should definently have a router!!! This day and age having an always on connection with out the protection of a hardware firewall is just asking for trouble.

  • 08.03.2004 7:21 AM PDT
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Absolutely. Especially if some -blam!- creates a virus for the xbox, I doubt if the antivirus on your pc would even pick it up, let alone the antivirus companies updating for that.

I didn't mention speeds, but you were right, all the routers on the market are faster than pretty much anyone's internet connection anyway. The only use for the faster speed units is for file sharing amongst computers ON THE SAME NETWORK. i.e. businesses using a server, home users with multiple computers trying to access shared components like printers etc...

  • 08.03.2004 7:37 AM PDT
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Actually they're routers. Bridges are fairly useless these days.

On the same note: I suggest always using the direct ethernet not wireless. I won't get into details.

And, to finish, if you want more than a few objects connected to your network use a switch (a router will work) since they're faster than routers these days. And hubs are pointless :-p.

For those of you who don't know what a switch is I recommend this one.

[Edited on 8/3/2004 8:02:50 AM]

  • 08.03.2004 8:01 AM PDT
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I thought that a switch would connect multiple pc's together in like an isolated network, but wouldn't share your internet connection. That you need a router for that.
Personally I have wireless and I love it. But then, I live in a rented house so drilling holes isn't an option for me.
And I only suggested a bridge cos it's like an end-point and connects straight into the xbox. You can even connect two bridges to two xboxes if you want to wireless system link completely independently of a network or internet connection.

  • 08.03.2004 9:35 PM PDT