Linksys Makes Wireless Play For Gamers

SycloneFX writes "According to an article on CNET News, Linksys have announced two new adapters that are designed to connect game consoles, including PlayStation 2, Xbox and GameCube. The article summarizes: 'The new adapters are available immediately, and are based on the 802.11b and 802.11g wireless networking standards. The 802.11b-based adapter, called the Wireless-B Game Adapter, costs $79, while the 802.11g-based Wireless-G Game Adapter costs $129.'" Seems like simple, easy-to-set-up wireless for online/LAN console gaming is a great way to go.

Comments

Seems a bit pricey to me.

[Cap-America]

Seems a bit pricey to me, the adaptors alone for the PS2 and GameCube are like under $40 and a 4 hub is like only $35

Re:Seems a bit pricey to me.

[Anonvmous Coward]

"Seems a bit pricey to me, the adaptors alone for the PS2 and GameCube are like under $40 and a 4 hub is like only $35"

That's lots of clutter, though. I personally would go the wireless route despite the extra cost because I don't want to have some long ass cables running down the hall of my apartment.

Re:Seems a bit pricey to me.

[MBCook]

Well, it's a full wireless bridge. It may seem expensive, but remember a few things. First if you have multiple consoles (a DC, a PS2, a XBox, and a GCN all with broadband adaptors) you could use the one adaptor along with a hub to give them ALL 'net access. Also, if your PC is on one side/floor of your house and your games are on another, it's usually cheaper and better looking to get something like this and a wireless lan card for the PC than to run ethernet through the walls or even worse taped to the outside of the walls. This isn't for everyone (especially if you have ethernet near your consoles) but for many it would be a great thing.

Game cube has netwr0king?

[Anonymous Coward]

Since when? Does anyone know where to get the adapter?

Re:Game cube has netwr0king?

[LineNoiz]

Um.... here is one!

Re:Game cube has netwr0king?

[MBCook]

Yes. Go to any decent store (GameStop, FuncoLand, Babbages, maybe even TRU) and you can buy either a broadband or modem for the GCN. It fits in one of the spots on the bottom of the console. That said, next to no games support the thing. In fact, AFAIK, Phantasy Star Online (by Sega) is the only game that even supports the things. There are probably more by now. Here are some links for you to check out:

Nintendo's page on the GCN's connectivity
IGN's page on the modem
IGN's page on the ethernet adaptor

Re:Game cube has netwr0king?

[Babbster]

So far, there aren't even more online games ANNOUNCED, let alone released, for the Gamecube. The only one even using the broadband unit on the horizon is Mario Kart, and that's purely for LAN-type play.

two words

[sydlexic]

latency (high) bandwidth (low) = bad for games

Re:two words

[Anonvmous Coward]

"latency (high)"

As long as it's under 100ms, it'll be just fine. Besides, don't you think Linksys is going to work on that?

"bandwidth (low) = bad for games"

Bandwidth is low? Compared to what? Last I checked, 11megabits wasn't slow to anybody playing games. As a matter of fact, ppl with only 256k can do just fine, and 802.11b can do that at quite a healthy range.

What's the difference . . .

[CaptainStormfield]

. . . between this and a normal wireless bridge? Judging by the Linksys Prodcut Listing, you still have to buy an ethernet adaptor for the console. It *does* look cool, and perhaps it is easier to configure than the wireless bridges that are on the market now?

Re:What's the difference . . .

[quinkin]

XBox at least has inbuilt 100Mbit network.

Q.

Re:What's the difference . . .

[MBCook]

There isn't one. I think it's just smaller or is designed to fit in better (asthetically) with the consoles.

Re:What's the difference . . .

[Omega Hacker]

The difference is that these devices have a button on the box that lets you set up ad-hoc networks simply by setting the same channel on all the bridges. I assume there's a more complete configuration setup a la the WET-11 for infrastructure-based networks.

Re:What's the difference . . .

[EvilSporkMan]

It's $50 cheaper than the WET11...that sucker is $130 from Best Buy, and you can't find these at Best Buy yet either. :(

Re:What's the difference . . .

[PainKilleR-CE]

It appears that it's just a wi-fi adapter, really. You already have to have a wireless network to connect the device, this just hooks up to the ethernet port on the console (assuming you have one if your console is a PS2 or GC) to get the console onto your wireless network. Or, as Linksys' site says, you can get a second one to connect to your wired hub/bridge (to act as the base station, basically). I think I'll just stick with my previous intension of getting a 4-port wireless bridge to sit behind my consoles so that all of them are wired to one device.

Re:two words???

[quinkin]

Well, (dons pedant cap) I think that was actually seven words.... (doffs pedant cap).

It does depend a bit on the load running across the wireless link. I wouldn't like to serve a multiplayer game across a thin wireless link, but for most client-only connections it would suffice.

802.11a/b/g all do seem to suffer from occasional retransmission errors that can induce a noticeable but transient lag.

I think for a fair market segment the convenience will far outweigh the cost/performance considerations. Time will tell...

Q.

THIS PRODUCT IS RETARDED

[Ayanami Rei]

WTF?

It's just a mini wireless->ethernet bridge. I would have been impressed if they were hawking expansion slot devices that provide wireless ethernet support for games, simulating whatever wired MAC would have been standard for the game console. That would seriously kick ass.

Setting wep keys via SNMP... awwww nawww...

But alas, they take the gay, done-before route. Yawn!

(to their credit, I imagine building a legitmately marketable compliant wireless broadband adapter would be very pricey due to licensing fees from Sony AND Microsoft AND Nintendo)

Re:THIS PRODUCT IS RETARDED

[Babbster]

Relax and take a deep berath. This product addresses a few concerns:

a) Most console gamers don't know WHAT a wireless bridge is.

b) Both models appear to be cheaper than Linksys' other bridges (though the prices may come down if these "gamer bridges" would work with a PC just as easily).

c) Apparently, the software is designed to be more user friendly and I'm sure the instructions will be written with gaming (and each console) in mind, rather than traditional LANs.

This looks like an excellent move toward making Linksys the home-friendly department of Cisco.

Methinks this is a smart move for Linksys

[luekj]

Really.
Gaming, especially online gaming, is a potentially lucrative market for sure

Props to linksys for seeing the need in the market for 'plug and play' networking products marketed as console exclusive.
They know what they're doing, at least in this endeavor.

Pffft, disgruntled customer warning.

[kidterra]

I just purchased linksys wireless-g products for my apartment, which can't be more than 30x20'. at first, just getting a connection to work, even on a 10', one-wall run was buggy and difficult, and we all had the same problems. so i figure my difficulties at the opposite corner of the apartment aren't range or intereference. How many ways can I be wrong? then I switch back to cat5e and first thing, load up slashdot and I see this story. Puh-ffffffff-tuh. Indeed.

Re:Pffft, disgruntled customer warning.

[StocDred]

What's the difference between this newly designed model and the WET11 (http://www.linksys.com/products/product.asp?grid= 33&scid=36&prid=432)? Aside from B vs. G, of course. I've had a WET11 serving my PS2 for a couple months now and it's worked perfectly for SOCOM, Amplitude and TMBO. I highly recommend their stuff. I use a WRT54G as my wireless router, and at any given time it's feeding the PS2 and the iBook.

Re:Pffft, disgruntled customer warning.

[Mantrid]

How is Twisted Metal Black online anyways? I don't have the adapater as of yet, but free TMBO is certainly tempting!

disapointing

[tolldog]

I had hoped this would be a usb wireless device like i have for a desktop, not just s fancy wireless brige.

Oh well.

I would love to use the wireless device i have on the ps2. Its usb. Its a standard... why can't they make a driver for it?

-Tim

Re:disapointing

[Babbster]

Because console games shouldn't have to include special drivers for all the various USB devices that someone might want to hook up to their PS2, and developers would certainly be reluctant to start putting in some sort of starting config panel on every game to activate drivers for those devices.

802.11g????

[truffle]

802.11b is fine, sure why not.

But 802.11g is useless for gaming. 802.11b is already much faster than a broadband Internet connection, so what is all that bandwidth for?

Only theoretical use I can see is for people running Linux on their X-bosen. Oh yeah, and selling to dumbasses. I guess this won't be the last higher priced pointless 802.11g item we'll see on the market.

Re:802.11g????

[amorsen]

Putting 802.11b devices on the same network as 802.11g devices slows down the 802.11g devices. That is why there is a point to buying 802.11g even for devices which do not need the extra speed themselves.

Re:802.11g????

[Coldeagle]

Well I use 802.11g AP to get the greater bandwidth. I still use 802.11b devices, and a couple of 802.11g devices, however my entire wireless network boogies because it's not sharing 11 Mbps between all of the wireless computers, it's sharing 54 (33 actuall) between all of the computers, which makes things happen much more quickly :)

In case someone really wants it

[camilita]

Amazon has it for $69.98, but to be honest I have been dissapointed by all this wifi thing. Nothing but problems in the 3 offices I visit regularly and 2 friends houses. Good old cables seem to do the thing just great.

Nope, not retarded. It actually looks pretty cool.

[EverLurking]

Product manual is here: ftp://ftp.linksys.com/pdf/wga11b_ug.pdf

Reading through the documentation real fast:

• The bridge will lock onto an open (no WEP and SSID being openly broadcast) wireless node by selecting the right channel number via pushing the big blue button alone. Real quick and slick.
• Or if you run into a situation where you have a WEP enabled network and/or hidden SSID, you can set up to 3 (P1, P2, P3) custom setups each with pre-defined WEP Keys and SSID's that I assume you toggle through with the channel select switch. This is configured via a Windows/PC application (no doubt someone will figure out a Linux client soon).
• Will work in Infracstructure or AdHoc modes.
• Crossover toggle switch readily available and selectable easily.

What's this good for? Great for gamers who don't know the finer points of WiFi network setup/admin, but still has the ability for you to configure it to a network that is set up properly (ie. WEP with non-broadcast SSID. OK, not great but better than nothing).

Puts out 15 dBm (what's that in mW?), power requirements are 5V@1.0 Amp, you could build a battery power supply for these or use it in a car with the right cigarette/accessory plug adapter. Hmmmm, roving WiFi net in your next roadtrip convoy. They've got to have better reception than the built in antenna on your PC Card or built in wireless on the old laptop.

Pretty cheap and pretty compact too (2.83"x5.31"x1.10", about paperback book sized). Scatter a few set up for Ad-Hoc mode tucked into the hard to get to nooks and crannies of public places to extend the range of your public access points? Or get a couple and keep them around for the next time you have to set up a quick and dirty wireless network on short notice and then break it down just as quick!!! Think someone has cracked your WEP key, just change to your P2 setting with a button push to shake them off for a bit. Sounds kinda like some good old cloak and dagger fun eh?

DaveC

another game

[MORTAR_COMBAT!]

The new Kirby's Air Ride game is already released in Japan and fully supports LAN play.

Re:Nope, not retarded. It actually looks pretty co

[Anonymous Coward]

>Puts out 15 dBm (what's that in mW?)

X dB = 10^(X/10)
15 dBm = 31.6 mW

hrmm...

[MORTAR_COMBAT!]

I thought that you had to buy the "XBox Live!" package to get the 100Mbit network adapter? Or is that only to get "online" not LAN play?

Re:hrmm...

[SeaEye420]

The port is built in, and Halo multiplayer is a blast with >2 consoles. XBL is for online play/content downloads.

Kirby over the Internet

[Dave_B93]

There is also a project (recently mentioned on slashdot) to bring the Cube online.

It's called the Warp Pipe Project, and it's goal is to Make Mario Kart Double Dash playable over the internet. For now they're starting with Kirby, but I'm more interested in Mario Kart.