Sony PSP Tunnelling Works

An anonymous reader writes "The Sony PSP is compatible with Xlink Kai (a multi-platform tunnelling application allowing users to play online for free). Team Xlink is reporting that the WiFi module of the PSP conforms to the recognized standards of wireless networking. This will allow them to add support to the PSP much more quickly than for the Nintendo DS . The team is reportedly working create arenas for the Sony PSP's JAP launch titles which support WiFi play."

Comments

wondering

[Korgrath]

I wonder why they just don't make these things net ready? I mean, I suppose the demand for net gaming on a handheld is limited... but as this article shows, it wouldn't be that difficult... the hardware is already there!

Re:wondering

[koi88]

I wonder why they just don't make these things net ready?

The internet is just not yet ready for gaming. Besides, even if it was possible, there is no demand for this kind of feature.

About Kai and the Nintendo DS

[kuwan]

A little about XLink Kai:

XLink Kai is a global gaming network - bringing together XBox, Playstation 2 and Gamecube users, in one integrated community. It is software running on your PC or Macintosh that allows you to play system-link enabled games online for free. Kai is the only service that is not console specific, and boasts one of the friendliest communites available.

Apparently they're working on providing tunneling for the Nintendo DS but the DS doesn't conform to 802.11 wireless standards. This may be because Nintendo wants to keep things proprietary or low-power, but they seem to think otherwise:

Finally, I'd just like to say that somebody should really send a PSP unit to whoever designed the WiFi module for the Nintendo DS - it's a very, very nice implementation - and adheres correctly to the recognised standards for wireless networking. I know others may argue that Nintendo uses their non-standard wireless architecture to "save power" - I'd like to officially confirm that as a crock-of-shit - Nintendo use their own "proprietary protocol" - because, it seems, they couldn't be bothered to / ran out if time trying to write a proper IP stack for the DS - so they used some horrible thrown-together frame format, used a very low-range tranceiver, and called it innovative. Anyway - my views on the DS hardware aren't relevant - what is relevant is that Kai will support both of these devices - one now, the other later - once I've finished jumping through all Nintendo's hoops.

This definitely looks like an interesting service and one that I'd like to try out.

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Free Nintendo DS