Xbox Broadband- Pc Different Room...problems????

[willowbob]

I just know I'm gonna run into problems when subscribing to broadband and wanting access for my pc in one room and my x-box in another.

I don't understand adsl, ethernet etc...

Please explain in layman's terms how I'll connect my xbox to broadband. Will it be simply be to the phone line or via a box that Microsoft provides.

One frustrated gamer!!!

 

[Sinzer]

Here is an explanation.

Glossary of terms

ADSL - A form of DSL line, this is a broadband connection, which runs over your phone line.

Cable - This is a seperate line run into your house over fibreoptic cables.

LAN - Local Area network - Connecting computing devices (X-Box, PC, servers etc.) in the same locality.

Router - Device on the LAN, which controls where all communication goes, essential for connecting devices together. Roughly costs around 100 for an ADSL router or Cable router.

Ethernet - You don't need to understand ethernet just know that it is the type of connector (like a Scart or Serial port).

Steps you need to take

1) Get broadband, either cable or ADSL. Cable is preferred, check at http://www.blueyonder.co.uk if they service your area. Don't worry about the differences, to you they will provide essentially the same service, however cable is cheaper and easier to set up.

2) Buy a router, this will generally have 5 Ethernet ports on the back. 1 for your broadband connection (an uplink) and 4 for any connecting devices (PC and X-Box).

3) Connect the PC into the router and connect the X-Box to the router (using cables, or if you want to be fancy get wireless connections on the go). The router should do everything for you (Netgear routers are very easy to use) and the X-Box should be able to connect to the net. This creates your LAN.

Basically, looking at the MS Live in the states, all you do is buy a CD for your X-Box, this CD loads software onto the X-Box. This software is the gaming portal software, essentially will be a big meeting room where you can choose what you want to play and chat to other people (I expect).

 

[museumsteve]

I have Xbox connected to my router (in anticipation of Live service) and dont forsee any problems. If you pnly have ADSL as an option then MS have already stated that you will need to buy a hub or somekind of hardware to connect and it wont be at their cost..

 

[Saf]

I too have (Telewest) Broadband upstairs and my X Box is downstairs.
Am waiting till someone with an American X Box posts about the X Box live service working OK in Britain then I'll buy a wireless router. Any recomendations?

Thanks

Saf

 

[Drunken Master]

Sinzer, it appears you're a bit of an expert here.

I have btopenworld broadband connected to my PC via USB. Therefore do I:

A - Need to use the ICS software from mircosoft? or
B - Buy a router?

I am rubbish at computers and need all the help I can get

 

[Sinzer]

You can do either

ICS

Simply put another NIC (Network Interface Card) into the PC and run that to the X-Box, then start up ICS and it will allow the X-Box to access the web through the PC.

Advantages

* Cheap as you only need to spend about a tenner on the NIC and obviously the cable

Disadvantages

* The obvious disadvantage is that you need to have your PC on to access the web.
* ICS can sometimes be a little slow if your PC is not particuarly fast or someone decides to start using it
* You can only connect two machines together so there is no scope for expansion.

Router

Acquire a 4 port router or wireless router. As you have BT Openworld USB (Home 500?) you will likely only have one static IP address. This means you have to setup your router to spoof the IP you have been given (essentially tell BT that it is your PC), this is relatively straight forward and will be covered in the instructions. Disconnect the USB Modem, connect the routers ADSL Uplink via the RJ11 port, plug in the PC and configure the router with the IP address, plug in the X-Box and away you go.

Advantages

* You do not have to leave your PC on to access the web.
* You have plenty of room to add more machines (ie other future consoles or PCs).
* Generally a router is a lot quicker with dealing with packets and latency so your ping will not be affected unless you are downloading heavily on the PC/X-Box.

Disadvantages

* Can be a little more difficult to set up if you want to look at port forwarding etc. Although you are not actually able to do this through ICS (as far as I know). This can affect some Peer 2 Peer software and poorly written multiplayer games
* Is a good deal more expensive, it costs around 100 squid for a wires router and around 150 for a cheap wireless router plus 45 per wireless NIC.

Personally, I feel the advantages that lie in the router far outweigh the advantages of ICS. ICS would only be recommended if you are extremely short of cash and need a cheap stop gap. You will soon get frustrated with having to have the PC on and also if you do decide to add another machine you wil need to go the router route anyway. You can always offset the cost of the router by selling the USB modem, although it is always handy to have backups.

Also, it is worth bearing in mind, that PCs are generally far more likely to stop working than a router, nothing worse than your PC crashing or, at worst, blowing up and your net connection going down.

 

[MRW]

Hi Sinzer,

Thanks for your help so far with your posts.

I just need a tiny bit of help with figuring out which cables go where!

I have a PC upstairs and XBox downstairs. I am having a BT approved ADSL modem delivered on Monday when I have broadband activated. I am also buying a Netgear RP 614 router which I am going to put downstairs.

The picture on the xbox website helps in some way, but I'm still confused!

http://www.xbox.com/uk/live/beta/router.htm

I will connect the ADSL modem to the phone socket, via the supplied RJ11 cable. I will connect the modem to the router but with what connection? Cat 5 Patch or the USB cable? I will then connect the PC to the router, but again what output from the PC? I will also connect the XBOX to the router via a Cat 5 Patch cable.

Do the modem and router need power from somewhere?

Help!

Thanks,

Matthew

 

[Taz]

Hi

How do I enable ISC on Windows ME? I can't find it in the dial up properties

thanks
Taz.

 

[EffTee]

Taz,

You need to add the option in under communications, within the Windows components tab of add/remove programs.

MRW,

I'm not sure you've got the right router with the RP614. I have BTOpenworld and have replaced the Alcatel frog with a Netgear DG814. This is a combined router and ADSL modem. I then just plug the PC and the XBox into the router, run the config wizard and start getting killed on MechAssault!

As it stands at the moment, you have a stand alone router, but your USB modem is reliant on the PC - which rather defeats the object of having it.

Just my opinion for whats it's worth

EffTee

 

[Sinzer]

There is a connection diagram attached to this post, it is very crude. This is how you would attach the modem to a router

Basically depending on your modem you will have a USB or ethernet output. More than likely it will be USB, your router will need a USB uplink to take the ADSL modem.

Looking at the RP614 specs, you are ill-advised to buy that router, it doesn't have a USB port, therefore will more than likely be incompatible with the modem (as far as I could tell from the specs).

Personally, I would advise that you buy the Netgear DG814, they are about 120 squids on the net and are built solely for ADSL connections. Simply ditch the ADSL modem or keep it for a back up or sell it to someone else. The RP 614 looks more like a router that you would buy in the states.

This way you would install the router upstairs next to the telephone line then run a cable to both the X-Box and PC, a lot simpler. Looking at the diagram, this means you can cut out the ADSL modem complication and have a fine running X-Box live connection, which many forum members will attest to!

And yes you will need a power socket for the modem and/or the router.

The PC will connect via RJ45/CAT5 connector/cable respectively

 

[MRW]

Hi Sinzer and EffTee

Thanks for all your help.

Today, I have bought the DG814 (£129) and 15m Cat 5 cable. (I also had to buy a Network Interface Card, so went with Netgear again and got the FA311 (£15) - bought these off the shelf from a local place - didn't have time to buy from Dabs/Insight etc.

The Alcatel frog thing that comes with the BT package I can send back and get a full refund on Monday.

What I'm going to do is run the Cat 5 cable from my PC upstairs to the DG814 downstairs, connect the XBOX to the DG814 too, and then run a relatively short phone cable to the phone socket on the wall.

Sorted!

Will let you know how it all goes...

Matthew