In the main HT room I have a gigabit switch installed with BluRay, receiver, DISH box and 360 all hardwired to the network. It's a far better solution when you have four components in the same rack that all need connection to the network.
My network includes a superfast DOCSIS cable modem and the blazing fastest wireless N router on the market. This wifi works great with iPhones, iPads and laptops, and has super upload and download performance.
In the kids' play room there's no big networked system, just a tv with a 360. Couldn't justify the effort to run the wire to this room, so I just snapped the wifi adapter to the back and plugged it into the usb outlet.
Having both setups allows me some perspective. The wireless works as well as any wireless-N connection, and is stable enough for most games. Streaming video is fine, with the occasional buffering pause or quality cut.
The hardwired setup has not buffer-paused on me yet. The switch cost about half the amount of this router and had facility to connect not just the game console but three other components as well. Makes it a much better deal. If you have a system that includes a sat box and a blu-ray player as well as the 360, I suggest either a hardwired switch that can connect all your components, or a wireless bridge that can do the same without the wire. This item works well in a remote situation where no other components require network connection.
Netflix and Windows Live movies from your computer both stream better over a hardwired connection than over wireless. If you're planning to stream Netflix, you can do it over this modem but once again a cat 6 wire costs next to nothing and works a ton better.
I'm a fan of wireless, and this one works well in the application it's used for.
But bottom line is, no fancy wifi connection can compare to a simple, cheap wire for streaming HD content to your home theater. If you're not afraid of the installation, run the wire and be happy with the performance rather than settle for the wireless compromise. If the only component you'll be networking is your xBox 360, this thing is actually rather brilliant--it requires no extra cables or power supply and snaps right on the unit. I'm predicting happiness.
As for the guy that recommends other brands of gaming routers, I will agree, if they can be switched to a wireless bridge mode and connect multiple components, they can be a great deal, especially if you're renting your space and hardwired connections are impractical. You can get your whole system on a network without a hardwired switch if you need to, with a single wireless appliance. That would make this little unitasker unneeded.
But for many of us who just connect the XBox to the TV and that's the extent of it, this little guy is the simple, elegant solution.
If that's you, I recommend this item.
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Product information
| ASIN | B002RS7NB2 |
|---|---|
| Release date | November 10, 2009 |
| Customer Reviews |
4.0 out of 5 stars |
| Product Dimensions | 8.7 x 6.6 x 2 inches; 7.2 ounces |
| Type of item | Video Game |
| Item model number | PHD-00010 |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | Yes |
| Item Weight | 7.2 ounces |
| Manufacturer | Microsoft |
| Date First Available | September 14, 2004 |
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Sponsored
Wireless N - Achievement Unlocked!
Can't route Cat-5 cable? This latest A/B/G & N Wireless Adapter, from Microsoft, is the next best bet. Emphasis on the "N." Do you use the Apple Airport Express or the Apple Airport Extreme as your router? No worries, there are no compatibility issues; nor are there any NAT issues that interrupt game play, an issue that plagues certain routers on the market. If you do not have an 802.11n capable router, but can spare the extra money, spring for this latest A/B/G & N wireless adapter. The Xbox 360 wireless adapter conforms to all four current wireless network standards and will work with any devices that support such. Concerned about the color of the adapter not matching the color of your console? Regardless of how you display your console, horizontally or vertically, the adapter (if plugged into the rear of your console) is hidden and all that is visible are the grey antennae. This newest adapter shares the same, almost plug-and-play, installation as the previous A/B/G generation wireless adapter. Simply plug the adapter into the back of your console and power the console on. If you are not already online, navigate to the system area of the Dashboard. Within the system area, enter in your network settings, test the settings, then log into Xbox Live and you are ready to go. I was able to tell the difference in speed immediately, even when testing the Xbox Live connection in the network settings. Gone are the issues with streaming, and Netflix looks amazing in high definition. And most importantly, I am gaming multi-player lag free! Things to consider: If you use wireless controllers with your system, you may get better performance using the 5-GHz band for your network connection, since the wireless controllers operate in the 2.4-GHz band. This also holds true with other common household devices such as cordless telephones and microwave ovens. Also, your 802.11n network only operates as fast as your slowest connected device. Therefore, if you want best performance it is suggested to switch to 5-GHz 802.11n only when gaming. Or, better, have a dual-band router dedicating feeds to the appropriate devices.
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Top reviews from other countries
- bashar ahmadReviewed in Canada on September 19, 2015
It has a very good keep in mind my xbox 360 is on the ...
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