Build An Xbox Media Center, Part 2: Wireless Connection

set up a wired LAN configuration wireless

First let's review the Media Center system. The hardware includes two critical elements: a high-quality video card and a TV-tuner card that's certified for use with Microsoft Media Center Edition 2005. In the photo below, you can see both. My ATI Radeon X800 Pro video card is the first card from the top, while the ATI TV Wonder Tuner card is second from the top:

The video card is connected to the TV. And the tuner card is connected to the satellite receiver box. The connections on the back of the PC look like this:

As you can see, the satellite coaxial cable is plugged from the satellite box (output) into the tuner card. The S-Video cord connected to the X800 Pro goes to the TV. And the black optical sound connector goes to a Surround Sound receiver that is connected to five speakers and one subwoofer.

For this Recipe, my wireless router was an SMC Universal Broadband 802.11a/b/g device, model number SMC2304WBR-AG. It has four wired LAN ports on the back, one WAN port, and two Wi-Fi antennae. Here's a look:

The Wi-Fi data rate on this particular model is 108 Mbps in both 802.11a and 802.11g modes. That's important, because to receive TV and videos on the Xbox, you need data rates at or close to the 56 Mbps that the Xbox wireless adapter can handle. Although the 108 Mbps far overshoots the 56 Mbps needed, the extra bandwidth will come in handy if and when you have other traffic that taxes the network. If your data rates dip, you'll get glitches and stalls with the video that's streaming over your network, whether broadcast TV, recorded TV or regular MPEG video files. This particular router delivers the data with ease while keeping the data rate nice and strong. In fact, I tested this system for more than 10 hours, and didn't see a single hiccup.

Ingredients

Here are the components you'll need to build this system:

• One wireless 802.11a or 802.11g access point or router. Many manufacturers now offer 802.11 a/b/g equipment that will work perfectly for our purposes.
• One Xbox Game Console.
• One Xbox Media Center Extender Kit, which includes:
  • An Xbox Media Center Extender installation CD for the Media Center PC.
  • An Xbox Media Center Extender installation CD for the Xbox.
  • One remote-control dongle.
  • One remote control.
• One Xbox Wireless Adapter.

Router Set-Up

Let's get started. First, either connect the wireless access point or router to the current network, or connect it as the primary router. If you connect to the current network via the LAN port on the wireless router, set-up is a snap. You can cascade routers or daisy chain them; mixing equipment from different manufacturers doesn't seem to matter. I've got an old Linksys 4-Port router that now has an SMC router attached to it. Because the Linksys unit has four ports, that extends the wired network even further. And the SMC router has the two Wi-Fi antennae sticking out of the sides.

Next, open a browser on any computer on the network, whether that's the Media Center or some other computer. Type in the IP address of the new Wi-Fi router. In this case it's 192.168.2.1. (Documentation supplied with the router should supply the IP address.) If you're using a static IP address on the Xbox, then the Subnet must match the IP address of the router. The Xbox also handles dynamic addresses (DHCP), in which case the Subnet information is taken care of automatically.

In multiple-router situations, you need to be careful. If another router is passing out all the IP addresses for the network, you won't be able to reach the wireless router you just installed. So, make sure you can get a direct connection to your wireless router via its IP address.

(If you need help with networking issues, one good source is these past TechBuilder recipes: Diagnose and Repair SOHO Networks and Wireless Networking at Bargain-Basement Prices.)

To give your customers Internet access on this network -- rather than just local network access -- you will need to configure the router. For example, if your customers want to play Xbox Live games over the Web, you'll need to set up Internet access on this router or access point. (For those who are unfamiliar with Xbox Live games, they let players compete against or collaborate with other players over the Internet.) You can set up Internet access on the router or access point in one of two ways:

• You can give each of the computers -- including the Xbox -- a static IP address, then set their Gateway IP and Subnet Mask to synch with the router's address. For example, the default network settings for my router are: Gateway IP Address 192.168.2.1, and Subnet Mask 255.255.255.0.
• You can let the router assign dynamic IP addresses and the appropriate Gateway and Subnet automatically -- if the network/router uses DHCP.

Router Security Settings

Now it's time to configure the security settings on the router to prevent external users from accessing the network (unless they have the right security key and settings, of course). You'll use either WEP (wired equivalency privacy) or WPA (Wi-Fi protected access); the latter offers stronger security. The Xbox itself has WEP settings only. This means you'll either set both the router and the Xbox to WEP, or you'll set the router to WPA-PSK and use the WEP settings on the Xbox. In the latter option, you'd use the same common security key on both. I'll cover the Xbox set-up in the next section. But first, let's configure the router.

Most router and wireless access points have similar processes for establishing security settings. Generally, the process goes as follows:

• Open a browser.
• Surf to the router by entering its IP address in the Web address line. In my case, that's 192.168.2.1.
• Type in the router's password. It comes from the manufacturer, though it may have been changed to something other than the password that came with the device. This is actually a smart idea.
• If this is a combo device, like a wired and wireless router, go to the tab or menu for Wireless.
• Go to the Security Settings menu.
• Enter a unique SSID (Service Set Identifier). You can keep the default name, which is usually the router manufacturer's name. Or you can make up your own difficult-to-guess name.
• If you don't want outsiders to see your Wi-Fi network, make the SSID invisible. This setting is marked "disable" in some router interfaces. You can then enter the correct SSID manually on individual wireless clients (like the Xbox), and no one else will be able to see it if they're sniffing the local radio waves. The network simply will not appear.
• Choose either WEP or WPA. Then choose a 128-bit security key.

Make sure you write all this down or do a print screen. You'll need this information later for the Xbox. Here's how the security screen looks on my router:

Wi-Fi Xbox Set-Up

Next, it's time to set up a Wi-Fi Xbox. Here are the steps:

• Unpack your Xbox, Xbox Media Extender Kit, and Xbox Wireless Adapter. Plug the Xbox into the power socket, and connect the DVD dongle and game pad like we did in Part 1 of this recipe.
• Connect the Xbox Wireless Adapter to the Ethernet port on the back of the Xbox, like so:
• Plug the wireless adapter into a power source. Then turn on the TV and the Xbox. If you haven't set up security on the router/access point, the Xbox will automatically connect to it and start a network conversation.
• At this point, you could jump ahead and put the Xbox Extender CD into the DVD tray. You'd see that the Xbox automatically connects to your Media Center PC within a few seconds. It's amazing, totally plug-and-play. However, in terms of security, the system is naked. So we need to wait for that step. Instead, we'll configure the Xbox network and security settings first.
• Once the Xbox is booted up, select Settings from the main screen. This gets you to the following screen:
• Select Network Settings, then select Configure Network Settings. This brings you to the following screen:
• Go into the settings for IP addresses. If you elected to set up the Xbox and your network with static IP addresses, put in the settings for IP, IP Gateway, and Subnet Mask now.
• Alternatively, if you chose DHCP when you set up your client's router, then the DHCP server in the router handles IP address assignments for you.

Configuring Security Settings

To configure the security settings on the Xbox, go back to the main menu on the Xbox. Once there, select Settings, Network Settings, Advanced, and Wireless. You'll see that you're not connected because of the security settings you input on the router, as shown here:

Select Settings. You'll be taken to Wireless Settings on the Xbox, as shown below:

Click on Security Type. You'll be able to choose between 128-bit and 64-bit WEP. Choose 128 for higher security.

Next, you'll see a keyboard screen. Here you can input the security key that matches the one you set on your router:

Now the Xbox will show your connection status and speed, as well as its determination of quality: low, good, or excellent. Now you're ready connect the Xbox to the Media Center PC with full WEP security.

Connecting to the Media Center PC Via the Xbox

First, insert the Xbox Extender CD for the Media Center PC into the Media Center PC. It will tell you to go to your Xbox and install the Extender software there.

Next, go to the Xbox and insert the Xbox Extender CD into the DVD tray. Make sure it's the one for the Xbox, and not the CD for the Media Center. The disc will run for a while. Then you'll see a Media Center splash screen.

The Xbox screen will try to connect to the Media Center PC. Then the screen will display a set-up key: eight numbers separated by a dash. Write down this key and take it to the Media Center PC. Back on the Media Center, step through the set-up wizard until you get to the set-up key screen. Input the number from the Xbox, and you're set.

Now go back to the Xbox, and you'll see a familiar screen: the Media Center screen with My TV, My Music, My Pictures my everything. When you're connected, it's the same interface as the Media Center. And it can be controlled in the same way with the Xbox remote control.

Congratulations! You're now wirelessly connected to a Media Center PC.

This is Part 2 of a two-part Recipe. Part 1 shows how to extend a Media Center PC using Xbox on a wired network.

PHIL DUNN is a technology journalist and independent communications consultant for high-tech companies. He's been reviewing, testing, and reporting on products since 1995.