How to Turn your Windows 7 Netbook into a Wireless adapter for your Xbox 360
Microsoft just recently released a 802.11n Wireless adapter for the Xbox 360 however it is fairly pricy at $99.99us. So if you want to save some money and just use Windows 7 to do the same job here is how you set it up. Now most of you may think that a Netbook will cost way more than the adapter (and you would be right) but if find that you just aren’t using your Netbook all that often this will let you get some use out of it.
What you need:
Netbook with Windows 7 installed.
Ethernet cable (most Xbox 360 came with one of these)
How to setup Windows 7 as a Wireless Bridge for you Xbox 360:
Step 1. Setup the wireless adapter to connect to your wireless access point.
Step 2. Plug one end of the Ethernet cable into the Netbook and the other into the Xbox 360.
Step 3. Right click on you wireless status indicator in your system tray and click on “Network and Connections Sharing Center”.
Step 4. Click on “Change Adapter Settings”
Step 5. Hold the “CTRL” key and Click on the “Local Area Connection” and the “Wireless Network Connection”
Step 6. Right click on one of the two adapter you just selection and select “Bridge Connections”
Now wait while Windows Bridges the two network adapters
You should now see a “MAC Bridge Miniport” adapter called “Network Bridge” which essentially sends all the traffic from the Ethernet port on your Netbook across your wireless LAN and vice versa.
Step 8. Now turn on you Xbox 360 and it should now pick an IP address and connect your your Wireless LAN automatically.
Note: The Xbox will see the Wireless LAN as a hard wired LAN.
If you also have the Internet connected to your LAN via a router/gateway you should also be able to connect to Xbox Live.
Now most Netbooks still only have 802.11g adapters so you might find the 802.11n adapter is better if you are trying to stream HD videos to the device but for playing music and watching SD video is adequate.
Have fun with Xbox 360 and everything it can do now it is connected.
By Alan Burchill
Twitter at @alanburchill
Blog http://abskb.spaces.live.com
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Tags: Network Bridge, wifi, xbox 360
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18 Responses to “How to Turn your Windows 7 Netbook into a Wireless adapter for your Xbox 360”
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I figured it’s always easier to share rather than bridge so that I still had full access to the internet and other networks on the laptop while being connected to the 360…
This option will also allow full internet access from the computer acting as a bridge. The advantage of this option is that you get a DHCP IP address from your home router rather than from the computer doing the Internet Connections sharing.
it doesnt give me the option to bridge connections can someone explain why
You need to select both connections and the right click on it and then the “Bridge Connection” option should be available.
Hi Alan, I have a new ACER netbook with Windows 7 Starter. I cant seem to follow what you are able to do. I am thinking that I cannot “bridge”? I checked Help and they mention that you cannot do this in Windows 7 Starter. Any other way possible with a Netbook/Windows 7 Starter? Thanks
I am also having problems with bridging in windows seven starter
I’ve set this up and it worked perfectly last night better than ICS but i tried this morning and my xbox 360 could not obtain an ip address everything seems fine with the connection and i still have internet access any ideas on how to fix this?
Make sure the latpop starts first and the wirless connection is established before turning on the xbox… just an idea
my computer told me i have to select atleast two LAN or high speed connections that are not being used by internet connection sharing
Check the sharing tab for each network interface that share is turned off….
what do i do
sorry i posted those seperatly
Does not work for me either.
Same problems as above.
Hey Alan, How about posting a fix?
you hav to go to ur wireless connection click on STATUS nd from ther click the properties nd once u get ther u hav to click on the sharing tab…
nd uncheck both options
oh and btw im havin some issues using my bridgeline with windows 7 im able to set it up but when i try using it for the xbox i either hav no network connection or no access to the internet..
help wud be appreciated thanx
can you not do this with windows 7 starter??? there is no “bridge” option when i right click with both of the connections highlighted. and there is no “sharing” tab either. i would really like an answer please.
Fantastic posting!!! Keep it up.
when i highlight the 2 connection and right click i dont get the “bridge connections” at all. plz help