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NWR Interactive => TalkBack => Topic started by: famicomplicated on September 10, 2008, 06:40:39 AM

Title: Nintendo Announces WiFi Router for Wii/DS
Post by: famicomplicated on September 10, 2008, 06:40:39 AM
Nintendo announces a sleek white device that connects to your Wii….wait, an internet router?
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=16670

 In a surprise announcement through a recent Famitsu article, Nintendo revealed a new piece of hardware compatible with the Wii and DS – a wireless Internet router.    


The router will be advertised in collaboration with Internet services and hopes to simplify the process of getting Nintendo consoles online. The device will also be fully compatible with computers and other wireless enabled devices.    


The router will feature several modes which can be toggled via a switch on the back of the device. "Router" is the default option and will function like any other router, allowing you to connect your Wii or DS to the internet. The next option, "Bridge" will allow users to extend the signal of their existing router, perfect for those whose current router is too far from their Wii for a reliable connection. Finally "Auto," though not entirely clear from the article, will seemingly be able to switch between networks automatically.    


The release of an official Nintendo branded router may appear strange, but due to the recent discontinuation of the Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector this seems to be a more useful replacement. Being a router, the previous issues with the Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector regarding platform will no longer be an issue.    


The router will sell exclusively on Nintendo's online store for 5,800 Yen (~$54) and will be available starting September 18 in Japan.

Title: Re: Nintendo Announces WiFi Router for Wii/DS
Post by: Morari on September 10, 2008, 10:01:22 AM
Or you could go buy a real router for that price. They're not that difficult to set up.
Title: Re: Nintendo Announces WiFi Router for Wii/DS
Post by: SixthAngel on September 10, 2008, 12:42:09 PM
You obviously don't know anything about other people, this is obviously not for you.  Also it is a real router.

Tons of people hardly know the very basics of computers much less how to set up a router, decide which security key to use, and then set it up.  What seems basic to some people is difficult for others and after setting up my parents router I was left wondering why they didn't make it idiot proof.  Just throw out WPA and WEP and most people are already confused.

When you want mom, dad, grandma and grandpa to use your system you have to make all the features available to them and products like this are the next basic step.
Title: Re: Nintendo Announces WiFi Router for Wii/DS
Post by: Enner on September 10, 2008, 01:36:03 PM
Ah, I didn't know they discontinued the USB connector. Well, an actual router will be much more useful in using WiiConnect. I wonder if it has Wi-FI g. Probably not, I guess?
Title: Re: Nintendo Announces WiFi Router for Wii/DS
Post by: EasyCure on September 10, 2008, 02:00:34 PM
Quote from: Enner on September 10, 2008, 01:36:03 PM
Ah, I didn't know they discontinued the USB connector. Well, an actual router will be much more useful in using WiiConnect. I wonder if it has Wi-FI g. Probably not, I guess?

you can still pick 'em up used at gamestop. thats what i did because using the lan adapter wasn't cutting it after i got my PC fixed and didnt need to use my wii for my internet browsing purposes.
Title: Re: Nintendo Announces WiFi Router for Wii/DS
Post by: UltimatePartyBear on September 10, 2008, 02:20:07 PM
I just wonder if it'll automatically manage security settings to let me keep WPA enabled without that keeping my DS offline.  Nintendo talked up Buffalo's AOSS at launch for that very reason, so it's possible.
Title: Re: Nintendo Announces WiFi Router for Wii/DS
Post by: NWR_Lindy on September 10, 2008, 03:09:05 PM
The DS can only do WEP, correct?
Title: Re: Nintendo Announces WiFi Router for Wii/DS
Post by: DAaaMan64 on September 10, 2008, 03:18:16 PM
correct.
Title: Re: Nintendo Announces WiFi Router for Wii/DS
Post by: Ian Sane on September 10, 2008, 03:26:59 PM
I never understood why Nintendo went with wireless internet for the Wii.  This is the Nintendo that didn't want to bring the Cube online because they argued that broadband wasn't widespread enough and refused to support HD with the Wii because HDTV's were not widespread enough.  Yet they were all gung ho about wireless internet which thankfully is more common now but wasn't so much when the Wii launched.  Plus traditional controllers and games were all too confusing for everyone but farting around with WEPs and stuff isn't?

Their love affair with wireless internet is so bizarrely inconsistent with almost everything else regarding the Wii.  It is not inconsistent with Nintendo's old "do it weird just because" philosophy though. ;)
Title: Re: Nintendo Announces WiFi Router for Wii/DS
Post by: UltimatePartyBear on September 10, 2008, 03:28:54 PM
Quote from: Silks on September 10, 2008, 03:09:05 PM
The DS can only do WEP, correct?

Correct.  If I remember it right, AOSS routers can automatically configure everything on your network to the highest security setting supported by all devices.  I'm only guessing that it steps security up and down as the devices connect and disconnect.  The wording is vague.  It's a feature I'd pay for, though.  It would weaken my network's security, but only as long as my DS is connected.  It's probably just wishful thinking.

The real selling point is that it can setup the whole thing automatically, which is why I suspect Nintendo would include it in this router.  You have to have physical access to both the router and the device in order to sync them up.  The catch is that every device on the network has to support AOSS.  The DS and Wii (as of the 3.0 update) do, but it's a proprietary system and almost nobody has a router that supports it, let alone wifi cards for their laptops and such.
Title: Re: Nintendo Announces WiFi Router for Wii/DS
Post by: SixthAngel on September 11, 2008, 01:43:56 AM
Quote from: Ian Sane on September 10, 2008, 03:26:59 PM
I never understood why Nintendo went with wireless internet for the Wii.  This is the Nintendo that didn't want to bring the Cube online because they argued that broadband wasn't widespread enough and refused to support HD with the Wii because HDTV's were not widespread enough.  Yet they were all gung ho about wireless internet which thankfully is more common now but wasn't so much when the Wii launched.  Plus traditional controllers and games were all too confusing for everyone but farting around with WEPs and stuff isn't?

Their love affair with wireless internet is so bizarrely inconsistent with almost everything else regarding the Wii.  It is not inconsistent with Nintendo's old "do it weird just because" philosophy though. ;)

I agree that making wireless the only option is a little strange.

I imagine it has a lot to do with the Japanese market though that I know little about.  Also if you want regular people to go online they probably don't want to have a big ugly wire across their house to connect to the Wii near the tv and if the family doesn't want to have to unplug the computer and put in the Wii plug then you probably already have a wireless router and no need for the ugly cord.
Title: Re: Nintendo Announces WiFi Router for Wii/DS
Post by: NWR_Lindy on September 11, 2008, 05:17:03 PM
I wired mine up in the hopes the Smash Bros. Brawl would be more than a slideshow, but it didn't help.  Having the Wii wired up works fine, though.
Title: Re: Nintendo Announces WiFi Router for Wii/DS
Post by: NinGurl69 *huggles on September 11, 2008, 05:23:01 PM
Quote from: Silks on September 11, 2008, 05:17:03 PM
I wired mine up in the hopes the Smash Bros. Brawl would be more than a slideshow, but it didn't help.  Having the Wii wired up works fine, though.

Either your settings could use some fine-tuning, or your opponents need to do the same/they have terrible connections and end up combining their Wonder Twin Lag powers with yours.
Title: Re: Nintendo Announces WiFi Router for Wii/DS
Post by: Flames_of_chaos on September 13, 2008, 10:22:43 AM
Quote from: Silks on September 11, 2008, 05:17:03 PM
I wired mine up in the hopes the Smash Bros. Brawl would be more than a slideshow, but it didn't help.  Having the Wii wired up works fine, though.

The difference between wired online gaming vs wireless online gaming are so minute that it barely makes a difference. But the reason why Nintendo went with wifi is 1. DS already has a very similar set up 2. Nintendo wanted to make the Wii as small as possible so they wouldn't even need to waste space for a ethernet port and ethernet NIC.  And I maybe biased but wireless internet is so much more convenient than wired because you don't have to feed ethernet cables all over your house.  Also you should ask Mr. Jack how much he loves that the 360 doesn't have WiFi built in.
Title: Re: Nintendo Announces WiFi Router for Wii/DS
Post by: NWR_Lindy on September 16, 2008, 02:13:58 AM
Are there any router-side settings that might improve my SSBB performance?

Note: I'm switching back to cable from DSL, so that will most certainly help.
Title: Re: Nintendo Announces WiFi Router for Wii/DS
Post by: NinGurl69 *huggles on September 16, 2008, 12:12:30 PM
Quote from: Silks on September 16, 2008, 02:13:58 AM
Are there any router-side settings that might improve my SSBB performance?

Note: I'm switching back to cable from DSL, so that will most certainly help.

There's a few things you can do, and won't hurt to try.  Other wireless traffic on your router and the quality of your opponents' connections (they should do similar router tweaking as well) including number of players and respective distances, have the most impact on your experience.

This is largely based on Nintendo's wi-fi faq on their help page:

1.  Allow an excessive range if IPs to be mapped (at least 10 values from your other wireless devices).  Assign your Wii a static IP address toward the end of that range.  In my case, I have a range of *.1 to *.25.  The computers in my household end up usually in *.2 or *.3, up to *.5 typically.  My Wii is at *.20

2.  In the router, set your new Wii IP address to "UDP only", as opposed to TCP/IP, or TCP only.

3.  Allow "Port-Forwarding" on your Wii IP address for the entire range, 1 to 65500, something like that.

4.  Set your router's wireless/broadcast channel to the extremes like 1 or 11.  If you have a lot of neighbors with wireless networks, they might be doing the same trick, so use 2 or 10.

5.  Manually set this same IP address (and related Gateway info) under your Wii Settings/Console.

6.  Tells your Brawl friends to fix their internets as well.


I use these settings with a LAN Adapter and on Comcast's lowest-end (384kbps upload) service plan.  I have little to complain about in 4p matches (Continental U.S.), and other forumers who've joined me would agree.