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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. Read the rest at windows7center.com.