Choose How to Connect your Xbox, now a Media Extender, to your Wired or Wireless Network

An Xbox 360 can be used to access media located on your Windows PC, and it will look and feel just the way it does when you’re sitting at your PC. When you access Media Center on an Xbox 360, you can access all the same media, including high-definition television.

In this article, I’ll discuss the pros and cons of selecting both wired and wireless networks for your media and media extender. If you’re concerned about whether or not your current home network is suitable, and this article does not address your concerns, check to see if it is certified for Windows Vista. For a list of certified Windows Vista home networking devices, visit Microsoft’s website.

Accessing Media Center over a wired network from an Xbox 360 requires a high-performance wired network. Ordinary wired networks are great for browsing the Web or checking email, but in order to access Media Center from an Xbox 360 over a wired network connection, you’ll want to make sure that your network offers a speed of at least 100 mbps. A wired high-performance network is best for accessing Media Center from an Xbox 360. It provides minimal interference and maximum speed, and is more reliable than a wireless network.

If you are not able to run a wired connection to your Xbox 360, a wireless connection may be the next best option. It is important to keep in mind that not all wireless networks provide the best experience when used with an Xbox 360 for Media Center access. In fact, wireless networks may cause the most trouble. Other devices in homes such as cordless phones and microwave ovens can interfere with wireless signals and cause connections to become unreliable or data transfer speed to degrade. This is why wired connections are highly recommended. 802.11b wireless networks are not recommended for use with Media Center on an Xbox 360 due to the slow speed. 802.11a is highly recommended because it is faster than 802.11b and operates on a separate frequency from 802.11b and the other devices mentioned that may interfere. 802.11g is suitable, but may suffer from the same interference problems.

1. Connect an Xbox 360 to your home network.
2. Add an Xbox 360 Extender to Media Center.
3. Access your Windows Media Player library from an Xbox 360 or another Windows Vista PC.

This article was excerpted from How To Do Everything with Windows Media Center, written by Joli Ballew and Justin Harrison for McGraw-Hill Companies and a copyright exists at McGraw-Hill. Permission must be granted by McGraw Hill to reuse or republish this material.

Add an Xbox 360 to your existing home network and share digital media– Part I of V

Add an Xbox 360 to your existing home network and share digital media– Part II of V

Add an Xbox 360 to your existing home network and share digital media– Part III of V

Add an Xbox 360 to your existing home network and share digital media– Part IV of V

Add an Xbox 360 to your existing home network and share digital media– Part V of V