Of course, I couldn't find one that works with a wireless network--only a wired Ethernet. (There is an USB port, but that doesn't talk to the Netflix connection--for no apparent reason.) I really don't want to make yet another run through the crawlspace to get another Ethernet cable. Does anyone know of a cheap device for bridging an wired Ethernet connection to wireless? I'm sure that there's some way to do that with my spare laptop (which has both an RJ45 connector and wireless) in bridge mode, but I couldn't immediately figure out how to do that, and I would prefer something dedicated.
UPDATE: Here's another reasonably cheap solution.
UPDATE 2: And here's a better solution--$30 more, and the Wi-Fi is included. I will return this unit to Wal-Mart tomorrow.
You've got a couple options. Given what you have on hand, from cheapest to most expensive, they are:
ReplyDelete1) Using a crossover cable (or a switch and two regular Ethernet cables, or a regular cable if both ports support Auto-MDIX sensing),and connect the player to your laptop. You'll have to have a DHCP server configured on the laptop (or a forwarder) if your player does not support static IP addressing. You can then turn on Internet connection sharing or, depending on your network-fu, another method of bridging the connection such that your player has access to the Internet. The downside, of course, is that your connection now has another hop, and that older laptops running 802.11b lack sufficient throughput to make video watchable.
2) Find an old Linksys WRT54G (they're ubiquitous), put DD-WRT on it, and set it up as a WDS relay to your main wireless access point. You'd be out $20, but you can hook other things up to it as well as extend your wireless signal in your home.
3) Last and final option is AC/Ethernet converter. These typically run between $50 and $100. One such example here:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833122318&cm_re=ethernet_powerline-_-33-122-318-_-Product
Option #2 posted by RyanDC is your cheapest and best solution. I have a downstairs router configured as an access point. Works great and provides a strong signal anywhere in my house.
ReplyDeleteI have the powerline ethernet setup mentioned by the previous poster, and I found that it works better than wireless for my purposes.
ReplyDeleteWireless would work 98 percent of the time, almost reliable enough to use but to be too annoying to live with full time.
I had been using a hard wired cable which our puppy decided to shred. The Netgear powerline network has saved me from having to run a cable.
I bought a PS3 for the purposes you described. I can also stream video off my computer using windows media player for free.
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