Full Review

This is a review for the “Xbox 360 Wireless Network Adapter”.

What is it?
This product is designed by Microsoft to connect exclusively to the Xbox 360 to communicate data in a wireless network for internet game play. This connection is only ultimately practical in connecting to the “Microsoft Xbox Live” online services.

This adaptor is all about connectivity and enables the user to achieve several online objectives such as:

Meeting virtual opponents and competing online,
To work collectively with other gamers to achieve goals through team effort in games,
To download musical content,
To download video content,
To download gaming content and add on packs for games that you already have,
Or use any of the Microsoft Xbox Live services.

It is pretty small with a length about the same as a deck of cards and a chord that is about 5 inches long. It connects to the back of the Xbox 360 (only) with a male USB connector. The adaptor has built in clips that will fit perfectly onto the Xbox 360 and has a pre configured place on the back of the Xbox 360 to snap securely in place. My adaptor is white, and I have only seen them for sale in white.

How it performs.
This network adapter can communicate in the wireless 802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11g standards.

If it’s 802.11n that you are thinking about, then you can forget it for the time being because it will not support that.

Connecting this to the Xbox 360 was literally a snap. Microsoft must have put their finest engineers to work on this thing to assure that it was virtually idiot proof to physically install. All you have to do is snap it into place in the little slots that are on the back of the Xbox 360 with the antennae pointed toward the top of the console.

Configuring the software on the Xbox 360 menu was a breeze. Be prepared to enter your WEP security key if you have security enabled on your wireless network router.

There is a green light on the adaptor that indicates if it has power.

The adaptor is powered by the Xbox 360 console through the USB connection.

After you have the Xbox 360 wireless adaptor installed it automatically connects to the wireless network every time you turn on your gaming console.

My opinion.
I think that the ease of installation for this adaptor is wonderful. I have had no problems receiving and transmitting a good quality signal to this adaptor from a distance of 30 feet, which includes transmitting through a concrete wall that is directly in the line of sight between the two. I was impressed with that. My wireless router is a DLink 802.11g cheapo that I received for free in a bundle package when I purchased a previous computer, so it’s no standout performer in itself.

The price for this thing is the only negative thing. I feel like Microsoft is really socking it to it’s users by charging $100 dollars for this. I have priced it in five different stores and I actually paid that for it at CompUSA. Then, right after I purchased it, I found it for $88 at Wal-Mart. Don’t you hate that?

I would recommend the wireless adaptor to anyone that would be hassled to run a regular hard wire from their router to the Xbox 360 console and could stomach the price tag.