Big Screen Netflix via Apple, Microsoft and Linksys
So, I finally subscribed to Netflix last week. Cable TV has just gotten so bad and I’ve been missing out on a lot of the movies my friends are talking about.
I also joined because you can now stream movies directly from Netflix to the Xbox 360. Sweet, streaming content in living room rules!
My only issue was that, previous to yesterday, my Xbox has been offline since I moved to Texas, as the router now lives in the office instead of the entertainment center. There are options to fix this. A good, though incomplete, primer is this article from Gizmodo. The options they list are:
- The Microsoft solution, a $99 usb antenna, is the simplest but also the most expensive.
- Third party gaming adapters, which are essentially wireless bridges, and bottom out at $65.
- The original Xbox adapter that is only $50 but hard to find.
- Ethernet sharing with an PC or Mac.
- Finally, hacking a cheap router with new firmware to convert it into a wireless client.
However, for owners of the Apple AirPort Express, there’s another FREE option that works great. By configuring the AirPort Express as a Wireless Distribution System (WDS) remote base station, you can connect by simply plugging the Xbox into the ethernet port on the AirPort Express. Better yet, I’ve read (but not confirmed) that you can even connect multiple devices to the Airport Express via an ethernet hub or switch!
The solution centers on how you attach your AirPort Express to your existing wireless network. You have two options:
- Join as a client – This allows you to only stream music via AirTunes and connect a printer to the network.
- Extend the wireless network – This allows you to stream music and share a printer but also connects the Airport Express as a second wireless access point (extending the range and signal strength of your network) and allows you to connect other devices via ethernet just as if they were plugged directly into the main router.
Extending the network via WDS is supposedly simple and automatic if you have the Apple made Airport Extreme. I, however, have an old Linksys WRT54G, a great b/g router that has become the darling of the hacker community (more on this in a minute).
WDS is not a stated option on the WRT54G. However, depending on who you believe, WDS is available by either upgrading to the latest official Linksys firmware or by installing free, third party firmware like DD-WRT. (I chose to switch to DD-WRT and can not comment on the effectiveness of the Linksys firmware.)
Rather than provide a detailed outline of the procedure that will quickly be deprecated by future firmware and software revisions, I submit the two most useful links I found:
- Linksys WRT54G, Airport Express, and WDS on rgbdream.
- How to set up WDS between a wireless router and an AirPort Express on Download Squad.
I found the first article to be the most accurate but again, due to firmware and software revisions, it can not be followed word-for-word when using current firmware and software versions. My best advice is to read both articles carefully so that you understand all of the configuration options. A few notes… I had to configure the AirPort Express set-up manually as the Apple AirPort Utility’s automated setup could not see the WRT54G router as a WDS base station. Also, when configuring manually, be sure to use the WIRELESS MAC address for your WRT54G and not the LAN or WAN MAC addresses. That was the biggest hold-up in my installation. Finally, while I downgraded my wireless security from WPA Personal to 128 bit WEP as suggested by the tutorials, comments on the rbgdream post indicate that you can, in fact, use WPA in a WDS setup. I’ll check this out later and update the post. [Update #1: I believe I also placed the $ in front of the WEP key as described in the rgbdream post.]
Frankly, I’m shocked that neither Linksys nor Apple tout this feature very heavily (if at all). It’s made my AirPort Express infinitely more useful. A device that was once used solely for streaming music to the stereo has now also extended my broadband connection to wired devices in the living room, strengthened my wireless network, and allowed me to get greater value out of my Xbox 360, Xbox Live and Netflix investments.