Alright, so I have my PC and Xbox hooked up in my dorm, but I don't have the Xbox hooked up to the internet yet. I only have one ethernet port available to me, so is there an ethernet PCI card I could install in my PC that I could connect my Xbox to and connect to the internet? I would think any plain old ethernet card would work as long as I configure it correctly in my network.

Also, I really want to be able to broadcast Wifi from my desktop without the use of a wireless router, so that my phone and ipod can connect to the internet in my room. Is this possible with a wireless PCI adapter card, or simply undo-able without a wireless router?

Tune to 20:32, maybe this helps.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cs7nr1FfAoc#t=20m30s[/youtube]

I would plug in a router or a switch and get it done that way.

As far as getting your Xbox hooked up to the net you could install a second ethernet card and enable ICS (Internet Connection Sharing). It easy to set up, just be aware you may have to troubleshoot a IP conflict. I've got my buddy setup with ICS his PC connects to the WiFi network then the Xbox is hooked to the ethernet port and accesses the internet thru the PC wireless and ICS.

As far as making your computer a wireless access point, I am not sure.

Easiest thing to do really is buy a wireless router...

marlin29311 wrote:Easiest thing to do really is buy a wireless router...

No dorm I've lived in or visited has allowed you to hook up a wireless router. In fact it's enforced under the penalty of removing the ethernet port from your room altogether at OU. I'm pretty sure Cal Poly Pomona does this too so that's actually a last ditch idea.

@Loki Look up articles on bridging in Halo 2 on the original Xbox. If you have Windows XP they should give you a step by step tutorial on setting up Internet Connection Sharing. Once you figure it out it works perfectly. There's just the figuring it out part...

Even if you set it up so it doesn't broadcast the SSID?

There might be some voodoo wizardry that can be used to find out even if you turn off SSID broadcast but most people were caught by WiFi sniffing or simply seeing the router.

eh, I got away with it all through college...I cloned the MAC address to the router from my laptop, and then just turned off the broadcast...no one but me used it, and it made life nice and simple for me. our IT department wasn't exactly the smartest of the bunch, so I never had an issue.

I'd say the best option would be to use a switch with the router to effectively add more ports. You could try futzing around with Windows' Internet Connection Sharing, but that's just tedious. If you add a switch you'll have free ports if you need to add more devices, too.

Another bonus of the switch can be reduction in cables strung everywhere. If not all your devices are right next to the router, you can use the switch to add ports nearer those devices and end up with only one cable strung across the dorm instead of many.

MinisterofDOOM wrote:Another bonus of the switch

LANs!!