Nintendo Wi-Fi network adaptor is actually a router

Stephen Withers
Tuesday, 09 September 2008 10:25

Your IT - Entertainment

Nintendo is set to release a Wi-Fi router intended for use with the Wii or Nintendo DS. But calling it the Nintendo Wi-Fi network adaptor could cause some confusion.

Styled to resemble a smaller version of the Wii, the device is scheduled for release on September 18 exclusively through the company's Japanese web store and priced at ¥5800 ($A66/$US54).

The Nintendo Wi-Fi network adaptor plugs into an ADSL or cable modem, providing a wireless connection for the Wii or DS along with a wired connection to a PC.

Nintendo officials say the adaptor may work with other devices but is only guaranteed to support the Wii and DS Lite. Being intended for use with Nintendo's consoles, it uses the 802.11b and g standards, not the faster n standard that is becoming increasingly common as standard equipment on notebooks.

Similarly, the Ethernet ports (one for connection to the modem, the other allowing connection of another device) are only 10/100, but that's no big deal as the adaptor does not incorporate an Ethernet switch.

The adaptor may be configured as a router or as a bridge if another router is already present on the network.

For ease of setup, the adaptor uses Buffalo's AOSS (AirStation One-Touch Secure System) to configure the Wi-Fi link between the router and the Wii or DS.

If you've already got a Wi-Fi router, this product is superfluous. But if you've got a PC directly connected to an ADSL or cable modem, then it should be a straightforward way of linking a Wii to the Internet. Over the long haul, it might be a better idea to buy a router with additional capabilities such as print and file servers if there's any prospect of having more than one computer in the house.