Today's hottest game video: Wii browser shop "hack"
by Kevin Kelly 
{ Nov 27th 2006 at 12:00AM }
Today's top slot on the hottest gaming video charts is occupied by the vomiting Wii that we showed you earlier (we're convinced it's another new Nintendo game innovation called Chase the Disc, making the gamer get even more active), so we're moving down to number two -- a way to hack your Wii and surf the web before the browser comes out.The Wii won't officially have it's Opera 9 browser until later, but clever individuals have figured out how to "hack" the settings on the Shop Channel (which is basically a stripped-down browser), and venture out onto the web. It's not the prettiest solution, but it'll get you surfing until the real thing finally drops.
The first person to browse Joystiq using this method on their Wii and post a screenshot (preferably of this post) in the comments will receive our praise and holiday cheer. Check out the video after the jump, then fire up your Wii and make us proud.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
raid168 @ Nov 27th 2006 12:14AM
the webpage loading time takes so long,nintendo sux
Sniper @ Nov 27th 2006 12:16AM
Cool i've always wanted to browse the interweb 10x slower
ast @ Nov 27th 2006 12:17AM
Just to be clear. In the video the person is choosing a local computer on his router to use as a DNS server instead of the ISP server. A DNS server is the computer that translates a website name like "www.google.com" into an IP address your webbrowser connects to.
In this case he put in a 'false' entry in the server to have the Wii shop domain resolve to one of google's IP addresses. From there he can use google to reach other websites normally though there is no standard browser functionality like manual address, bookmarks, history, etc...
36ii @ Nov 27th 2006 12:19AM
Are loading times always that damn long? I don't use my iPod as my TV- maybe they should have put a not-slow processor in the thing; can't have been that much bigger.
Picklesworth @ Nov 27th 2006 12:23AM
I guess this makes it a bit of a sham that they will be eventually charging money for the Opera browser?
Clearly they have already licensed it for each console, no?
They can't possibly have not anticipated people finding this. Maybe they didn't expect it though, in which case... they had better make it free or something!
OM @ Nov 27th 2006 12:26AM
The loading time is so slow because it's rendering the entire page before displaying it.
AJ Papa @ Nov 27th 2006 12:28AM
This is the same trick PSP users pulled with Wipeout before the official PSP web browser. DNS resolution tricks are trivial; it just needs some nerd know-how.
Sub @ Nov 27th 2006 12:28AM
If this can be done w/ the Wii, why not the 360?
RyanTV @ Nov 27th 2006 12:38AM
I'm still trying to figure out why I care to browse the internet on my Wii in the first place.
minus_273 @ Nov 27th 2006 12:40AM
#8 because the 360 baldes interface is not a web browser duh.
a robot @ Nov 27th 2006 12:40AM
RyanTV, it's obviously because browsing in 480p and pointing at letters is much better than browsing at 1600x1200 and typing.
AzaMcWazza @ Nov 27th 2006 1:05AM
Yeah when you buy the opera browser, the Wii will download 1 byte, of which 1 bit will be used to turn it on ;)
djSyndrome @ Nov 27th 2006 12:43AM
"Clearly they have already licensed it for each console, no?"
I'd say so. The Opera logo is on the side of the box.
Picklesworth @ Nov 27th 2006 12:46AM
I was about to post this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qejj3mYs4DI
To point out that it can't be Opera 9 but rather Nintendo's own little browser, but I noticed in the comments (surprisingly not lame comments like YouTube usually is prone to!) that a few people are sure a proxy is changing the code.
AzaMcWazza @ Nov 27th 2006 3:17AM
Ryan, dunno about you but my Wii will be in a lounge area. My computers are in my office. If I'm chilling out and want to quickly check what movies are on, or a map or something, I'd much rather fire up Wii than go to my office.
Tom @ Nov 27th 2006 1:10AM
Hmm, a web browser. How quaint. Well, anyways, back to Zelda...
Optimus Prime @ Nov 27th 2006 1:16AM
Wowee.. browsing in 640x480 with dial-up like connection, piss poor rendering, and a half-ass browser.. its 1995 all over again.
With 88mb total ram, Wii is going not going to be fun to browse on.
TehSudds @ Nov 27th 2006 1:26AM
#13, that's not necessarily so. This is embedded Opera, not the desktop one. The desktop Opera 9 does render Acid2 correctly, but only internal builds of a few embedded ones do it correctly (i.e. S60: http://operawatch.com/news/2006/05/opera-mobile-becomes-the-first-mobile-browser-to-pass-the-acid2-test.html ).
TehSudds @ Nov 27th 2006 1:30AM
Err, I should clarify. "Opera 9 for Devices" does not equate 1:1 with "Opera 9 for Desktop", which is essentially what I was trying to say.
Grant @ Nov 27th 2006 1:33AM
I don't think that anyone in the universe, including the most diehard Nintendo fanboys, has ever claimed that browsing the web on the Wii would be better than doing it on a computer, overall, so stop pretending like anyone's making that claim. It might be nice, however, to pop into the browser quickly in between games to find various things quickly. By the way, I wouldn't judge the Wii's browsing speed based on this HACKED solution. It's entirely possible, and in fact completely likely, that when they put out the official browser, it'll be able to use the Wii's processors to browse much faster. Nintendo didn't plan on users browsing the way the video is showing, so clearly the performance of this browser isn't optimized.
Brandon @ Nov 27th 2006 1:43AM
I think its a great proof of concept.
Patrick @ Nov 27th 2006 1:41AM
The only reason I could see to use the Wii browser would be to jump on gameFAQs real quick between game sessions. Even then, watching the load times, it may be quicker to walk into the other room, check the site, make a sandwich, balance the checkbook, and come back to the Wii.
I guess this could be useful for all those millions of people who have their own wireless internet access and no computer...*sigh*
Kevin @ Nov 27th 2006 1:44AM
Hey guys it's attack of the Sony fanboys who claim the web browsing experience on the Wii is a flashback to 1995!!!
But shhh, don't talk about the shitty ass browsers on the PS3 and PSP that load like just as slow if not slower.
How do I know you ask? BECAUSE I OWN ALL 3 AND A 360. ROFL@THAT
Huzzah!! @ Nov 27th 2006 2:59AM
Hmmmmm Tried multiple things, didnt work. Then again, I'm "hacking-tarded" or something. Guess I'll wait. Hope its faster than in the vid though.
Ben O. @ Nov 27th 2006 4:41AM
I got the browser to work, but it would error out everytime I tried to go to the main page, so I tried m.joystiq.com and it worked!
Behold, joystiq on the Wii:
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/5747/joystiqwiiea3.jpg
Ichoro @ Nov 27th 2006 5:03AM
"quote"
24. Ryan, dunno about you but my Wii will be in a lounge area. My computers are in my office. If I'm chilling out and want to quickly check what movies are on, or a map or something, I'd much rather fire up Wii than go to my office.
why wouldn't you have a laptop in your launge area?? I dunno I'm all wireless, regardless, if I wanted to look someting up I'll use my cellphone which is faster than that wii half baked browser ... either way if im pointing and clicking at every letter, I rather click my keys on the cell, at least the cell will not just give me directions it will guide me on my way to the destination (GPS).
Oro @ Nov 27th 2006 5:11AM
http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/2684/1127060509ua0.jpg
:( Beaten
Jade @ Nov 27th 2006 5:51AM
Tried couple times. Doesn't work. Made my decision. Wii for gaming.
DiRT @ Nov 27th 2006 7:42AM
I notice that it keeps wanting to download a system update. What is it trying to install?
Keef @ Nov 27th 2006 7:50AM
just like the Wipeout psp hack b 4 the true browser
DiRT @ Nov 27th 2006 8:13AM
Ichoro said: "why wouldn't you have a laptop in your launge area??"
What's a launge?
Tell you what, PS3 fanboy, send me $1,000 and I'll buy a laptop.
Why wouldn't you just shut your pie-hole, stop spreading your stupidity, and let those who want this have it?
DJ @ Nov 27th 2006 11:12AM
When the Wii gets a huge installed base, myspace and other sites will probably set up custom formats and hooks to make it easy to use your wii to browse, upload, etc.
same for youtube.
RyanTV @ Nov 27th 2006 8:30AM
You do realize that companies other than Sony produce laptops... don't you?
And again... I'll take browsing on my 15.4" laptop at 1680x1050 rather than on my 62" DLP @ 640x480. This just seems like a ridiculous 'feature'.
Srevo @ Nov 27th 2006 8:56AM
Not sure if you realize this or not, but this "half-baked" browser is not meant to browse google or dig. It is meant to browse Nintendo's shop, and only Nintendo's shop.
It is completely pointless to compare it, and degrade it when it has poor performance outside of it's designed area.
Esenkay @ Nov 27th 2006 9:12AM
I posted this at the original posting of this hack, but got no response. Maybe you guys know something.
HELP! It doesn’t work! I have a wireless connection set up with WPA-PSK (TKIP), and it will not get passed the test. I also can not change the type of connection I have as it is not my own.
Korexz @ Nov 27th 2006 9:28AM
What about networking to the Wii from a Windows machine... it has to have an IP, it is on local network. Has anyone attempted to locate the IP, connect and put anything to memory?
I have wanted to put video's direct to memory because the 2GB SD card I ordered hasn't arrived yet.
DiRT @ Nov 27th 2006 9:47AM
OK RyanTV - what you are saying is that this story doesn't interest you and doesn't apply to you, yet you feel the need to troll it and belittle it and anyone interested in it. Great job. Your mother must be proud.
SuperChuck @ Nov 27th 2006 10:21AM
Why does everyone expect the desktop PC experience out of EVERYTHING?
As a phone geek, I heard a LOT of this in the early days of WAP. "Why would I want a web browser on my phone, that's stupid, I can't get 1600x1280 resolution on my phone". When I use the browser on my phone, I use it to read some news or check my email when I'm away from a PC. I don't expect to watch an HD movie on my lowly flip-phone.
The answer is it's a DIFFERENT experience. It would be a good way to, say, read Joystiq. It would not be a good way to type in this long comment to Joystiq.
For point-and-click stuff, it'll be great. If I have to enter a lot of text, I'll walk across the room to get my laptop.
And let's face it, 99% of my online experience is point-and-click.
wii @ Nov 27th 2006 11:13AM
the fun you can have with a wii, ey... go on the internet. Havn't got a computer to do that ;)
Brad @ Nov 27th 2006 11:24AM
So whats the deal? in that video it seemed to mess up with the Flash on youtube.. is this going to be the case on the final downloadable opera?
Arty2 @ Nov 27th 2006 11:29AM
Now that you guys managed to surf external sites make the community a scripting favour and visit this page:
http://www.javascriptkit.com/javatutors/javascriptkey2.shtml
Go to where it says "Example: Enter a key below:" and if it possible to override the Wii keyboard, just press the wiimote buttons and report those values back ;)
If you can get that working that will be a first step in developing flash games that make use of all the Wiimote keys.
Doug Kaplan @ Nov 27th 2006 11:34AM
You know what I really wanted to happen, I would've liked the ability to access the Opera browser during a game and not stop my game from running in the background. I am not a technical guy at all but I am assuming the Wii is not powerful enough to handle this but the idea of being able to play my game, go to Opera, check out a guide on gamefaqs.com and go right back into my game would be perfect. The browser doesn't need to be super fast or super amazing, that's what a computer is for. Nintendo isn't charging for the access to the internet so really, it's a moot point. Also, Nintendo is not charging you for the browser when it eventually comes out, Opera is so let's hold back on the Nintendo bashing eh?
Darkness @ Nov 27th 2006 11:37AM
Why are you guys even bothering judging the Wii online experience from a HACKED browser that was not intended to do more than browse the Nintendo store? This is not a real full featured browser and it only working due to a HACKED solution. Let's wait for a real browser to show up before we judge the online capabilities of the Wii. Last time I checked the Opera browser hasn't been released.
David @ Nov 27th 2006 12:00PM
I would think that a keyboard may be an optional feature seeing how the system has 2 USB ports on the back. Also, they plan to charge for the browser?! Well if its a one time fee i might be able to deal with that, depending on the fee.
Kevin @ Nov 27th 2006 12:28PM
Ben O. and Oro -- you rock! Awesome work, guys.
sam @ Nov 27th 2006 2:38PM
well, i for onw would like to use this function. The computer in my house is usually occupied....and i do not own a laptop.plus the computer area is right next to the living room in my house and my wife gets mad when i listen to things on it if it interrupts her tv program.so i will browse the web on my 30 inch screen in my game room, and i will be completely satisfied doing so.
Sam @ Nov 27th 2006 1:10PM
Completely off-topic: The next time you guys post something relating to the Opera Wii browser, I think a photo of Adam Sandler as Operaman is totally warranted.
dinnerroll @ Nov 27th 2006 7:50PM
I know #3 kind of explained it, but could someone give me a detailed explanation on how this works? I imagine it's not simply changing that ip address and I don't want to try and mess something up.
ubiquityman @ Nov 30th 2006 12:46PM
It probably is not too hard to go from here to an "internal" Wii Shop running from a web server at home to serve up other items...
Paul Gale @ Nov 28th 2006 1:57AM
I give a lot of credit to people out there like this that figure out little tricks in a new system. In cases when the system's only been out for a week, it's just that much more impressive. Nice find. I wonder if the real Opera Browser on Wii will take that much time to load in between pages...
Paul Gale
1up.com