Mad Catz offers alternative to Xbox 360 Wireless N Networking Adapter
by JC Fletcher 
{ Nov 16th 2009 at 2:29PM } 
Second, and most importantly, the Mad Catz adapter improves upon the most reviled feature of the Microsoft model: the price. At $79.99 (£49.99/€59.99 in the UK and Europe), the Mad Catz Wireless-N Gaming Adapter is no impulse buy, but it's exactly twenty dollars better than Microsoft's version. Mad Catz told Joystiq that its device is currently shipping to North American and European retailers and will be available in the company's online store this week.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
vahdyx @ Nov 16th 2009 2:32PM
I'd buy this for my printer. Do you think this will work?
Aguiluz @ Nov 16th 2009 3:21PM
Get an old router, flash it with DD-WRT and make a client-bridge.
dfsdfgsrrrd @ Nov 16th 2009 3:45PM
Great another box hanging off my Xbox. I'll stick on on the HD DVD drive, next to the power brick. I just hope their is room left for when the Blu-Ray drive arrives.
I'm really proud of my Xbox, it's toally modular, and I have only spend 3x the price of a PS3 on it, and got half the console.
GewurztraminerX @ Nov 16th 2009 4:01PM
Look before you leap.
Help me! @ Nov 16th 2009 4:20PM
Look on the bright side: At least your living room isn't rocking the Tower of Sega
Smoke_me_a_Kipper @ Nov 16th 2009 5:55PM
Yes, it would. Any Ethernet device will. In fact you could connect a hub and connect several 10/100 devices to it.
Derwin @ Nov 16th 2009 11:54PM
For those that want Wireless-N and dual band for cheap, and don't mind refurbished:
$35 WGA600N RM which will work for the 360, or anything with an Ethernet port (including some printers).
http://unclevic.com/pd/185-1-0-7850-linksys-wga600n-wga600nd-wga600n-rm-wireless-n-gaming-adapter
Just bought one last week from this place... loving it so far!
Kaizen @ Nov 16th 2009 2:35PM
Does it also do Dual Band (5GHz) or just 2.4GHz?
Bearxor @ Nov 16th 2009 2:38PM
Seconded. At the 79.99 price, I'm kind of thinking this is 2.4ghz only.
Bearxor @ Nov 16th 2009 2:39PM
And considering the press release reads 802.11b/g/n compatible instead of 802.11a/b/g/n, I think I'll pass.
Cheesus Crust @ Nov 16th 2009 2:59PM
Who the heck still uses A? Are we all in the Stone Age?
Darth Bradwart, The Dark Lord of the Sith-ATDF Co-Founder @ Nov 16th 2009 3:23PM
A has a higher data rate than B and G...
AvA (ice~) @ Nov 16th 2009 3:32PM
it's...it's like a different language....!
Bearxor @ Nov 16th 2009 4:03PM
If you're using Media Center Extenders to stream live TV and stuff, you should be using a 5ghz wireless standard.
Brazell @ Nov 16th 2009 4:22PM
@ CHeesus,
A is actually much better than B, and rivals G. B is the horrible one here.
MystileArmor @ Nov 16th 2009 2:36PM
I'd consider buying two empty bean cans and a string instead, before I ever buy anything MadCatz again.
D-5 @ Nov 16th 2009 3:12PM
That's a low blow comparing those cans and a string to a MadCatz product. The string alone is a better value by virtue that it can do many things (Keeping mittens together, tying it around your index finger, etc.).
MystileArmor @ Nov 16th 2009 3:20PM
... now you're making my comment seem as if I was joking.
Alex @ Nov 16th 2009 3:27PM
hey now, I had a MadCatz controller that lasted a whole 4 months before some buttons stopped working. That is waaaaaay beyond a 30 day warranty!
Monica Dickey @ Nov 16th 2009 7:39PM
Indeed. I HATE that MS sells their wireless adapter for $100 but I would never make the mistake of trying to save money by buying a MadCatz product. It's basically a guarantee I will spend $180... $80 for the MadCatz adapter and $100 for a microsoft one when the MadCatz one fails after 2 months.
juangrande386 @ Nov 16th 2009 2:39PM
im still using the 50ft ethernet cable ive had since the original Xbox went online. i really only use the wifi to download demos and updates for my PS3 and Wii. I always have the ethernet plugged in if im playing a game online on the PS3, Wii, 360, or surfin the net on my laptop.
GewurztraminerX @ Nov 16th 2009 3:21PM
Wires can get annoying, but yeah, gotta love the $5 alternative.
(http://www.monoprice.com/products/search.asp?keyword=50ft%20cat5)
And you can color coordinate!
B3astofthe3ast @ Nov 16th 2009 2:40PM
I still can't see how Microsoft got away with not including WiFi in the 360.
Zoot Suit Jedi @ Nov 16th 2009 3:05PM
They were just trying to give us more options.
jarhead906 @ Nov 16th 2009 3:13PM
I pray that is sarcasm, Jedi.
inb4 thesearenotthedroidsyou'relookingfor
Darth Bradwart, The Dark Lord of the Sith-ATDF Co-Founder @ Nov 16th 2009 3:16PM
*waves hand*
The Jedi is a master of sarcasm. You will never question this again.
rohan @ Nov 16th 2009 3:18PM
they wanted to keep the core price low as they could
Darth Bradwart, The Dark Lord of the Sith-ATDF Co-Founder @ Nov 16th 2009 3:24PM
Low? Ha! A 150 dollar DS had Wi-Fi in 2004.
eNrique @ Nov 16th 2009 3:31PM
Wait tll' the next update prevents it from working.
ducttapeBigSexy (PSN&XBL: ducttape12) @ Nov 16th 2009 3:38PM
Especially considering that you'd think Microsoft would want everyone to get their system online; lots more money to be made with XBL and DLC.
Cody @ Nov 16th 2009 4:05PM
"I still can't see how Microsoft got away with not including WiFi in the 360. "
One year head start DUHH!!!!!
GewurztraminerX @ Nov 16th 2009 4:06PM
Personally I think it'd be more annoying if I had to pay extra to plug in an ethernet cable.
zero2dash @ Nov 16th 2009 6:54PM
Because they put in wired (as a minimum), and realized if people didn't want to run cables throughout their house, they'd probably be willing to buy their overpriced wireless adapter for MOAR PROFIT, rather than buying a bridge (or a router and using it as a bridge) for less than the cost of the wireless adapter.
It's all about the benjamins baby (literally).
oxymoronx420 @ Nov 16th 2009 2:40PM
Why buy this when you could buy a cheap linksys wireless router, load dd-wrt on it and have a wireless bridge w 4 ethernet ports for $40-$60?
Madcatz = FAIL
My gf had purchased some wireless controllers for the original xbox.... made by madcatz, never worked properly, ever.
nutman @ Nov 16th 2009 2:48PM
A lot of people would rather spend an extra $20 for something that just works instead of messing around with things they don't understand.
Freedom Town @ Nov 16th 2009 2:57PM
What is there to "not understand" ?
Point bridge to wireless network. Plug bridge into XBOX
It is the same as the microsoft or MadCatz solution....except that it comes from a reputable company.
You can get a linksys or netgear wireless-N bridge for around $80 give or take 10 dollars....
Vidikron @ Nov 16th 2009 3:03PM
@Freedom
The OP is talking about using an actual router, not a bridge. You can often use routers, but they usually take a bit more configuration than a bridge. Plus, the OP is also talking about flashing a router with a 3rd party firmware. That step alone will make most consumers say "Screw that" and choose the less complicated option.
Freedom Town @ Nov 16th 2009 3:13PM
I thought Nutman was supporting the Microsoft 360 bridge as opposed to a normal wireless bridge, by saying its worth the premium. Missed the part about using a normal Router...my bad. But the point against the Microsoft branded one still holds true.
emirabal @ Nov 16th 2009 2:40PM
There is no chance the Microsoft would block this with an update like they did with the memory stick debacle.
Bearxor @ Nov 16th 2009 2:42PM
Considering that all the XBox sees is an ethernet cable, I'd say it's highly unlikely ;).
iamnotafish @ Nov 16th 2009 2:51PM
That was my first thought, but it acts as a wireless bridge which means the xbox just sees it as a regular cable. However, the problem with bridges is that you can't change the wireless network on the xbox. My neighbour and I both have wireless networks, but if I want to log my router onto his network, I have to log in to my router, change the network ID and then restart it all. With the MS one, I believe it is all handled by the xbox directly.
Darth Bradwart, The Dark Lord of the Sith-ATDF Co-Founder @ Nov 16th 2009 2:41PM
These are a heck of a lot cheaper, and Pelican is a better brand than Mad Catz
http://www.amazon.com/Wireless-Network-Adapter-Access-Xbox-360/dp/B001A5S6YG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1258400417&sr=8-1
They're on eBay for about 40 as well. Used mine for seven months with no issues.
Sure, it's just 802.11g...but it works.
nutman @ Nov 16th 2009 2:48PM
cool. I'll look into this.
LegendaryRedass @ Nov 16th 2009 2:42PM
Score one for the free market. Competition is great.
ew44dsf @ Nov 16th 2009 2:53PM
Watch out, next dashboard update will lock this (and any other non-Microsoft stuff out).
TO be sure, you only must be overpriced Microsoft accessories.
Freedom Town @ Nov 16th 2009 3:00PM
How about no? Any wireless bridge works with XBOX, it always has.
MystileArmor @ Nov 16th 2009 3:03PM
@Ew44dsf: I hope the new dashboard update will lock people like you out. You radiate such an amount of "asshole"-ism, it shouldn't be hard to detect for any piece of hardware.
You also seem like the type of asshole that complains a toaster will only fit bread, a bagel at most.
Ashitaka @ Nov 16th 2009 2:51PM
See, Microsoft? This is how you give choice to your consumers. The wi-fi is included in the box and yet we can still upgrade it.
rotatingflavors @ Nov 16th 2009 2:51PM
Don't bother with these, it'll only be a few firmware updates before '3rd party USB networking devices' get blocked, too. *sigh*
CaramelZappa @ Nov 16th 2009 2:55PM
rtfa
It works as an ethernet bridge, not a usb reciever. As far as microsoft knows you're using a wired connection. They can't block this.