Wireless networks at home

[ojs]

Can someone give me some advice on wireless networks at home please?

I'm running XP on my PC and have got a DVD player that's come equipped with an ethernet port.

What would be the easiest way of connecting the two wirelessly; and once they are "physically" connected how do you do things like assign an IP address to the DVD player?

All advice appreciated! Tks.

[Naples Air Center, Inc.]

ojs,

Are you planning on streaming movies across your network? You are going will need to a wired network to do so. (Even with the U.S. Robotics 802.11g router, which is the fastest wireless 802.11g currently available, it does not quite have the throughput to stream video.)

Take Care,

Richard

[TR4A]

What would be the easiest way of connecting the two wirelessly; and once they are "physically" connected how do you do things like assign an IP address to the DVD player

Wireless Bridge. The bridge would be configured before attaching it to the DVD.

Through put ???

[Naples Air Center, Inc.]

ojs,

I just came across this article:

Wireless News: Take that Atheros! GlobespanVirata ups 11g to 140Mbps (http://www.tomsnetworking.com/News_story_468.php)

The announcement said Nitro XM (Xtreme Multimedia) increases throughput rates up to 140 Mbps or 40 times faster than 802.11b products while being fully compatible with all 802.11g and 802.11a/g products.

Looks like the technology is getting closer to being able to stream DVD Video. Here is a little more about the heart of the problem for streaming: (From Tom's Networking)

Any consumer entertainment product manufacturer seriously working on wireless streaming video (and any consumer who has experienced the "freedom" of wireless networking) knows that wireless communications are by nature highly unreliable. These industry giants know they'd better have systems that can deliver acceptable pictures under very adverse signal—and therefore throughput—conditions, or the products will stay on the shelves.

The real smart ones—including Panasonic and Toshiba—are pursuing IP-over-coax systems and wired delivery systems in addition to wireless. Coax is likely to be present in any room where serious, i.e. high definition, video watching will take place, and wires will always beat wireless for reliable delivery of high-speed data. Makers of high performance streaming video products also realize that they'll probably need to move to 802.11a to get the clearer spectrum and larger number of channels needed to deliver high-definition video, or multiple lower definition streams.

The real performance issue is to maintain high (enough) data rate over the desired range. For residential applications, the problem is not so much long range, as it is a relatively "closed" environment that tends to quickly knock down signal strength, or bounce signals around like crazy, creating lots of multipath.


Take Care,

Richard

[ORAC]

The easiest and cheapest way is to sit them beside each other and use a cross-over cable, it will cost about £3-4. If you are already using the ethernet port on your PC for braodband you'll need a router with the broadband on the WAN side and the PC and DVD on the LAN side.

if it's a Kiss, the instructions on how to connect it can be found here (http://www.kiss-technology.com/?p=connection&v=users#2). Otherwise let us know the make and model.

Personally, I'm dithering between waiting for the Kiss DP-1508 (http://www.kiss-technology.com/?p=dp150408&v=users) (about £250), which will take a Wi-Fi card or, since I have a DVD, the Pinnacle ShowCenter (http://www.pinnaclesys.com/ProductPage_n.asp?Product_ID=1481&Langue_ID=2) (£200) which will also take a Wi-Fi card (£30) and has a component output - but doesn't seem to stream net radio (it may be possible though, depends if the URLs can be put in the MP3 playlist in the same way as the SLIMP3). :}

[ojs]

Thanks all, that's just the information I was looking for.

Yes - it is a KiSS player and very pleased with it I am too!

Rgds, ojs.