Connect Your Xbox 360 to the Internet - Wired LAN, Wireless Wi-Fi, or Internet Connection Sharing

Microsoft wants the Xbox 360 to be the center of your living room where you can do all sorts of things with your HDTV such as play the hottest new games with advanced graphics engines and watch HD video content. You can use the gaming console to access files in PCs as long as you let it join the same network the other computers are in.

Xbox 360 has plenty of Internet features including Xbox LIVE which is basically a network of millions of gamers around the world that want to play cooperatively or competitively while sharing achievements, scores, and even downloadable titles. There are three ways you can connect to the Internet.

Wired Connection

1. Take an Ethernet cable and plug it in the back of the Xbox 360. Plug the other end of the cable to an available jack on the router or directly to a modem if you do not have a router.

2. Turn on your Xbox 360 and go to "My Xbox." choose "System Settings" and go to "Network Settings." Choose the "Text Xbox LIVE Connection" option and choose "Yes" to allow the service to update your console's software. If this finishes successfully, you should have no problems with using the Internet.

Wireless Connection

1. For old Xbox 360 owners, connect the Wireless Networking Adapter to the console. Skip this step if you have the slimmer Xbox 360 model and want to connect wirelessly.

2. Head to the "System Settings" option from the "My Xbox" screen and then go to "Network Settings." Find the network name that matches the router with Internet access that you wish to connect to. Ask the person who set up the wireless router if you are unsure which one you need to connect to. If you cannot find the name, select "Specify Unlisted Network" and type in the name yourself. The person who set up the router should know the name.

3. Input the wireless network password if prompted. You also need to contact the administrator or individual that set up the router if you do not know the password.

4. Wait for the Xbox 360 to connect to the Internet and choose the "Yes" option to allow the console to download the latest update from Microsoft's servers. You should end up in Xbox LIVE afterwards which shows that your Internet properly works.

Internet Connection Sharing

1. Turn on the computer or laptop that is using the Internet so you can share the connection with your Xbox 360. Click the Start menu type "Ncpa.cpl" on the search box. Type this in the "Run" dialog if you are using Windows XP.

2. Right-click the connection icon that is hooked up to your router (usually the wireless connection). Click the "Sharing" tab and tick the first two checkboxes.

3. Now that your wireless connection is actively sharing, plug your Xbox 360 into the vacant Ethernet jack.

4. Go to "My Xbox" on your Xbox 360 console and go to "System Settings" followed by "Network Settings." Choose "Wired Network" if prompted and then go to "Additional Settings". Choose "Restore to Factory defaults" and choose "Test Xbox LIVE Connection" to see if you have Internet connectivity.

Connect Your PS3 to the Internet - Wired and Wireless Techniques

The PlayStation 3 serves as a decent home entertainment console that lets you play hundreds of games as well as watch Blu-ray movies. However, you can really see the potential of the console when you connect your PS3 to the Internet. An Internet connection is required to access the PlayStation Network which is used to download games and play multiplayer games online. It also lets you surf online or use other online services like Netflix.

Your approach to the Internet will depend on how your PS3 is set up with the rest of your components. If your PS3 is placed near your router or modem, you can use the wired connectivity approach. Otherwise, going the wireless route is easier and more convenient if you have a wireless router or access point.

1. Plug the Ethernet cable that comes with your PS3 into the Ethernet jack on the back and plug the other end to one of the available ports on the router.

2. Make sure the router is connected to the access point via Ethernet if you want wireless access. This is not necessary if your router has built-in wireless functionality.

3. Turn on your PS3 and go to the "Settings" menu from the home screen. Go to "Network Settings" from there and head to "Internet Connection Settings." Select the "Yes" option to proceed. Use the "X" button on your controller to confirm any selections or choose an option.

4. Depending on your setup, select either "Wireless" or "Wired Connection." If you choose "Wired Connection," select the "Easy" option first and then select the "Test Connection" option to see if you have Internet. If you don't, choose the "Custom" option instead and ask your Internet Service Provider for assistance regarding the settings.

5. For wireless connections, select the "Scan" option and wait for the system to scan for any access points.

6. A list of SSID's should appear and one of them should represent the access point or wireless router that you have. Choose that SSID to connect.

7. If your wireless router requires a key, choose the type of encryption from the list. It must match the encryption used for the wireless router, so contact the person who set that router up if you do not understand this part. Enter the key afterward and test the connection using the "Test Connection" option.

8. If you have any problems, double check all the connections and confirm your router works with a laptop or desktop PC. Then try to access the admin panel. You can also try loading up a web browser to see if you have Internet connectivity. Otherwise, contact your Internet Service Provider for assistance.

Does Your Xbox 360 Overheat Within Seconds Of Starting Up? It Could Be The Thermal Paste

This article is for the reader who is already familiar with the basics of Xbox overheating. He has already tried using his machine in cool, well ventilated locations, away from other sources of heat, limits the hours of usage, keeps the vents clear of dust and obstructions, and keeps the power brick clear of carpeting. I will discuss how a bad connection between the CPU and it's heat sink or the GPU and it's heat sink can cause drastic overheating problems.

In the best of circumstances, the Xbox has a cooling system that barely keeps pace with normal heat buildup. Because it has little cooling capacity to spare, it doesn't tolerate abuse well. Most people would reasonably expect that an Xbox, however badly abused, should take at least a few minutes to overheat.

So if your Xbox gets the 2 red light error (indicating overheating) within seconds of turning it on after a cold start, you may be wondering how this could even be possible.

One reason for such rapid overheating is that either the CPU or the GPU have become detached from their heat sinks. A heat sink is a device that draws off excess heat. In order to do its job properly, the heat sink must be in good thermal contact with the CPU (or GPU as the case may be).

A CPU or GPU can heat up extremely rapidly if it gets no cooling at all. Both of these units consume a lot of power for their size. Only a few seconds would be required for this electrical power to overheat an un-cooled GPU or CPU. This overheating is so rapid that the rest of the console would not even have time to warm up when the overheated CPU or GPU causes the Xbox to shut down. So you end up with a console that still feels cool but is flashing the two red light error.

There are a number of ways that the heat sink can lose thermal contact. Either the thermal paste is extremely old, or too much thermal paste was initially applied, or there's no paste at all. Perhaps the wrong washers (too thick) were used during the assembly process or the heat sinks were not bolted down properly or perhaps Microsoft left some foil on the heat sink.

When replacing the thermal paste, remember to clean off the old paste first. An alcohol wipe should work for this. Avoid placing too much thermal paste as only a thin film is needed to ensure that there's no air pockets between the heat sink and the CPU (or the GPU). A good paste to use is Arctic Silver. Keep track of the spacer washers that you remove because they must be placed back during reassembly.

If you've never attempted this before but are determined to do this yourself, it is strongly recommended that you get a guide for this kind of repair. Also note that your warranty is voided once you open the console. 

Good luck.