[ubuntu-uk] Query about connecting a Ubuntu pc and an xbox

[Rob Beard]

On 12/03/2009 09:04, javadayaz wrote:
> Ok same old dead topic i know.
> Im looking to buy a house and obviously my first thoughts in this new 
> house are "connectivity. Basically I want to use my pc as hub for all 
> my entertainment. It will be stored in a seperate room where it will 
> be connected to 26" moniter doing pc things but i also want to beam 
> the media into the main living room where a bigger tv will reside. 
> Naturally i want to do this without the aide of wires. Im thinking 
> connect up an xbox1 to a tv and beam across the media from my ubuntu 
> pc to my xbox. But my old xbox doesnt have wifi (it does have media 
> centre). Or maybe that has some kind of wifi built in!
> I then want to use my G1 Android phone to control everything. Like a 
> remote.
> I know there is an OS (in linux) that does all this and more but thats 
> more of the software side of things im looking more of the hardware 
> issues.
> ps my pc currently doesnt have wifi so that would be the first thing 
> to look at!
> pps im so excited at the prospects of this! :)
>
> -- 
> Javad
You have a couple of options for connecting the XBOX.  Probably the 
easiest without running cables (which is what I did for future proofing) 
is to get a couple of Powerline Ethernet adaptors which basically plug 
into the mains and have an ethernet socket in them.  You'll need at 
least two to create a network.  You can then either plug these into an 
ethernet switch and from the switch into the XBOX ethernet port or 
directly from the Powerline ethernet adaptor into the XBOX.

With regards to adding wifi on your PC, do you really need wifi?  Have 
you thought about broadband?

You might find it's easier enough to plug your PC into your router if 
you can get away with it (of course this depends if you can put your 
router near your PC).  If you can't plug your PC directly into your 
router (say it's in a different room) then you should be able to plug in 
a USB Wifi adaptor or PCI Wifi card (others on here will probably be 
able to advise you what works and what doesn't, I know my old Netgear 
WG111 USB adaptor does work out of the box).

If you wanted to connect your XBOX via wifi then you'd need a wireless 
access point which can connect to an existing wireless network.  I 
managed this for a friend by flashing his Buffalo router with the 
OpenWRT firmware and then getting it to bridge to his existing wireless 
network although I'd say it wasn't dead easy the first time round.  
There may be other wifi access points which do the job easier.

Another thought which might be easier, if you can put your router next 
to or near your XBOX then you could plug the XBOX directly into that and 
then as you say add Wifi to your PC.  That way the XBOX will be able to 
go through the router's wireless connection.

With regards to the Android though, not sure how to do this as I haven't 
got one.  Someone else might be able to advise.

I did something similar although I did it pre-wireless so I ended up 
running some CAT5 cables up to the loft and put a server and switch in 
the loft.  If you're buying your own house and it needs redecorating and 
you're handy with DIY then you may be able to put the cables in the 
walls neatly (this is what I'm planning on doing when I redecorate with 
the help of my dad who is good at DIY - I'm hopeless at it!).  Saying 
that though I guess it may be better to go for CAT6 cable for future 
proofing.

Rob