Could someone clarify something for me?

[LoungeAct404]

2 D-Link products:

http://games.dlink.com/products/?pid=383 - the DGL-3420 Wireless 108AG Gaming Adapter that falls under the "console games" section of D-Link's gamer category.

http://games.dlink.com/products/?pid=370 - the renowned DGL-4300 Wireless Gaming Router that is supposed to be the best available for Wireless internet.

What's the difference between the two? I plan on playing Super Smash Bros Brawl online on the Wii via Wi-Fi and I need to know what I should be getting - the DGL-4300 or the DGL-3420. I'm definitely leaning towards the DGL-4300, but I really want to know the difference without wasting time trying to figure it out myself.

Thanks for your assistance.

 

[3NF]

The gaming adapter can be used to connect to an existing wireless network. You would connect your Wii or whatever console to the adapter via a WIRE and then the adapter would (wirelessly, if that's a word) connect to your wireless network. Do you have an existing wireless network? If you do, then the gaming adapter might be all that you need. If you don't have a wireless network, then you might need to get BOTH the router and the adapter!

I'm sure there are manuals and install guides on D-Link's site. You might want to take a look at that

 

[JackMDS]

The word Gaming is used in both cases, but there is No functional relation between the two type of devices.

Regular Wireless Network is consisting on Source, usually Wireless Routers, and Client, Wireless Card. ( http://www.ezlan.net/Wireless_Modes.html ).

Wireless cards needs drivers, but there are devices that are not regular computers, and you cannot install on them Drivers. Hence comes Wireless Client card that are all Hardware, and do not need Drivers.

Numerous Network peripherals can be fit with such card in order to make them Wireless (Network camera, Network printer, NAS, Game Box, and more). To accommodate consumers that there DVD player still flashes 12:00 AM Jan. 2000, they made a special plastic box to few of these devices, and they call it Game Box Adapter

Actually, any Wireless Router or Access Point that can be configured as a Client can serve as a Gaming Adaptor. I.e. you can find $40 hardware and use it instead of paying premium for an inferior device as the game Box adapters.

Gaming Router - Regular Routers (or Wireless Routers) do not control the distribution of bandwidth (Speed) among the computers, it is usually spread even. However if one computer needs more "power" during gaming while other are just surfing and can do with lower Bandwidth, it possible to create a special control in a Router that will let you control the amount of "Speed" that would be assigned to each computer.

The simplest way to it is by using Quality of Service (Qos) process.

Of the Entry level Router D-Link jumps on the idea and is, selling a Wireless router that as is has Qos, they added Giga switch to it too (the Giga switch does nothing to Gaming), and they charge premium for it,

However 3rt party firmware (Like DD-WRT) provide this capacity too. So you can buy $40 Router that is compatible with DD-WRT, Flash it, and Bingo you have a Gaming Router (Do not call it this name because it might be that D-Link copyrighted the name).

http://www.wi-fiplanet.com/tutorials/article.php/3649346

 

[Mir96TA]

Originally posted by: LoungeAct404


http://games.dlink.com/products/?pid=383 - the DGL-3420 Wireless 108AG Gaming Adapter that falls under the "console games" section of D-Link's gamer category.
.

Network Card
Let you plug your Exiting Nic to this Network card so your device can be WiFi

 

[LoungeAct404]

Thank you both for your informative replies. What I really wanted to know is whether or not I needed the Gaming Adapter, or if I could just go with getting the Gaming Router. Would performance suffer (in comparison to the Gaming Adapter) if I just went with the Gaming Router? Going with the Gaming Router would definitely be preferable over getting the Adapter+Gaming Router because I don't have the money to throw around on useless things.

While getting a 40$ router seems nice, I don't know too much about networking really and would rather just shell out the additional 60$ for a product that is sure to be good.

 

[Mir96TA]

Originally posted by: LoungeAct404
http://games.dlink.com/products/?pid=370 - the renowned DGL-4300 Wireless Gaming Router that is supposed to be the best available for Wireless internet.

A Router with which can do 1Gig Wired Connection
54G +Dlink 108 connection
with Built in QoS
I own this Router

 

[Mir96TA]

Other thing on 4300 It is very FAST Router and Very Fast Switch.
I yet to see any other hardware can do such a Fast Routing.
It takes Bitorrent 20 Up and 140 Down Connection without problem!

 

[Mir96TA]

Other thing on 4300 It is very FAST Router and Very Fast Switch.
I yet to see any other hardware can do such a Fast Routing.
It takes Bitorrent 20 Up and 140 Down Connection without problem!

 

[LoungeAct404]

After reading around a bit, I've seen most people recommend the Linksys WRT54G as a very good wireless router. Apparently it's compatible with the DD-WRT as well which makes it a pretty formidable router.

What caught my eye though is that I read that it's possible to use it as a wired router as well (allowing for the best of both worlds - good Wi-Fi on the Wii and DS Lite and wired connection to the XBOX). Can anyone confirm/deny/explain more about this? Thanks.

 

[tyanni]

ALL home Wireless Routers can be used as both wired and wireless. Since the WII has built in wireless (I believe) you can use it with any wireless router, you don't need to purchase a specific "Gaming" router or an adapter.

Tim

 

[mmx]

Could I use the adapter and output it to a switch and create a wireless switch?

 

[JackMDS]

You did not read well it is WRT54GL.

 

[LoungeAct404]

Originally posted by: JackMDS
You did not read well it is WRT54GL.

I noticed right after posting but was too lazy to correct it. Most people say that the WRT54G is decent as well - the earlier versions anyway.

Okay, so, let me talk a little bit more about what I'm trying to do here.

I want to have XBOX Live (regular XBOX, not 360) and the Wii and the Nintendo DS Lite to have the best connections possible (and within reason). What I'm thinking of doing now is waiting for the Nintendo Wii LAN Adapter to come out so I can just plug an Ethernet cord into the Wii and have a better-than-wireless connection to the Wii, and I'd do the same thing with the XBOX. That leaves the DS Lite, though, which I actually do plan on playing frequently online (Metroid Prime Hunters DS is just an amazing game, as well as Tetris DS). I have a little Datel WiFi MAX USB dongle that's currently not working, and even when I get it to work I don't expect it to be as good as a good wireless router, so I don't know guys - help me out here.

I'd also like to make use of the Gigabit LAN of the DGL-4300 or DGL-4100 (I already ordered a DGL-4100 but am thinking of returning it to get a DGL-4300, what say you all?) because I hear it's very fast. For wireless internet, I hear that all the computers have to have wireless NICs, which I'm not sure that I have. Most of the computers at my house have Biostar motherboards with onboard network, sound, and video. They're relatively new (built them last year) - so should they be expected to be compatible with wireless? Or would I need to shell out extra cash to get the wireless NICs?

Thanks a ton guys, I appreciate it.