Ethernet Cable

[Northendzone]

So I have an ethernet cable running around my basement to my XBox and I also have a Wii that I'd like to hook up to the net.

I was hoping I could find an ethernet cable with one female end and two male end (i.e. a splitter) - does anyone know if such a thing exists and if it does, where could I get myself one?

I had a quick look at the source and also at an online source (can't recall the name right now) and was unable to find what I was looking for.

[Jimmy Stang]

I think that you'll need to use a switch. You can pick them up for $15 or $20 these days (not gigabit, however, but good enough for regular internet speeds) but you'd need a power source as well.

[DuffMan]

5 port switch.

[Jimmy Stang]

I just looked at Memory Express, and if you wanted to future-proof, you could pick up a gigabit switch for $30. You won't really see any benefit in your situation, but one day you might use it in a set up where you're transferring data between two gigabit-capable devices and you'd want a faster switch. But for sharing an internet connection between two consoles, you'd be fine with a cheap 10/100 switch.

[Slacker]

As far as I know, the Wii only uses wireless.

[gottabekd]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

So I have an ethernet cable running around my basement to my XBox and I also have a Wii that I'd like to hook up to the net.

I was hoping I could find an ethernet cable with one female end and two male end (i.e. a splitter) - does anyone know if such a thing exists and if it does, where could I get myself one?

I had a quick look at the source and also at an online source (can't recall the name right now) and was unable to find what I was looking for.

It it technically possible to have two 100 Mbit connections on the same Cat 5 cable. You would need to split the cable on both ends. I once ordered some specially made adapters from a guy on eBay.

As suggested though, much easier to buy a switch.

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by Slacker

As far as I know, the Wii only uses wireless.

There's an adapter available for an ethernet cable.

[Rathji]

Yeah, spring for a gigabit switch. It might not matter now, but with Shaw (and I presume Telus will soon as well) testing Gigabit Internet, it might actually come in handy sooner than it dies.

[McG]

buy the gigabit 4 port switch.

the reason, as pointed out above, is that the price difference is negligible between the old tech and the new. depending upon your router and the network cable that you ran, you may already be capable of using gigabit in your house.

does this matter? it might when you eventually want to stream stuff all over the place or use the xbox as a media extender. you might have to buy gigabit at that point so better to do it once, now.

no sense slowing down!

[Northendzone]

thanks all - i was hoping to avoid buying a switch only because i have enough crap behind the tv.

to bad the wireless adapters are more than I want to spend.

[Rathji]

You could just run 2 cables and put them in a cable tube, like this. It is like 65cents a foot, probably cost you as much as a switch though, but would be cleaner behind the TV

[mykalberta]

Do you have wireless in your home?

You dont need a switch if you have wireless as you can connect your Wii via wireless and keep the xbox on the Ethernet cable.

The Wii is very easy to setup wirelessly.