Wii Connectivity Question

[jbozz1217]

I am now at college and there is no Wi-Fi in my dorm. We just have an ethernet connection which I perpetually use for my laptop. I know the Wii has a USB port... is there any way that I can plug it into my laptop to get the wired signal from the ethernet cable? Or no? Where could I get one of these cables? Are they common?

Thanks!

PS: I know like absolutely nothing about computers/electronics so please bear with my illiteracy!

 

[POKE40]

No working Internet on laptop
=
No working wifi on Wii

2) you can't connect the cables together and expect to get wifi unfornately.

BUT if your laptop does have Internet connection get the official nintendo wifi adapter (it's like a thumb drive that you put in your laptop) (it costs $30)

then it is possible for wifi

 

[jbozz1217]

My laptop has internet, but it's not Wi-Fi. Will this work?

 

[Cloud XV]

You have a few options for this to work.
Method 1- Only use 1 internet connection at a time.
Plug the Laptop in when u want to play that, and then use this adapter to play the Wii on the same connection.
http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/systems/wii/en_na/acc/wiiLAN.jsp

Method 2- Buy a wireles Router that plugs into that 1 slot you have and use the laptop and Wii at the same time, however if you can't find a wireless Router just buy a Router and the USB connection adapter shown above.
(If you are REALLY computer illiterate, a Router expands the slots you can use, plug that into the wall you will get ports that you can plug other things into, (AKA your Laptop and Wii))

If you need more help just reply =)

 

[Kantō]

wireless router is the way to go

 

[GoldShadow]

Wouldn't a splitter work too?

 

[jbozz1217]

Do they make ethernet splitters? If they did, that would be the way to go.... Or so I think. My residence hall has a policy against wireless routers. Do they make routers that aren't wireless? Hah. And if so, would I be able to use a wired connection from it? Or would a splitter be easier?

 

[jbozz1217]

Must I use the Nintendo converter thing? Or can I use any one? Like would this one work?
http://www.techfocus.co.uk/images/219/pc03.gif

So I'll have to buy a splitter that plugs into the wall... and then another ethernet cable... and the converter thing... Yikes.

EDIT:
http://www.kustompcs.co.uk/acatalog/1985.jpg
What about that? Would that plug into a wall? And then into an ethernet cable, that then plugs into my laptop? And then the other cord plugs into the Wii LAN adapter? Does the Wii Lan adapter have a cord on it or is it just really short? I can't see well from the pictures.

 

[Cloud XV]

A splitter may not work, from what I know about networking a splitter puts two connection on one connection. (Obviously) But then the connection may become jumbled during the transmissions, which is what a Router does, it tells the connection where to go (AKA a laptop connection goes to the laptop and the wii's goes to the wii's)

If you want to try buying a Splitter it may not work, or it may work.

 

[jbozz1217]

I went on a huge shopping spree today, looking for anything that might be able to help me, haha.

I live in NYC so it wasn't difficult to find many stores, but Radio Shack was the only one that had anything specifically useful. They had connection splitters, so, one ethernet cable goes in, and two come out. They also had an interesting piece of USB/Ethernet hardware. It looked like a flash drive, but instead of the actually stick, it just had a piece that resembled the end of an ethernet cable. The worker said that this would work for what I wanted, but they only sold them in packs of 6, and with some weird battery thing, and it was ilke 45 dollars.

Soo.... I bought the $25 Wii LAN Adapter from GameStop, and it came with an ethernet cable too, so that's good. I can play again now, but I just can't do it while I'm on my laptop too. I've seen some "splitters" online, so I might try to order those. Should be interesting to find...