Nintendo Wi-fi USB Connector Review

For years, we’ve been begging Nintendo to release a game system that could finally connect to the internet. Microsoft and Sony took advantage of Nintendo’s lack of online availability early on and our favorite game company soon fell behind the others. With the release of their Wii and DS systems, however, came the introduction to Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, an online wireless internet service used to trade and battle with your friends, around the world.

Although one of the ways to get online to Nintendo’s internet connection is to have a wireless router, not all of us do, so the alternative is to buy the Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector, a small device that plugs into your computer’s USB port and broadcasts a wireless internet signal (up to 10 feet) to your Wii and DS. Now, all of Nintendo’s products thus far have been reliable, but what about this one? Well, I bought the product myself and tested it out.

The Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector only works with DSL/cable broadband internet speeds, anything upwards of 200 KBPS. Also, the connector’s software will only work on operating systems with Windows XP, and just recently, Windows Vista.

Installing the Software:

The installation wizard is straightforward and easy to use. You don’t plug the connector into your USB port until after the setup program says so. Now, keep in mind that I have a relatively new computer system, upwards of 1 GB of RAM and 3.0 GHZ. It took approximately 15 minutes to install the software, which was odd since the files only required 5 MB of hard drive space.

Once the installation is complete, the setup program places a small blue icon in your taskbar next to your clock on the desktop. Now you’re ready to begin. I double-clicked the icon and loaded up the “Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector Registration Tool.” From this screen, it tells you to use the Wi-Fi menu on your DS or Wii to connect to the program. You simply turn on whichever system you want to set up Wi-Fi and select “Connect with Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector” in the Internet menu/Wi-Fi set-up menu. I did, and on my first attempt, it succeeded, so I was finally able to use Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection to make new friends - by trading and battling! Success! Or…maybe not.

The Problems Begin:

At the end of the day, I turn my computer off and go to sleep. Next morning, I wake up, turn my computer on…only to find out that the USB Connector isn’t working anymore. Why? Apparently, it’s because I “disconnected” from the internet when I turned my system off the previous night. It seems as though there’s a flaw in the design of the connector itself, since it can only accept 1 IP Address. If you change IP addresses by disconnecting and reconnecting to the internet, then the connector’s software doesn’t recognize the new IP. You have to uninstall the program and reinstall it again.

More Problems!?

But that isn’t where the connector’s problems stop. Apparently, it’s extremely sensitive to interference from other wireless devices. For instance, I also happen to have a wireless Bell Mobility Modem, Microsoft mouse and Linksys Router, along with the wireless signal my Wii Remote uses for my Wii system. All of these interfere with the USB Connector, and placing any of them near the device will prevent your DS or Wii from connecting online. Now, I’ve replaced my wireless mouse with a standard optical one, turned off my router, placed my Wii Remote more than 10 feet away from the connector…and it’s still being affected by the interference caused by my Bell Mobility Wireless Modem. Unfortunately, I can’t turn off the modem since that’s what’s providing me internet access in the first place. Bit of a conundrum, isn’t it?

However, after uninstalling and reinstalling the USB Connector about 5 times, it finally works. Why? Don’t ask me. My modem is still sending out a wireless signal. Talk about unreliable. So who’s to blame for this fault? Could it be the designers of the USB Connector? Now I understand why Nintendo has recently stopped production of this device.

Fixing the IP Fault:

So is there any way to solve the “1 IP Address Only” problem? Well, unless you leave your computer on 24/7 and are never disconnected from the internet by your ISP, there’s no solution. You’ll just have to keep uninstalling and reinstalling the connector’s software.

Conclusion:

The idea was sound at its release, but now after discovering its problems, I would not recommend the Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector to anyone, especially for the price you’ll end up paying IF you can still find it available on store shelves. For me, since my router isn’t compatible with my modem, and the Wii LAN Adapter (an alternative to having a router or the Wi-Fi USB Connector) is also incompatible with my modem, this is the only alternative available. But to be completely honest, it isn’t worth your time or effort buying and installing it.