DS WiFi Conundrum

Executor32 · Post by **Executor32** » 2008-07-05 05:53pm

I got a new DS, which sadly only supports WEP. I'd rather not switch from using WPA on my network as I am now. I do, however, have an old DI-524 that I'm not using for anything. Would it be possible to connect it to one of the LAN ports on my PC and, using ICS, make it into a wireless AP for my DS?

A diagram of the desired connections, if it helps (equals signs are wired, parentheses are wireless):

[DS] ))) [DI-524]===[My PC] ))) [Main Router]

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2008-07-05 08:36pm

It seems fiddly, though I don't see why it shouldn't work. I got a Ninty Wi-Fi dongle for my PC before I moved to my new house and got a Wi-Fi router. The dongle is really only a WEP based hub for the Nintendo DS and Wii and you can use that while your PC connects to the net itself via your normal router.

Stark · Post by **Stark** » 2008-07-05 09:12pm

The Nintendo dongle is massively overpriced and overheats, using poor firmware. If you're going to go that route, buy any random $20 USB wireless dongle instead.

I believe some alternate firmwares for wireless APs allow you to set more than one SSID with different security levels, but I don't have details.

TheFeniX · Post by **TheFeniX** » 2008-07-06 01:23pm

Depending on how concerned you are with security, you've got a few options.

I would setup the old wireless router as an access point, and plug one of the LAN ports into another LAN port of your existing router. Then enable WEP and only allow access for the MAC address of your Nintendo DS. There are ways around MAC filtering and WEP, but you could just plug in the older WAP when you want to get online with your DS. Disable any DHCP, but continue to use it for your main router.

At least you can remove your PC from the networking angle. I've never found ICS all that useful. This is how I plan to setup my home for my DS after I realized it had no WPA access.

Executor32 · Post by **Executor32** » 2008-07-06 03:33pm

Unfortunately, I live in the basement, and the main router is on the second floor. Compounding that interference problem is the fact that, for a reason unknown to me, most of the basement ceiling is covered in aluminium foil. The main router upstairs has a high-gain antenna installed, and my PC is using a Linksys WUSB54G wireless adapter with a ~6 foot USB cable, placed up in the rafters to avoid the tinfoil, but I still only get about 50% signal strength. I had been hoping to use ICS so that I could avoid the problems of distance and tinfoil.

I do have a spare wireless PCI card lying around, though. Would it be possible to set that up as a soft AP? It's a Belkin Wireless G Desktop Card, using an Atheros AR2413A chipset.

Executor32 · Post by **Executor32** » 2008-07-16 03:29am

I managed to solve the issue, finally. I purchased a Planex GW-US54Mini2G wireless USB dongle, and after installing more up-to-date drivers than the ones on the CD, as well as setting up port forwarding in Windows Firewall, I finally got a successful connection. My connection ID is 3056-0259-1172-0000 if anyone wants to perhaps trade the Pokemans with me.