Nintendo Releasing Wireless Router for Revolution

nmaster64 writes "Nintendo is really pushing their Nintendo Wi-fi hard, completely reversing the anti-online mentality they've held in years past. Nwizard.com reports, "Nintendo will soon be producing a router that will allow access to the Nintendo Wi-Fi Network on both the DS and the Revolution. The router plugs into a USB 2.0 port and transfers your computers internet connection wirelessly into your next-gen Nintendo devices." It should be noted this story came at almost the same time as Sony announced they dropped the PS3's router functionality." Update: 07/13 06:20 GMT by Z : Please note there is no source referenced for this "story", and this could in fact be some guy's pet theory.

WiFi for consoles makes sense

[ReformedExCon]

The ability to reduce the number of cables is absolutely outstanding. A console that can be attached to the Internet without having to run a wire from the router or wireless hub to the box is a godsend. The ping times might suffer a little, though, I bet.

I can't understand why Sony would want to withdraw WiFi from the PS3 spec, though. If it is a technical issue, then you can bet they will come back later with an add-on WiFi dongle. If it is something else, then they've got me in the dark as to why they would reduce the spec at this stage when PS3s aren't even scheduled to hit the stores yet.

But as wireless networking becomes faster, and broadband providers start providing wireless router modems, this kind of thing is going to become the norm. Not only games, of course, but almost anything that needs to "think" more than a "dumb" device will be designed to take advantage of the home-wireless LAN.

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[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

what will they do with it?

[kidtux1]

I'm curious what futire plans they have instore for this. Nintendo is always considered a great innovator so it stands to reason that they will come up with some intersting things to use this router for. At least I hope so, because who wants to us the ds to browse the net when you have to be near a computer anyway just to access the wifi signal =p

It should also be noted...

[Quarters]

It should be noted this story came at almost the same time as Sony announced they dropped the PS3's router functionality.

It should also be noted that there is no connection whatsoever between the the statements/actions of either company and there is no point in the above sentence being in the article summary.

Besides, the Nintendo USB2.0 WiFi device is a bridge, not a router.

Re:the console of my youth

[Zedrick]

If you're talking about the NES, your memory is a bit clouded. It has an 8 bit processor and can display 24 colours on screen, not 256 (8 bits).

Re:WiFi for consoles makes sense

[heov]

it's nintendo ds, not gameboy ds. the ds has both wifi and a proprietary rf signal. currently it uses the proprietary rf signal for DS to DS communication. the wifi radio in the ds will be used when online games finally come out. it's real wifi. can work on any router. same goes w/ the revolution. the controller uses a proprietary signal, but online play is standard wifi. this device nintendo released is basically a proprietary wifi dongle. it's not required, but is meant for those who don't have wifi already (which i suggest simply buying a real router)

USB net works with Linux too..

[Gopal.V]

USB eh? Will it only work on windows?

bash$ modprobe usbnet

bash$ ifconfig usb0 10.0.0.27

I think this would work nicely on a Linux box - provided they use a standard usbnet instead of some proprietary protocol over USB. It's pretty much as standard as CAT5 ethernet.

Re:Where is the Standards???

[Pablo El Vagabundo]

A little more "research" and it looks like I am dead wrong..

Here is a specs:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_Revolution [wikipedia.org]

Hysterics over.. Nothing to see here. Move along..

Pablo
"Battle!!"

looks like it will work me my little wifi settup..

Re:The downfall of Nintendo

[Kupek]

Take a look at this article: Nintendo Versus Everyone: The Business of Business [buzzcut.com]

A quote from the article:

In this light, it's odd how few game commentators seem to understand just how profitable Nintendo really is. With a net margin of over 20%, Nintendo is a financial rock star. Just by way of comparison, General Electric, that monster global conglomerate whose executives write the books about corporate leadership that other Fortune 500 execs read, clocks in with a net margin of 11%. Nintendo's business engine is so efficient that even though they sell far less than Sony, they make, bottom line, about as much as all of Sony.

Re:Windows only?

[Dolda2000]

If Nintendo all of the sudden relies on a Windows PC to do all this magic, I will have to turn in my fanboy card.

That you won't have to do. Regardlessly of whether this router requires Windows, both the DS and the Revolution are still compatible with standard 802.11b (and g?) WiFi networks. So you can still use an ordinary WiFi AP to do that magic.

Re:Standard spec?

[Torne]

The DS uses 802.11b, perfectly standard. The Revolution may be 11b or 11g, I don't know, but will also be standard. What's nonstandard is that the DS (and presumably the Revolution when talking to the DS) does not use IP over the top of 802.11b, but a custom layer 3 protocol. When being used for online play, it will use IP, the same as everything else (otherwise it won't be able to talk to the Internet), and there is absolutely no suggestion whatsoever that it will not work with a standard wifi access point. Animal Crossing DS is being marketed as working with any wifi hotspot.

The 'Ni-fi' referred to on DS hacking sites is the layer 3 protocol used by the DS above standard 802.11b, it's not meant to imply that it's not standard wifi.

Re:Windows only?

[Torne]

No, the RSA encryption on the DS is not used to secure the actual wireless communications, but only to secure wireless download play (when you play multiplayer over wifi with only one cartridge between you). The code sent over wifi to multiboot all the DSes that don't have a cartridge is RSA signed, and an unmodified DS will refuse to run multiboot code that does not pass the signature check.

Once the DS has been booted, either by multiboot or by having a cartridge inserted, the 'RSA Secured' is irrelevant, and any security which is then used is only whatever security the game developer has put into their software, usually zero.

The device Nintendo are proposing here basically seems to be nothing more than an access-point mode USB wifi adapter, possibly with some software to configure Windows' connection sharing. It will work just as well with any standard wifi router/access point, as far as anyone can tell (online DS games soon to be released, such as Animal Crossing DS, are being promoted as working at any wifi hotspot, something that wouldn't happen if they used some Nintendo proprietary 'thing').

Speculation: They didn't make a router that connects with a cat5 cable because these days a lot of people have all-in-one wireless router/broadband/everything boxes anyway, and probably most of the people who don't already have some kind of solution to this, integrated or otherwise, only have their broadband connected to a single PC. They could've built this functionality into the Revolution, making it an access point in its own right and giving it an ethernet port, but it's cheaper not to, I guess, especially if my speculation is true.

Re:The downfall of Nintendo

[bleaknik]

While Nintendo does not see the ridiculous number of console sales at the PS2, it's sales numbers are almost equal to the X-Box.

To be honest, I've often wondered about the legitimacy of the numbers that Sony and Microsoft tout for their Installed Bases. I can identify no less than three people who are on their second PS2, and I can name two people who've had similar X-Box problems. (In fact, it's how I finally got an X-Box... I got a free X-Box, replaced the DVD-Drive, and modded it.) Point being, If Sony's really sold 83 million (whatever it is), how many of those are actually still in use today. I understand they've got a larger install base than Nintendo, but in my experience I wouldn't think the number's anywhere near what they claim.

Of course, I'm being a bit facetious because all of Slashdot knows that lower sales numbers do not mean "downfall". If that were the case than Nintendo would have been bankrupt for years now. Except somehow the Gamecube sales still keep their books positive.

I do not think the Gamecube is clunky. I think its sleek and functional, but your opinion is your opinion. I think its safe to say that the X-Box is a FUGLY console.

DVD functionality. Yeah. I don't think that killed the gamecube. I use my PS2 to play games. I use my X-Box to play games. And I use my GC to play games. My DVD player plays my movies. Now I tried to use my PS2 to play DVDs. It's something I gave a lot of consideration, and I even donated my DVD player to another room for a while. But the PS2 sucks for that, so I reclaimed it.

I like Mario Kart 64. I like Mario Kart: Double Dash. They each have their own distinct advantages, and I still enjoy playing both. If you have the opportunity, you may wish to try Double Dash with 16 players via LAN Mode. Your perception of the game may change.

Pokemon hasn't disappeared, and it doesn't look like it will anytime soon [nintendo.com]. Considering there's been three GBA releases in the past year, a GC version, and an upcoming GC version. While the hype has died, people who enjoy pokemon still enjoy pokemon. You may also wish to try this game. While it is targeted for children ages 3-13, it's actually a very clever and complex RPG battle system. Of course, the games aren't extremely difficult, but if you can get a few friends involved, you'll stay challenged for months.

Of course, ultimately you're right. Any video game company needs to focus less on the hardware and more on what we enjoy: the games.