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Xbox 360 Wireless Adapter Compatibility List

Many of today's top video games, such as "Call of Duty," "Halo," and "Assassin's Creed," allow players to compete with one another online. Another benefit of using Internet-enabled gaming systems is that special downloadable content, such as extra levels or entire games, is often only available online. However, in order to access all of the above, your Xbox 360 must first be connected to the Internet. There are a few ways to do this. Connecting directly to a modem delivers the best speeds, but as many gamers do not have their Xbox 360 in the same room as their computer and modem, wireless adapters are often necessary. The Xbox 360 is set up to connect with various wireless adapters, although not all wireless adapters will work with the gaming console.

Official Adapters
- The best option for connecting your 360 wirelessly to the Internet is with Microsoft's official adapters. Because wireless technology has seen improvements since the first wireless adapter was put on the market, there is more than one option when considering the official adapters. The original adapter can still be bought online and in many stores, although it does have more speed limitations than the newer adapter. The original adapter works with three different types of networks: wireless A, B, and G. Most wireless routers will use one of these networks, with wireless G networks having the highest speed and best range of the three. The adapter is also fully capable of working with wireless security. The latest adapter is the wireless N network adapter, which is capable of working with N networks in addition to A, B, and G. Currently, it is the only adapter available from Microsoft directly. Wireless N networks have greater range and speeds than A, B, and G. Both the original and the latest adapter connect to the Xbox 360 via USB cable, and have connectors to attach the adapter firmly to the back of the Xbox 360, providing a stable connection and limiting stress on the connection cable.
Mad Catz Wireless Network Adapter
- Alhough there is more setup required for non-Microsoft wireless adapters, many adapters made by third-party companies are cheaper and more customizable. The Mad Catz Wireless Network Adapter will first need to be set up using a computer, so that it can be properly formatted for the system of choice (it works with both the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3). It supports wireless G or N networks, but not A.
Linksys WGA600N Dual Band Gaming Adapter
- Linksys makes a number of different wireless networking solutions, and while many are only for computers, they have also created an adapter specifically for today's video game systems. The WGA600N can be used in a variety of ways. First, it is very similar to the Mad Catz adapter in that it must first be connected to a PC for configuration. It will work on wireless A networks, and it has the ability to connect to another Linksys adapter to play competitively with other gamers (without connecting to the Internet). For this to work, two systems and adapters are necessary. While the Mad Catz adapter is about half the price of the Microsoft-produced adapter, the Linksys WGA600N is roughly the same price, but the additional features can make it a better value.

Xbox 360