How to Determine if Media Center Extender Devices Support Wireless Home Networks

Media Center PC allows you a great media experience across PCs and network devices. The User Interface is advanced with integrating applications as wireless devices are automatically located when available or connected to the network. Some of the advanced features include PVR (personal video recorder) Live TV, which is seamlessly available to other devices, Content protection and management, third party extensibility and QOS (Quality of Service) for a better wireless video support. Media Center Extender is one of the best ways to connect to several wireless home networks but you need to tweak some of the devices and ensure a stable connection for efficient use.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Open the booklet that was provided along with your Media Center PC. Go to the Media Center Extender page and learn about wireless devices it will support and the ones not supported.
2. Check out the information on Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 and Xbox on the MSN website. It has good information on connectivity, features, new products and the latest announcements on Media Center capabilities. Update to Rollup 2 which has the latest features.
3. Improve your existing network. Media Center Extender Network Performance Tuner along with key information can help to understand how a home network is performing, and how can it be improved to have a better Media Center Extender experience.
4. Setup a wireless network before setting up the extender device. This will help you enable understand what is supported and what isn’t.
5. Learn about the extender, its features and limitations. You will need to consider the bandwidth usage for each wireless device you connect. The extender monitors the bandwidth and also smartly adjusts the bandwidth insufficiency depending on the number of devices connected.
6. Understand the MCX (Media Center Extender) architecture. It allows inter-portability for several wireless devices. Wireless devices which support the MCX architecture will usually plug into the network.
7. Locate all devices into the network once you have setup a wireless network. The ones that are not located may most likely not be supported under the MCX architecture.
8. Check for neighboring appliances and devices that hinder wireless communication. These devices share airspace using different technologies and influence the overall performance of your network. They include; microwave ovens, cordless phones, baby monitors, and other neighborhood wireless networks.

Tips & Warnings

• Connect devices which cannot be located due to obstructions in the network. Make small changes. Rotate or move components in distance and elevations to adjust to network tuning. If you have a wired Ethernet network connecting from your Media Center PC to your Media Center Extender, cross-check that all networking devices support 100 Mbps.
• Check the type of device and network. Ad hoc" wireless networks are not supported and your network must be in "Infrastructure" mode.
• Ensure your Media Center PC has an internal wireless networking PCI card. You may also get an Ethernet wireless adapter (bridge). Understand that USB (Universal Serial Bus) wireless adapters are not supported.
• Keep a troubleshooting guide for all devices handy. Learn about viruses and how they affect wireless networks. Ensure you do not suffer from a system crash due to viruses.

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