How to Connect an Xbox to a Windows XP Laptop

It is possible to connect a laptop with Windows XP to your Xbox video game system to share media, such as pictures and videos. With Windows Media Connect, it is possible to stream music and pictures from your Windows XP-based PC to an Xbox connection television anywhere in your home. It just takes a high-speed Internet connection and an Ethernet cable.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Ethernet cable

1. Go to the Xbox PC set up page on your Internet browser and download the Windows Media Connect software. See the Resources section for a link. Make sure that you have Windows XP SP2 or newer or the program will not work.

2. Connect your Xbox console to your laptop either directly with an Ethernet cable or through a router. To connect through a router connect an Ethernet cable from you console to an Ethernet LAN port on your router and another Ethernet cable from your laptop to a different Ethernet LAN port on the router.

3. Select "Media" on your Xbox dashboard and then select pictures, video or music from your laptop. Follow the directions on the screen to finish the setup for Windows Media Connect.

4. Set up Windows Media Center by going to the same website in Step 1 and then download the latest version of Windows Media Center. Then on the console's dashboard go to "Media" and select "Windows Media Center," following the on screen prompts to finish installation. This program provides a broader media selection, including watching or recording TV shows.

Resources

• Xbox PC set up page