PS3 BB connection set up

[fallenangle]

Is it posible to use a PS3 to set up a broadband connection from scratch ie. without a PC?

If so which ISPs are OK with this as most specify minimum system requirements when setting up broadband.?

What additional equipment (+ recommendations) would I need to do this if it is possible ie. router, cables, keyboard etc?

Thanks for any help.

[Psyduck]

Any ISP that provides a router should be fine. You'll plug your router into the phone line and it'll come set up to just connect. Then your PS3 connects to that. Easiest would be using a wire, if your PS3 can be next to your router, otherwise using wi-fi, but the router should be already set up for that too.

[fallenangle]

I guess I'll have approach some ISPs now to see what they say but knowing it should be possible is a great help, thanks.

I've assumed the XB360 can't be set up in a similar way on it's own but could share the connection with the PS3. I wish it could all be done just with a XB360 but without a web browser/keyboard it would defeat the main purpose of getting BB for me in the first place.

[Psyduck]

The 360 will be exactly the same - plug in a router and plug the 360 into it (wired unless you go for a wireless adapter). I've no experience of the PS3 but I don't suppose it can do too much in the way of setting up routers.

[Strolls]

You don't need an ISP which provides a router - you can use a router with any ISP. Pick up a Netgear DG834G wireless router on eBay - you should pay less than ?20 - or something like this for ?10 from DigiDave (he sells the same thing for ?17 on eBay as "DG834G alternative" keyword spam, but he's been around a while so I'd be inclined to trust him).

I'd probably look at something like the Think Broadband forums (I think this site was formerly the well-known ADSLguide) for ISP recommendations.

I've been with Eclipse for a long time, and have always recommended them to my customers, but they have been somewhat disappointing recently. Avoid BT, Tiscali & Wanadoo unless you speak Hindi.

[Psyduck]

True strolls but if you buy a router it will need setting up. Can a ps3 do it? Does it require extra equipment?

If you get from your ISP it'll be ready to plug in and go.

[briareos_kerensky]

Most routers have are configured through a web interface, you open a browser and digit the router's IP number (like 192.168.1.1) and you have the first page which asks you to log in (brand new routers usually have random passwords like 123456 or admin, look in the routers manual and change it), from there you can configure everything.

[fallenangle]

Thanks for the replies, especially the ISP avoidance recommendation - do I gather that they use an India based helpline service?

I haven't really considered BB before and have only just started thinking about it very recently. What made me take it more seriously was actually one Virgin package I saw advertised which included BB, telephone calls + line rental. It actually looked to work out ?5/month cheaper than my current ISP dial-up service and BT service/line rental combined.

Re the last post: perhaps I've misunderstood or just being thick but how can you open a browser if you don't have a PC?

The main thing I'm interested in is finding out if it is possible to set up a BB connection and going online just using a PS3, nothing else. If you need a PC to set up the router for the PS3 it rather defeats the object of the exercise.

[Dazzyman]

You would have to set it up with a PC first to configure it as it will need your login details to be stored and settings for your provider as some are different. Once its setup you dont ever need to use a PC again or switch it on as its all stored inside the router. Routers are just routers none of em are specific you can use any ISP with em its just certain ISPs advertise em as they will have the standard settings configured auto for use with their ISP (but still not your account login and password).

Their very easy to setup they all come pretty standard as login name admin and 1234 as password (as you can change it to what you want) its the other stuff like you need to set your dns number up and vpi and vci and your username and password (always tick upnp as well).

[fallenangle]

So are you saying that even with an ISP provided or other router I wouldn't be able to get online without a password/login name (as I'd expect) but I can't actually set that up just using a PS3?

That is what I'd been told before but I hoped that with PS3 having its own browser I thought, the situation now might have changed.

I think I'll have to e-mail a few ISP to find out what they say can be done.

[3x3cut10n3r]

I will try and keep this simple and helpful.

Re the last post: perhaps I've misunderstood or just being thick but how can you open a browser if you don't have a PC?

The PS3 has a brower that would be perfectly fine for the configuration of a router.

The main thing I'm interested in is finding out if it is possible to set up a BB connection and going online just using a PS3, nothing else. If you need a PC to set up the router for the PS3 it rather defeats the object of the exercise.

This is quite possible, choosing pretty much any provider, as the PS3's browser could make any configuration changes to the routers settings, although this is all really a moot point as you have already said the name of the BB provider best for you.

What made me take it more seriously was actually one Virgin package I saw advertised which included BB, telephone calls + line rental.

Virgin would indeed be best for you really. As long as you make sure you do certain things during the process of order and installation.

The main reason I say that this would be best for you is the fact that there is no need for a router or any configuration of any kind.

When you order the package from Virgin and arrange for a time of installation, make sure that you request that the engineer that comes has a laptop to test the connection. They should all have them by default but just request it to make sure.

Also make sure that you request that you have a seperate MODEM, if you choose to have a digital TV package. Generally if you choose to have the TV package they will try to palm you off with getting the broadband from the ethernet port on the back of the V+/DigiBox. This is poor at best and there have been countless people that have problems with connection dropout and loss. Make sure you request the seperate MODEM and don't take no for an answer, they will give you one. Although this is only if you get a TV package, which you didn't say you would.

When the engineer does arrive for installation make sure that you are with them and that they call their base to register the MODEM's MAC address with your account.

The way that the NTL/Virgin network functions is by linking a MODEM's MAC address with a certain city subnet and your account. If this is not done, the MODEM will not function. Be there or ask to make sure this has been done.

Once this has been done the MODEM should now function fine, get the engineer to use his laptop to test the connection and check BEFORE they leave.

If all is well and the test succeeds then all that is left to do is connect the MODEM to the PS3 directly via the ethernet cable. There is no need for a router if there is only one node (device) on the connection and it is a games console. You could always get a router at a later point if you so pleased.

With regards to the settings on the PS3, all that would need to be done is to make sure it is set to get all details 'Automatically', which is the default anyway. The same would go for any console.

I think that should be it, let me know if you need any more advice.

[fallenangle]

Thanks for all that, exceptionally helpful.

You surmised correctly that I wouldn't want a Virigin package with digital TV, I'm happy enough with my current Freeview STB.

I know the term 'budget' and PS3 sit together badly in the same sentence but it does look to be the cheapest way of getting online with a machine that I'd actually have some other use for.

It's just a damned shame it's the PS3 and not the XB360 which meets my requirements. The latter is far cheaper, you can just about buy two for the price of one PS3, and it also has most of the games I'm interested in. But if they had a general web browser the thought of relying on even two XB360s to keep me online makes me shudder.

One additional thing - I've been going on about BB but, just for information, is it possible to get the PS3 online just using a normal dail-up modem.?

Thanks again for the feedback,

[Psyduck]

My last two ISPs (sky and BeThere) haven't needed any kind of set up at all, as I've said already. Just plug in the router and it works. I know BT are the same. I can't imagine it's any different for any other ISPs that provide routers, so I think you'll be fine with a 360. Just check with the ISP first to be sure.

Worst case scenario you borrow a laptop for a day (or an hour) from someone and use that to do the setup.

[3x3cut10n3r]

My last two ISPs (sky and BeThere) haven't needed any kind of set up at all, as I've said already. Just plug in the router and it works.

That is odd, my BeThere connection required me to log into the router and manually set my number of standard ethernet ports vs VoIP ports as well as my IP. Guess it depends on the package.

Worst case scenario you borrow a laptop for a day (or an hour) from someone and use that to do the setup.

I think that one of the main points about this is that fallenangle wants to be able to browse the internet as well, hence the PS3. The browser would not soley be used for the configuration of the BB.

It's just a damned shame it's the PS3 and not the XB360 which meets my requirements. The latter is far cheaper, you can just about buy two for the price of one PS3, and it also has most of the games I'm interested in. But if they had a general web browser the thought of relying on even two XB360s to keep me online makes me shudder.

Indeed, it is a little odd. The amount of work that would be entailed in making a brower for the 360 would be next to none, especially for Microsoft. I mean, they could at the very least whack IE in there to enable a more 'Multimedia Experience' on the 360 for those without PC's.

One additional thing - I've been going on about BB but, just for information, is it possible to get the PS3 online just using a normal dail-up modem?

This is indeed 'physically' possible, depending on how you access the dial-up. I am assuming that there is a PC in another room of your house that uses the dial-up connection.

If you were to use a wireless bridge to connect you PS3 to that PC and then configure ICS, as long as the dial-up connection on that PC was connected, the PS3 would be able to browse the internet.

Although this would work, you would never be able to play any games online and the trouble that it would cause would really negate any benefits of doing it. If you had to go to the PC and connect the dial-up connection, why not use it on the PC in the first place?

I still think that you would really be better off following my first bit of advice, as it will solve all your needs.

[fallenangle]

As said the PS3 and dial-up thing was only for information really. If I do take this route I'll definitely be going for BB at the same time for cost reasons as much as anything.

No I don't have a PC at all, hence the thread. I'm using that STB I mentioned, a Netgem iPlayer, which has a basic but very functional custom Linux OS, web browser etc. I see the PS3 (which is also supposed to be getting a Freeview tuner sometime) as almost a natural progression from that.