How to Setup an Xbox 360 Wireless Adapter to your Home Wireless Network

So do you need help setting up and configuring your Xbox 360 Wireless Network Adapter?  Great, it's not as difficult as you might think.  I just went through the process of setting up the Wireless Network Adapter, for a brand new Xbox 360 and will show you the step by step process below.  Before we begin, just make sure you have a home wireless network already configured successfully with your home computer so you know that you have wireless connectivity working successfully. Also if you've setup a secure wireless network (like you should have), make sure you have the password at hand. 

If you have yet to connect the wireless network adapter to the back of your Xbox and plugged in the USB connector, then be sure to first check out: How to Connect an Xbox 360 Wireless Network Adapter to an Xbox 360

Just note, that for setting up my XBox 360 Wireless Network Adapter to the internet in this tutorial, I used a Linksys Wireless-G router (model #WRT54G).  Also, the Xbox 360 that I did this setup on had never been updated with new software (I literally had just opened my Xbox 360 minutes before setting things up). 

To setup and configure the wireless network adapter for your Xbox 360, follow these steps (you may also like to follow along with our Xbox 360 Wireless Network setup photo gallery):

1. Turn on the Xbox 360, then navagate to the "System" blade.  (If your console has been updated with the latest software go to "My Xbox" -> "System Settings", then the next few steps should be fairly similiar.)
2. Go down to "Network Settings" and select "A" on the Xbox controller.
3. In the Network Settings section, choose "Edit Settings" and select "A" on the controller.
4. In the Edit Settings / Bacic Settings section, go down to "Wireless Mode" section and select "A" on the controller. The network adapter will now begin searching for Wireless Networks to connect with.  Once it completes it's search, you should see a listing of Wireless Networks.  (If you don't see your wireless network listed, press "X" on the controller to start the search again.)
5. Select your Wireless Netowrk from the listed networks, and press "A" on the controller.
6. Now enter in your wireless network password key, if it is security enabled. In this case, I'm using WPA  Network, so I will enter my WPA pre-shared key that I set on my Linksys router for security. You may have set up your wireless network using WEP, so this process may be slightly different. After entering in the WPA key for your wireless network, select "A" on the Xbox controller.
7. A screen will appear asking if you'd like to Apply the new network settings, select "Test Media", and press "A" on the controller.  A warning message will appear asking if it's ok to sign everyone out, select "Yes" and press "A" on the controller.
8. The next screen is the "Test Media Connection" screen which will test your newtwork connection and tell you what is connected.  You want to make sure that the Wireless Network says "Connected".  If PC Selected says "Failed", don't worry too much about it at this point. It most likely means your computer is not setup on the same Wireless Network as the Xbox, so you will have trouble when going to set up Windows Media Center sharing for your Xbox.
9. Hopefully the test revealed that you are connected to your network. Great job!  If you'd like to, you can go back into the System -> Network Settings -> Edit Settings / Basic Settings, to see the name of wireless router listed in the Wireless Mode / Network Name section. 

Your Xbox should now be connected to your wireless network.... Congrats!!!  

If your Xbox 360 is brand new like mine, and never had the console updated with the latest Xbox software, then follow these steps.

1. Go to the main menu and select System -> Network Settings -> Test Xbox LIVE Connection
2. An "Update Required" message will appear asking if you'd like get the console update for Xbox LIVE.
3. Choose "Yes, update now" and press "A" on the Xbox controller.
4. An "Update in Progress" message will appear while it downloads the New Xbox Experience update. Do not turn off or unplug your console during this update.
5. After the update, your Xbox should restart automatically and you will have the latest Xbox console interface.

That's it.