Wii, XBOX, and internet connectivity at home
While doing some searching for bits and bobs, I noticed that I hadn’t updated this blog in ages, since I resurrected a zorched hard disk back in November. Why? Well, busy at work, holidays and blogging elsewhere all have their bit to do with it.
So what’s this post about?
I got a Wii for Christmas from my wife; loads of fun, all the kids staying enjoyed it and it’s the first console that I think my wife has ever played - and she enjoys it, too.
Obviously, you can play this on its own, but if you attach it to the internet, you get software upgrades and can buy new software for it. I live in a cottage with metre thick walls, and wireless doesn’t play nicely so I added it to the Cat5 network.
That got me thinking. I added it to the 4 port switch in the living room.
I have a Squeezebox in there (playing music from my server, and streaming from the internet with AlienBBC); I have an XBOX there with which the kids get together and kill their friends over the world; I have an internet connected PVR called BT Vision there. I’ve got another couple of PCs upstairs, another Squeezebox in the dining room, an internet connected freeview box and an XBOX media center upstairs. I’ve got a work PC and another server in my office downstairs.
I reckon that’s about 10-14 devices which stay attached to the internet just about permanently. It’s not *all* that long ago when you used to get an internet connection by dialing up on a modem. I remember my joy in 2001 when I got an ISDN connection which when connected though a Smoothwall firewall gave me an effectively always on internet connection - and through my purchased hub (which was only replaced this year) allowed my home PC and my wife’s PC tp effectively have a permanent connection. [ISDN allowed *really* fast set up and tear down of connections].
Most people were really impressed - but “No-one really needs a permanent connection”. We moved here 5 years ago; the fact the cottage had 2 phone lines was an essential. We were delighted when we found broadband would be available eventually. We now have 2 broadband connections, 2 phone lines, a permanent VOIP number, about 4 mobiles, a pager[for the Coastguard].
No permanent connection? No mobiles? Doesn’t bear thinking about… but it means that nowadays I - and people like me - can earn my living working in the Scottish Highlands… and unless I tell them, folk don’t even realise.
How things change. I’ll talk a bit more about my history in another post.