Laptop Required For Non-McDonalds DS WiFi

Nintendo released some more details about their upcoming WiFi DS service today. The only new thing seems to be some more detail about how you connect to the service outside your home.

While we’ve already reported that gamers can go to any of the 6,000 Wayport-enabled McDonald’s in the country to play for free on their DS, we’ve never known how else you can connect to DS WiFi.

I assumed that you could just hit up any WiFi spot and use the service if you were able to access it. Not so, my friend, not so. It looks like you will also have to lug along a WiFi-enabled laptop and Nintendo’s own WiFi USB Connector. I shit you not.

This is from the official press release:
When visiting other pay-service Wi-Fi hotspots, such as those at coffee shops or airports, players can use a laptop computer and the Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector to access Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. The Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector provides a conduit to play games via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection by enabling the Nintendo DS to share an Internet connection established by a laptop running Windows XP (regular Internet access fees may apply at pay-service hotspots).

Weird, huh? And a bit disappointing I might add.

do you have a link or a source for this press release?

Again, it's Nintendo's way of saying "we could really care less about online gaming".
Shame, really. I always figured it would be that way since they are releasing a "wi-fi" stick, which only goes to prove my point about Nintendo NOT incorporating anything other than the first and second layers (hardware levels) of TCP/IP on the hardware itself and requiring the other five layers to be implemented on the DS card. Since there'a a limited amount of space in the DS cart, most devs just forget about it.
Thanks for NOTHING Nintendo. I have a DS and I will NOT be using this "kludge" of a wireless access system. I will NOT be using the Nintendo service since it REQUIRES me to install a stupid USB device in order to use built-in capabilities on the DS.
Also, I think I know how they are limiting the McD's wi-fi hotspots so that DS users can play online: There's a machine somewhere in the store with a USB wi-fi stick or three installed on it and the players go through that. It probably has access locked down to only those wireless NICs sporting a DS MAC-address (easily spoofed) and probably only allows connections to and from Nintendo's online gaming servers.
This is such a pathetic attempt at wireless online "on-the-go" gaming. Even Sony got it right eventually with the PSP and SOCOM.

yeah, i found this article explaining it:

http://channels.lockergnome.com/game..._hotspot.phtml

WTF? Is a home user with a wireless network can use the DS without having to also use their laptops/desktops, then why isn't the same true on, say, an open wireless network in a city park?
Methinks Nintendo will never support web browsing AT ALL and probably not WEP or any other type of non-Nintendo encryption.
Makes no sense, I'm not buying into their wireless system.

Quote:

---

From home, if the user already has a Wi-Fi network, the Nintendo DS unit will connect directly to it with minimal setup procedures.

---

It's not saying you have to buy the USB thing if you have a router. It's saying if you're in barnes and nobles and you want to use their hotspot or whatever.

Quote:

---

Finally, Nintendo DS owners who want to play games at Wi-Fi locations outside McDonald's or their home can use a laptop computer and the Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector to access Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.

---

It's probably because of the technologies implemented at these other locations, a laptop is required to translate the signal. McDonalds uses Wayport, which is one of the networks that has signed a deal with Nintendo. Nintendo will be signing more deals as the wifi feature grows...

If you're at your friends house and they have a router, you can play. If you're at home and you have a router, you can play. If you're in McDonalds, you can play.

If you're anywhere else, you'll have to use the USB dongle with a system that has internet access. Then... you can play.

The interpretation of that article is blown way out of proportion. Take the post down or at least clarify.

yeah i totally freaked when i read it...the link i posted above clarrifies it as well.