xBox 360 connected to PC tech support

[Pokes_Rock]

For all of the techies in the room:

I got an xBox 360 for Christmas and I am wanting to use it as a media center. I have installed the wireless adapter.

My PC is running XP SPak2. My wireless router was issued by my employer and requires a WPA code for connection. I obtained that code today and am now connected to the router. However, my PC is wired to the router, and I have not had to do anything as far as entering the WPA code to have internet/email functionality.

So...xBox is connected to the router, but is unable to locate the PC. Any ideas as to what I need to do to make this work would be greatly appreciated.

[FalseGod]

WPA is wireless encryption, and the code is the key for that lock on the encryption. The PC is hardwired to the router, so you don't need to put the key on your PC.

Have you checked to make sure you don't need to download some additional software from MS to get the Media Extender detected under XP? I know Vista will pick them up automatically, but XP may not come with that functionality out of the box.

[Pokes_Rock]

Everything that I read said that I could use WMP 11 or Windows Media Connect. I have WMP 11, so I didn't suspect that as a problem. Should I try the Media Connect route instead?

[FalseGod]

Have you looked through all the setup info on MS's site at http://www.microsoft.com/extender yet?

[Pokes_Rock]

I must be missing something, because when I read through all of the setup info, it leads me to believe that I need Windows Vista for Media Center to work. Maybe it is because I am on my laptop at work that has Vista installed? I don't know. The more I get into this stuff, the less I feel that I know.

[FalseGod]

Well, I went through and setup my 360 as a Media Extender real fast here to see, and I just went through the wizard (in Vista) and entered the security code that I got from the 360 and it synced right up. If you are running XP you probably need at least SP2 and WMP11 at a minimum. When I get a chance I'll try it on my Windows Media Center edition of XP that is running on the living room computer and see if I can get it going there.

[Pokes_Rock]

I'm not sure what all I did, but I was finally able to get the two connected last night. I am on XP Home, so I can not even install Windows Media Center.

Now, I have to figure out how to get songs purchased through iTunes in mp4 format to work. And, I have to figure out how to access pictures and videos on separate drive. It is actually an external drive, but I was not intending to move it back and forth from the computer to the xbox, but instead wanted to just navigate to it like a network.

[Verb]

Good for you! You're making progress!