How to connect the PS2 to WIFI

Let's assume that you have already installed a wireless home network. In this network which is connecting probably a desktop, a laptop and some game stations such as he WII to the outer world via a wireless access point, a router and an ADSL modem. Eventually all those devices are integrated into one.

All you need to do is to integrate in this network a wireless client that transforms the wifi connection into an ethernet connection. You will be able to connect your PS2 slim to this client.

Simply choose a wireless access point and make sure that among the features you find "client" or "AP client". I bought a cheap TL-WA501G model from TP-LINK. This one can be used as acces point, repeater, bridge, multi bridge and ... access point client.

It is a great device, easy to configure. I got it working in a few minutes.

In addition you need a patch cable, also called ethernet cable.

You will have to assign to the access point client as well as to the PS2 an IP address in your home network. I recommend that you assign a fixed address to the AP client and do not choose DHCP, otherwise you will not be able to easily connect to the AP client for maintenance, as its IP address may change from time to time. For the PS2 however it is better to enable DHCP.

So first you need to identify a free IP address in your network. Usually you have DHCP enabled in a certain address range, if not you should reconfigure the DHCP server in your access point for a restricted range of IPs.

Let's say your AP owns the IP address 192.168.2.1. You set your DHCP server to the range 192.168.2.2 to 192.168.2.100. You may then choose the fixed address 192.168.2.101 for your access point client.

This will require several steps.

1. Connect a first time to your AP client with an ethernet cable. As the AP client doesn't have DHCP enabled by default, you will need to set up the IP address of your computer by hand. If your AP client comes configured as 192.168.1.1, set the ethernet interface of your computer to 192.168.1.2 (subnet mask 255.255.255.0). Now enter http://192.168.1.1 as an URL in your browser and you will be able to configure your AP client with your browser.

2. Enable DHCP on your wireless access point.

3. Set the IP address of your AP client to a free valid address of your home network (i.e. 192.168.2.101). Set the subnet mask to 255.255.255.0 and enter the IP of your home network's wireless access point as the default gateway (192.168.2.1). Save the configuration.

4. Restart your AP client and reconnect your computer via ethernet now with DHCP enabled.

5. Now set your AP client to AP client mode and enter the SSID of your home network.

6. Restart your AP client.

7. Set your computer to DHCP

8. Reconnect your computer to the AP client via an ethernet cable. You should now be able to access internet through this connection.

9. If this is successful, everything is prepared to connect your PS2 via ethernet to the AP client (configure DHCP on the PS2).

Don't worry, it works also i with WEP enabled on your access point. Simply enter the WEP keys in the mask on your access point client and it will connect using WEP.