older windows users.....No online DS for you :(

New details straight from Nintendo's press event regarding the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.
Nintendo of America has issued an official press kit regarding their upcoming online gaming serVice, the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. The press releases reiterate Nintendo's aim at creating a fast, free, easy to use, accessible online network for users to play multiplayer games with friends across the globe.

Details regarding the setup of the serVice were made available today. On the homefront, if a person has an already equipped wireless router, the Nintendo DS will easily connect to the existing wireless network with minimal setup required. The console will ask for applicable information pertaining to the user's WEP information.

In the technical sense, WEP stands for Wired Equivalency Privacy, in that it inhibits outside user's from accessing a particular wireless network. The DS will contain all the applicable data fields to allow for the system to access the internet from an protected wireless router. Those who do not encrypt their wireless signal will not be required to enter this information, as the portable will connect regardless.

If a wireless router is not an option, the planned Nintendo Wi-Fi USB adapter will allow users with broadband internet to connect to the serVice. This USB deVice plugs into the applicable port on standard, current generation PCs. The software will require the user to have Windows XP installed to function correctly. Once installed, the software will easily connect the DS to the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.

When outside the home, the serVice is designed to function differently. If the user is at a Wayport equipped McDonald's, the Nintendo DS will connect to the online network without any setup required. A full listing of the over 6,000 locations will be available shortly at .

In relation to other Wi-Fi hotspots, connection to the serVice will require both a laptop and a Nintendo Wi-Fi USB adapter. The setup procedure will then be similar to those accessing the serVice from their home without a wireless router. Access to these hotspots regularly requires a fee, although free Wi-Fi is becoming increasingly prevalent. Laptop use is mainly required due to the nature of these hotspots. Each individual location has their own setup procedure, and may require additional software asides from that of the USB adapter.

Additionally, Nintendo also announced that the Nintendo Wi-Fi USB adapter will be sold exclusively through Nintendo.com on November 14th for $34.99.

Stick with the Advanced Media Network for continued coverage of the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, and look forward to a complete FAQ regarding the online serVice before November 14th.

Damn I need Windows XP for the online serVice. I only have 98! why Nintendo why?

You can still go to hot spots.

Thats true.

But I would still like to play from my house.

i dont think 98 is a supported platform by microsoft anymore..

Thats the way it should be. Windows 98 is hell.

I still use 98.
My grabdparents bought me the DS for christmas.

Hmm... New DS - $160... Windows XP - $249 ()

People still use 98 because it's what they know, and because Windows XP is still very expensive.

I couldn't agree more that Windows 98 is hell. I would assume 2k is supported though. 2k is very good.

man, what are you guys talking about!? 98>XP! i can't stand XP and want 98 installed on my computer. i just need to find a disc for it

I can't stand XP either. It's too bloated. If you are going to go with 98 though, make sure you use SE... the first edition was far from good. THat's the version I was talking about. SE is actually pretty decent, but 2k is awesome, if you want a good in between version of Windows.

I have 2000 on my other computer, and it just freezes like hell. But i think its just the computers fault, it has been running for 8 years. it only has about 9 gigs of HD

Heh, that's probably the problem. Might need some more RAM too.

I've NEVER had a bad install of 2000, and it's mostly compatible with all of the XP junk, only it doesn't hog up all the resources.

Also, it's called windows 2000 for a reason...

2005 - 8 = 1997

That stinks for those with older computers. But mine is running Windows 2000 xp. Sweet.

i don't like XP because i'm running it with 64 Mb of RAM

Its not so easy for me to go out and get XP. My laptop isn't good enough for it.... But I might bulid my own computer when I get a job. But for now I am happy with my Laptop. And I rather just spend money one Nes collecting!
(Nes Collecting is like my Best hobbie I ever had! )

Microsoft... Discount.... haha.. I don't for see that happening.

Oh how I wish there is a shuddering emoticon...

Me niether. Gates does give a bit to AIDS charity's though. But I don't think airfiggy counts as a charity

dude, 64 megs of RAM!? our freakin school computers had to upgrade to 128 because it couldnt run simple word processing programs!

I like XP. My PC doesn't crash every 2 hours like it did with Win 98.

I think they don't support 98 because it's old? Maybe it's the security features of XP that 98 doesn't have.
If you really want XP, buy a pc with xp on it (oem). Maybe that's cheaper than buying a stand-alone xp.

Indeed. But at least the cost of computers are getting cheaper.

I once had a laptop that would run Windows ME with insane stabability. It crashed 3 times in two months. The majority of the times it was trying to run dirty disks. Anyway, I don't like XP. Aside from interface, it's no real upgrade from 2000. Like Luke says, it hogs resources.

Windows XP - $249

In my wal mart Win XP costs $99.98

I had my Mac on for over two months straight. I mean not shut down, always on for two months. and even then, I only rebooted it for software updates.

and my windows 2000 machine hasn't crashed yet, and it's been going for a few months now (not constantly, as the mac was)