Nintendo Wi-Fi USB dongle discontinued
by JC Fletcher 
{ Nov 14th 2007 at 12:50PM }
Nintendo's online store is no longer offering the Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector. According to the item's listing, it has been "discontinued until further notice." Tipster BPM speculates that Nintendo's deal with Buffalo Technology has ended. We find it more likely that the proliferation of cheap wireless routers, which work even with non-Nintendo devices like computers, caused demand for the item to shrink.
Nintendo suggests the Wii LAN Adapter as a potential substitute for the USB dongle, or you can just go buy a wireless router.
Of course, no activity on Nintendo's part is any fun without some idle speculation. With that in mind, the real reason they've discontinued this item is because they're going to release a new version that has a picture of Mario on it.
Nintendo suggests the Wii LAN Adapter as a potential substitute for the USB dongle, or you can just go buy a wireless router.
Of course, no activity on Nintendo's part is any fun without some idle speculation. With that in mind, the real reason they've discontinued this item is because they're going to release a new version that has a picture of Mario on it.
[Thanks, BPM!]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
ELIJAH the ChaosDragon @ Nov 14th 2007 1:03PM
This isnt cool, i am trying to find one and they do this!
Benjamin Breeg @ Nov 14th 2007 1:04PM
I was one of the sorry fanboys that bought one of those.
=(
I still use it and it works great, I don't have a laptop or anything that would need Wifi access, so it works for me.
But at the time of buying it, it was cheaper by at least 20$ than any other 3rd party USB Wifi adaptor.
Well, at least its small, and its a pleasant white color, not like the big, blue, bulky one's I'm used to seeing.
DeadPlasmaCell @ Nov 14th 2007 1:06PM
A friend of mine got one of these and he has nothing but issues with it, I told him for $25-$30 he could just get a WiFi Router and be done with it.
ELIJAH @ Nov 14th 2007 1:23PM
Can anyone tell me the problems with it? Thanks in advance
Joe H @ Nov 14th 2007 1:22PM
I doubt it. Buffalo Technologies can't make wireless technology for the time being due to a lawsuit from Cisco.
TurboFool @ Nov 14th 2007 1:24PM
This is disappointing. I was genuinely considering buying one of these simply because I'd really like to switch to WPA2 on my home network, but can't because of my DS. Adding one of these seemed like an alternative to buying a WAP JUST for my DS.
David W. @ Nov 14th 2007 1:25PM
I used to work in Electronics @ Target...and it seemed like we never had them in stock...and when we did they were bough pretty often, and it wasn't that long ago...so it's kind of surprising.
TVGenius @ Nov 14th 2007 1:33PM
Yeah, I'd think this probably has a lot more to do with the problems Buffalo has right now. Hopefully that won't spread to the rest of the industry. Stupid patents. :)
lu506 @ Nov 14th 2007 1:42PM
i've seen web sites that tell you how to unlock these wi-fi addapters so you can use them on all things that need a internet signal. it dose look complicated but it can be done.
Donald @ Nov 14th 2007 1:46PM
ELIJAH: I, for one have had to uninstall and reinstall the software and drivers for it approximately five times since I got it. In JULY.
I didn't need a wi-fi signal when I got it, but between that and the fact I need a hardware firewall anyway, I'm picking up a wireless router this weekend. Mmmm... Best Buy opening doorcrashers....
Rocketman @ Nov 14th 2007 1:50PM
Make sure you update your router's firmware.
BrokenClipboard @ Nov 14th 2007 2:28PM
What exactly is this needed for if the Wii has built in wireless?
Donald @ Nov 14th 2007 2:32PM
It has to connect to something, right?
DeadPlasmaCell @ Nov 14th 2007 2:33PM
@ BrokenClipboard
I believe it's for those who don't have wireless routers. You plug it into your internet connected PC & it will act as a access point for the Wii. My friend says his keeps screwing up and going out on him randomly.
Blast Processing Megadrive @ Nov 14th 2007 3:26PM
Joe H is partially right. After submitting this, I've found out that Buffalo is, indeed, in some legal trouble.
http://www.buffalotech.com/products/wireless/wireless-ag-mimo-performance/
They've been sued by CSIRO. So for the time being, Buffalo cannot produce 802.11a/g stuff.
I have one, and it's useful for when I cannot connect to a wireless router (I use my laptop as a bridge between a router and my DS :D). I use it at home, since connections between my DS and router are AWFUL. Takes a long time to connect to the router, and the connection's unstable anyays.
Shadow @ Nov 14th 2007 5:31PM
as long as i can still get online, i'm fine, i am not buying a wireless router just for my wii
raindog @ Nov 14th 2007 4:59PM
Another reason to use this is if you're on vacation and brought your Wii and DS into a hotel room where you have to bring up a disclaimer in a web browser before it'll let you connect to the Internet. If you have your laptop, you can agree to the disclaimer, get on the net, plug in the USB dongle, and get back to Nintendo WFC goodness.
Of course, you can do this with a normal USB wifi dongle (in addition to your laptop's built in wifi) as well, or even with just the built-in wifi if you're running Linux, but it's not what you'd call plug-and-play.
JKAntwon @ Nov 14th 2007 5:03PM
After I leave my computer on for more than 2 days I have to go into the Wi-Fi window, and deny my Wii for a few seconds to reset the stupid thing. Or else my Wii won't connect. I have all the updates, and everything, but other wise my DS and Wii when connected are great!
Adv2k1 @ Nov 14th 2007 10:35PM
yeah it sucked i bought one. suddenly for no reason it stopped working all together. i called nintendo customer service and they were puzzled, i returned it to best buy and got refund and bought a regular wireless router at FRY's for like $30 and I never looked back.
CackNBallz @ Nov 14th 2007 11:36PM
Have you guys tried using the newest drivers? There's a new one that is compatible with Vista with version 1.06
You can get all the released installation software and drivers here:
http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/systems/wii/en_na/onlineUSBDownload.jsp
The software that was included with the dongle is relatively old and buggy. I use my dongle just for my DS because I like to use WPA on my wireless router.
velocitystrike @ Nov 15th 2007 3:28AM
I guess if I leave it a couple of weeks, I'll be able to sell my mint condition, pristine, classic USB Dongle for loads!
...lol
Author X @ Nov 15th 2007 3:51AM
I bought one a while (at least a year...?) ago, and have had no problems at all. I've found it to be a much more reliable connection than most routers set up by other people.
Tom Boucher @ Nov 20th 2007 4:02PM
The reason I bought this was that the DS doesn't support WPA. Unless a secret update came out that I didn't know about, that's still the case.
Without this, I am unable to use the wireless features of my DS because I refuse to go back to WEP.
Elifrit @ Dec 3rd 2007 8:59PM
well I imported one of those, as here in my homeland wi fi is not widespread (except for some acces points), and a wireless router would have been more expensive and difficult to set, though I had some issues with the connector at first (my computer would crash on load every time I installed it) I finally managed to get it working and as of two weeks no problems to report.
Blas @ Dec 27th 2007 10:28PM
A couple weeks ago my TMNT stopped working. There was a reason due to a hardware change but I didn't put 2 and 2 together at the time.
Today I put in my niece's Cosmic Family and the same thing as TMNT, it starts to load and then cuts back to the Wii Menu.
Searching turned up that it's the Nintendo Wi-Fi adapter that causes this problem on some games.
Sure enough, unplugging it solved the problem and both games work properly.