# PS3 wireless Internet connection **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [January 20, 2013, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ps3-wireless-internet-connection/647834 "2013-01-20T21:14:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ps3-wireless-internet-connection/647834/1 "2013-01-20T21:14:16Z")
I have an older PS3. It does not come with a wireless modem. What is the best hardware for me to get to hook it up wirelessly to the Internet? ---
**Author:** ![d1a1s1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f6c823/32.png) [@d1a1s1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/d1a1s1)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ps3-wireless-internet-connection/647834/2 "2013-01-20T21:31:38Z")
PS3 Absolutely came with WiFi ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ps3-wireless-internet-connection/647834/3 "2013-01-20T21:37:05Z")
> [@d1a1s1](#): > > PS3 Absolutely came with WiFi No it did not. There is a version without wireless. Next. ---
**Author:** ![d1a1s1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f6c823/32.png) [@d1a1s1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/d1a1s1)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ps3-wireless-internet-connection/647834/4 "2013-01-20T21:40:15Z")
Well I have the very first model and it does. Dick ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ps3-wireless-internet-connection/647834/5 "2013-01-20T21:41:22Z")
A quick Internet search will show you I am correct. Reported. ---
**Author:** ![FoundWaldo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dfb087/32.png) [@FoundWaldo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoundWaldo)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ps3-wireless-internet-connection/647834/6 "2013-01-20T21:57:39Z")
Get a wifi bridge. Search “wifi bridge” or “wireless bridge” on Amazon, there are lots of them. (I assume you mean wifi, though wifi doesn’t use modems…) ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ps3-wireless-internet-connection/647834/7 "2013-01-20T22:18:30Z")
> [@FoundWaldo](#): > > Get a wifi bridge. Search “wifi bridge” or “wireless bridge” on Amazon, there are lots of them. > > (I assume you mean wifi, though wifi doesn’t use modems…) I mean something like this made for the Xbox360. [http://www.gamestop.com/xbox-360/accessories/xbox-360-wireless-network-adapter/40678#productDetails](http://www.gamestop.com/xbox-360/accessories/xbox-360-wireless-network-adapter/40678#productDetails) As far as I know (which is part of my question) Sony didn’t put out an adapter because most of the models had wifi capability. I’m not sure if a third party adapter can be used or it must be Ethernet cabled in. ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ps3-wireless-internet-connection/647834/8 "2013-01-21T03:11:28Z")
> [@d1a1s1](#): > > Well I have the very first model and it does. > > Dick This is a warning, don’t call names in this forum. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ps3-wireless-internet-connection/647834/9 "2013-01-22T02:36:29Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > As far as I know (which is part of my question) Sony didn’t put out an adapter because most of the models had wifi capability. I’m not sure if a third party adapter can be used or it must be Ethernet cabled in. Every single model but yours, so there was never really a market for a wi-fi adapter. There’s almost certainly not an official one and I couldn’t find a 3rd party adapter either. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ps3-wireless-internet-connection/647834/10 "2013-01-22T13:37:03Z")
My first thought is why pay for a wireless bridge when you can buy a used ps3 that comes with wifi for the same amount of money? ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ps3-wireless-internet-connection/647834/11 "2013-01-22T13:41:47Z")
> [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > Every single model but yours, so there was never really a market for a wi-fi adapter. There’s almost certainly not an official one and I couldn’t find a 3rd party adapter either. Me either. Thought I’d give it a try here just in case I missed something. > [@Enright3](#): > > My first thought is why pay for a wireless bridge when you can buy a used ps3 that comes with wifi for the same amount of money? Yes I’m leaning that way. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ps3-wireless-internet-connection/647834/12 "2013-01-22T15:50:05Z")
> [@Enright3](#): > > My first thought is why pay for a wireless bridge when you can buy a used ps3 that comes with wifi for the same amount of money? Transferring everything over to a new PS3 sucks balls. There’s a few ways to do it, and they are NOT all created equal. But if he buys a new PS3 while the old one still works fine, then he can use the best/easiest method which is just connecting the two with an ethernet cable and doing the [“Data Transfer Utility.”](http://manuals.playstation.net/document/en/ps3/current/settings/transferutility.html) It _should_ transfer everything. Don’t do the “Backup Tool.” That uses an external HD to transfer data, but it will not transfer what’s known as “protected saves” or any trophy data. And even with that tool, it’s a little tricky…honestly, the easiest way to get everything copied over is to make a PS+ account and then backup all your saves to the cloud storage. Then just log in on the new system with the same Sony ID, and you can download all your saves, even the protected ones. You can then either transfer over downloaded content like games, etc… using an external HD, or just re-download them from the store. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ps3-wireless-internet-connection/647834/13 "2013-01-22T15:58:43Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > Transferring everything over to a new PS3 sucks balls. There’s a few ways to do it, and they are NOT all created equal. > > But if he buys a new PS3 while the old one still works fine, then he can use the best/easiest method which is just connecting the two with an ethernet cable and doing the [“Data Transfer Utility.”](http://manuals.playstation.net/document/en/ps3/current/settings/transferutility.html) It _should_ transfer everything. Don’t do the “Backup Tool.” That uses an external HD to transfer data, but it will not transfer what’s known as “protected saves” or any trophy data. > > And even with that tool, it’s a little tricky…honestly, the easiest way to get everything copied over is to make a PS+ account and then backup all your saves to the cloud storage. Then just log in on the new system with the same Sony ID, and you can download all your saves, even the protected ones. You can then either transfer over downloaded content like games, etc… using an external HD, or just re-download them from the store. Thanks thats good information. ---
**Author:** ![pricciar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@pricciar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pricciar)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ps3-wireless-internet-connection/647834/14 "2013-01-23T03:08:05Z")
Trophy data gets backed up automatically to the servers nowadays, doesn’t it? That’s not a big deal with the backups. I didn’t know about protected saves, but all of the stuff I copied over must not have been protected. Because, when I got a new PS3 and used my backup to set up the new one everything copied over without a hitch. Can you really get a used ps3 for 30 bucks? (From what I understand that’s how much wifi bridges cost. I just used an old router with dd-wrt to set up my bridge. That has worked pretty well.) ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ps3-wireless-internet-connection/647834/15 "2013-01-23T06:53:40Z")
Just buy a new PS3. The 20 GB hard drive your model has isn’t even worth keeping. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ps3-wireless-internet-connection/647834/16 "2013-01-23T12:47:43Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > Just buy a new PS3. The 20 GB hard drive your model has isn’t even worth keeping. Yeah I know you’re right. Thats what I’ll wind up doing. It really hasn’t been a factor till now. I have both PS3 and Xbox360. Because of where it is I played the Xbox more often and it is hardwired into my router. Now I moved my PS3 to the girlfriends house and will be using it more often. I’ll just go out and get a new one. I’m not rich but I can afford that. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ps3-wireless-internet-connection/647834/17 "2013-01-23T13:33:20Z")
As a point of order, your 20GB playstation isn’t COMPLETELY worthless. It’s one of the few models that’s backwards compatible with ps2 disks. You might be able to unload it on ebay.