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LAN Adapter for Nintendo Wii by Datel Our Rating:
This third-party adapter for Nintendo’s Wii console is a convenient solution to the lack of ethernet port on the Wii.  It creates a high speed LAN connection via USB.  For most people, this product will probably work exactly as it should.  It is definitely more convenient to find than Nintendo’s official LAN adapter which can only be purchased online at Nintendo’s official website.  However compared to their first-party solution, this offering from Datel does have some problems.

First off, the first unit tested was defective.  That is not to say that Nintendo’s adapter is infallible, but it does not say a lot for this product.  After finding a replacement, there are still a few shortcomings for this product.  If you are on a secured network in which all devices’ MAC address must be allowed by your router, it is much more difficult to obtain the MAC address of this product.  The address is not printed anywhere on the device, and because it is not officially made by Nintendo, the address does not appear when the Wii’s system settings are accessed.  To find the MAC address of this device, it has to be connected to a PC, have drivers downloaded for it, and then have an ipconfig run.  More than an inconvenience.

Overall this product should work fine for most people, but it may cause problems and frustrations if the network is configured a certain way.  The official Nintendo Wii LAN Adapter is a more recommended solution.