PS3 – Playing ‘live’

[siggsy]

Apologies – as will become blatantly obvious, I am a bit of a technophobe. For Xmas, my son would like to be able to play PS3 games against his mates – I understand this is done via the internet (Wi-fi?).
I was wondering what would be the best (possibly cheapest?) option open to me.
I have sold my moral soul and currently subscribe to Sky (only the tele bit) and have a current ‘Mobile Broadband’ contract with T-Mob for this laptop that I’m using now.
What I don’t want to do is phone Sky to be flogged something I don’t need by them talking techie if it could be a question of speaking to T-mob and, for example upgrading my contract and getting another dongle. Similarly if I have to get Sky then it may be possible to get my laptop connected through them should my contract with T-mob be able to be cancelled.
Any help/advice very gratefully received and apologies if I don’t reply/thank straight away.

[wilkesneil]

all you need is a wireless router through your main internet provider.
see what price come up with to have broadband fitted to your current package.
they may try to sell you 50meg (you don't need it). we have 10meg and everything is fine, i can do what i need and my son can play fifa online.
a wirless router usually costs about £40 (average), easy to install to.
you access the web through the built in wi-fi on the ps3 console. (free of charge)

[siggsy]

Many, many thanks!

[AB Editor]

Hi Siggsy,

I currently use Sky Broadband and it costs me £7.50 each month for their "up to 20mb" package. As you're already a subscriber to their TV package (and depending on what kind of service can be provided in your area) they should offer you this price too, or at least something similar.

Sky should provide you with a wireless router anyway, normally a "Netgear" piece of kit. Now, I don't own a PS3 (so I may be wrong), but you can connect wirelessly to your router (as wilkesneil suggests) or you can connect an ethernet cable directly from the router into the back of the PS3. I have heard that some people struggle to connect their Netgear router wirelessly to the PS3, so make sure you have a lengthy ethernet cable handy just in case the wireless connection is dodgy.

If you have any other questions then let us know, but I suggest you get on the phone to Sky asap to ensure you get your package delivered before Christmas, and that they turn your line on in time. As wilkesneil said, don't let them flog you the ultra-broadband packages. Up to 20mb at £7.50 should suffice.

Let us know how everything goes!

Ed.