What is PS3 Wireless Internet and How Does It Work?

PS3 wireless Internet is an Internet connection that you establish from the console of your PlayStation 3.  The connection allows you to enjoy more than just games since many of the movie production companies and music providers are making many forms of media accessible from the PlayStation Network.

How to Setup PS3 Wireless Internet

To establish a wireless connection it is necessary to include a wireless router and you must have a PlayStation 3 system that is equipped with wireless Local Area Network capability.  From there you access the network settings from your PlayStation 3 dashboard by opening the “Settings” tab.

Under “Settings you can proceed to configure the wireless connection by allowing it to automatically scan for the nearest available wireless connection or you can choose to enter the Service Set Identifier or SSID.  This is a key that identifies your local area wireless network 802.11.  If you use Wireless Encryption Protocol for security this is supported by PlayStation 3 in addition to WiFi Protected Access and WiFi Protected Access II which are also standards for securing your wireless network.

Before you establish connectivity make sure that there is no Ethernet cable connected to your PlayStation 3 system.  To confirm this you can choose “Internet Connection Settings under “Network Settings” on your PlayStation 3 dashboard.  When you receive a prompt that says you will be disconnected from the Internet click on “Yes” to confirm.

From there you can choose the wireless setting and allow it to scan for a wireless connection or you can enter the SSID and configure the security settings.  Save the settings and then choose “Test the Connection” to ensure you can establish a wireless connection to the Internet.

How to Access the PlayStation 3 Network

Once you have successfully established a PS3 wireless connection you can meet up with other PS3 users to discuss your favorite game strategies.  You also have access to the PlayStation Store which offers a variety of high definition movies, games, and television shows.  All of these features can be easily accessed from the PlayStation 3 dashboard under the “PlayStation Network” icon.  You can also receive news on the latest games and use the PlayStation 3 browser to view the Internet on your television.

How to Troubleshoot a PS3 Wireless Internet Connection

If you are having trouble establishing a wireless connection to the Internet from your PlayStation 3 console there are a few simple troubleshooting methods you can use to try and fix the connection.  Generally you will receive a message that states whether or not the Internet connection was successful or if the connection failed, it is sometimes indicated by an error message accompanied by a number.

With most PlayStation 3 consoles there are on-screen instructions which are provided when the connection to the Internet fails.  The instructions provide details on how to check the network connection settings for basic troubleshooting.  It is also important to note that if you test the connection too soon after selecting the “Automatic” option the connection may fail due to the fact that the router settings may not have had a chance to complete.  Instead, wait a few minutes after you have selected “Automatic” to allow the configuration to complete.  The “Automatic” option on your PlayStation 3 is used for wireless access points that support automatic setup.  You simply follow the on-screen instructions that help you to automatically configure the wireless connection.

You can also try shutting down and then restarting both the PlayStation 3 console and your modem and router.  Wait a few minutes before you power them up again and then try to connect to the Internet again.  By simply shutting down and restarting it will help the equipment to start with a clean slate and sometimes it makes the equipment forget why it would not connect to the Internet.

Check to make sure there are no other wireless devices that are interfering with the signal from the wireless router such as your cell phone, the microwave oven, metal objects, and any unnecessary wires.  Additionally, make sure that there are no other PCs in the household using applications that require a lot of bandwidth while you are trying to use PlayStation 3.  This creates a drain on the bandwidth for your wireless connection and will slow down the online gaming frame rate.

You can also try the troubleshooting tips that are typically included in the manual when you purchase your wireless network equipment.  The troubleshooting steps will vary according to the brand of equipment you choose to establish PlayStation 3 wireless Internet connectivity.

If you are still having issues with the wireless Internet connection there is a host of information and help available through your friends on the PlayStation Network as well as members only areas for any troubleshooting guides that you purchase online.

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