Clear as mud, eh?
How's this?
1. If you want to use a wireless router, you have to purchase a wireless adapter (around $80.00) for the Xbox360.
2. Any router you use for your in-home network (Linksys, whatever) will work with the 360.
3. You don't have to go the wireless route, if you're ok having the router or internet modem hooked directly to the 360. It's cheaper that way and you won't lose any connection speed like you might going wireless. However, if you hook directly into the internet modem, noone else will be able to be online at the same time. IOW, the computer will have to be unhooked from the modem in order to hook the 360 into it.
4. After you get all that done, you have to subscribe to Xbox Live. Some games come with a card that gives you like 30 days for free. After that, you have to subscribe and can either pay annually ($50.00) or monthly at a higher rate.
5. If difficult child wants to be able to talk to other online players, he'll have to have a headset that I *think* plugs into the controller. I can't remember how much the headset cost...somewhere between $25 and $50 probably. Or you can get a bluetooth headset.
Sigh. Can you tell we've done this? Can you tell Microsoft has their hands in the pot?
Thankfully, the PS3 is wireless already and there is no subscription...nothing to join. Plus, it's just a much better product.
It might just be easier to talk directly to my son. He's a pro at this.