Does XBox 360 Live require a broadband connection?

The short answer is that the Xbox LIVE service requires an internet connection to work. Wi-Fi itself cannot access the internet, you need a gateway in the home, usually a modem, DSL modem or cable modem. Wi-Fi itself is not an internet connection, but merely a mechanism that the devices in your house can use to talk to one another and to your router/gateway, your real connection to the internet.

So if your broadband Wi-Fi is disabled, the Xbox 360 will not be able to access the internet unless it is turned back on. Note that WiFi isn't necessary, the Xbox 360 can also use an Ethernet cable as well.

Here is a link to the Xbox LIVE Getting Started page, which should outline the requirements for using Xbox LIVE.

Note that to just play games on disc, LIVE is not required, but it is for things like validating downloadable content and playing multiplayer over the internet.

My son wants an XBox 360 and insists it will work online with it's own WiFi and not use my download despite the fact that I have turned off my broadband WiFi.

By broadband wifi, if you mean your wireless router's wifi, then no, his XBox can't connect to wifi unless he steals an open connection from a neighbor. The Xbox has an adapter that will connect THROUGH wifi, if there's a broadcast. Think of it like a radio (the Xbox) tuning into a station (the router). If the station isn't broadcasting, you're not getting any music.

I think it needs an external broadband connection and am even more convinced now I've been on this site. Please confirm I'm right - my teenage son thinks his mother is just out to spoil his fun!

The Xbox is playable without an internet connection, as far as I know. You can't play online, with friends or access any of the store offerings and content without the connection enabled via wifi or Ethernet cable.

Something else to consider: you can control how much online play, if at all, he can have. You can also set it up to not allow him to speak to anyone not on his friends list, and vice versa. So I couldn't send him a message or even talk to him, unless he added me as a friend first. There are a lot of parental settings you can configure if that's a concern.

Hope this helps.

The Xbox connecting to the internet using only it's own WiFi, without other devices? Doesn't work. Simply put, an Xbox 360 requires an external internet connection to access the internet.

However, do note that an internet connection is not required to use an Xbox 360 - you just lose out on benefits of connecting it - no multiplayer games, no access to DLC, no Xbox Live friends, etc.

For any device using WiFi to get to the internet (a laptop, Xbox, eBook reader, toaster, etc) it needs something to connect to - a home broadband router, a free WiFi point down the local coffee shop, a free WiFi network provided by the local council, etc (not all are valid choices for an Xbox!). Or, it needs another source for it's internet connection sure as a mobile phone pass-through or a 3G dongle, etc.

For an Xbox being used to game from home, you would normally expect it to be connected to your home broadband - either via a WiFi or network cable connection to a router, or possibly via a network bridge through any Windows computer (For example. the Xbox can connect to a computer, which will then carry the connection between it and your broadband router or modem).