Hacking I think I may have found a way to play backups over network...

[bobbintb]

I know the idea of running games with a USB loader over a network has been discussed before and it's 2018 and all, people are done with Wii. But I had an idea. This is just theoretical but I think that using something like a Raspberry Pi Zero or similar device might be able to accomplish this. The Zero can run in USB OTG mode and appear as a mass storage device:
https://gist.github.com/gbaman/50b6cca61dd1c3f88f41
The tricky part would be linking the network share to the USB OTG but I think UnionFS might be able to do that. Perhaps a combination of a network share, UnionFS, and USB OTG... I dunno. Could it work? I don't have a Zero or an A to try. I have a few Bs but B can't use OTG mode. Maybe the 3B can, I dunno. There are likely other devices that can do this but the Zero is $5.

 

[DinohScene]

Wouldn't it make more sense to just code network loading in a backup loader?
I mean the Wii has USB Ethernet adapters.

I doubt a lot of people will adapt it tho.
Flashdrives come in large capacities these days and USB harddrives are in every home.

I'd like to see a working POC tho, even if it's just for the sake of making it work.

 

[bobbintb]

Wouldn't it make more sense to just code network loading in a backup loader?
I mean the Wii has USB Ethernet adapters.

I doubt a lot of people will adapt it tho.
Flashdrives come in large capacities these days and USB harddrives are in every home.

I'd like to see a working POC tho, even if it's just for the sake of making it work.

I don't know what the latest is but everything I've read has pretty much ruled out coding it into the back up loader. I read it has to do with the cIOS. Really, I don't know though. There are a number of homebrew apps on the Wii that can access network shares so I don't know why backup loaders can't but everyone seems to say they can't. Flash drives and USB flash drives are large but they can be expensive if you have a lot of games. Even more so if you have more than one Wii. Plus I've had to get an SSD drive because my 500GB external drive eventually died, as did the one I got for the other Wii we have. Using this would allow for keeping game saves across Wiis as well and if you have a fast connection you could even play them from the cloud. I already have a NAS and if it's $5 to get rid of all these limitations I'd do it. I just don't know if it will work. I have been looking for an excuse to get a Pi Zero though.

 

[DinohScene]

Actually, if you want the same game saves across all Wii's, you could setup SNEEK.
It's a sort of EmuNAND on SD.
You could plug it into any Wii you'd want to play on and you instantly can pick from where you left off (game wise)

I believe that this is also possible on USB (UNEEK).

Anyway, If you could spoof the Pi into being a removable storage medium then it should be doable.

 

[JellyPerson]

I'm pretty sure using a WODE Jukebox and an ethernet adapter plugged into the WODE could allow you to run backups off of a NAS.


I wouldn't recommend this setup since WODE Jukeboxes are antiquated, and they cost an arm and a leg, if you find one on eBay.

 

[bobbintb]

I'm pretty sure using a WODE Jukebox and an ethernet adapter plugged into the WODE could allow you to run backups off of a NAS.


I wouldn't recommend this setup since WODE Jukeboxes are antiquated, and they cost an arm and a leg, if you find one on eBay.

Yes, I had read about that but as you said, costly. I've done some more research and I'm pretty convinced this is doable with a Raspberry Pi Zero W and some SAN trickery but unfortunately, I just don't have the time and we don't use our Wii enough for it to be worth finding out. I'd be interested to hear if anyone takes a stab at it though. This might be useful as well:

https://www.instructables.com/id/NAS-Access-for-Non-Networked-Devices/
https://www.reddit.com/r/WiiHacks/comments/97ikp4/i_think_i_may_have_found_a_way_to_play_backups/