Apparatus and system for configuring a wireless bridge for a computing device such as a game console. The wireless bridge must include a key (not known to the public) employed in producing a digest. The digest is passed to the game console to authenticate that the wireless bridge is compatible and can thus be configured by the game console. Once the wireless bridge proves its compatibility, a configuration procedure included in an operating system on the game console configures the wireless bridge to connect to a wireless network so that the game console can communicate through the wireless bridge with a gaming site that is accessed over the Internet. The configuration is done without using a web browser program or a configuration program that is specific to a particular model and manufacturer of the wireless bridge.