[TUK101]

I have a small cabin that I want to set up a network in. I dont need it to be able to get onto the internet or anything. I just want to be able to connect up to about 8 comps together for gaming. I need to know what I need, and ballpark figures on what it will cost. I have researched a bit, and know that I need networking cards and a hub/router/switch. Which is the best of those three for gaming? What kind of cable? Could I just use out modems to connect to some sort of switch? That way nobody would have to go through the hassle of installing a network card?
Any advice will be appreciated.

[iggybaseball]

Hubs- send all the data to all the ports
Switches- send the data to the port that asks for it.

You should get 8 nic's and a switch. Dont' get crossover cable. get regular cable with rj45 jacks. thenwhen that is all setup write back to the forums to figure how to configure it.

[TUK101]

OK, thanks for the info. That was more or less what I was wanting to know. I didnt want to spend the money ordering something online, only to find out that I had gotten the wrong thing, and then have to send it back. Is there any one brand that is superior to the others? Is there any particular brand/brands that I should stay away from?

[nuclearmonkey]

for just a small network, you don't need to worry about brand too much. Stick to like linksys, netgear, smc, mabey intel/3com if you want to spend a little more, and you will be fine.

[AMD'er]

like the stated, all you need to do is purchase a switch and some CAT5 Cable. Since there will be NO internet connection you don't need to worry about RJ45 JACKS which are the wall units. So you hook up all 8 PCS to the switch. Make sure that all have File and Print Sharing activated, the WORKGROUP needs to be the same on all computers. EX. PC1 workgroup name is GAMES, then all should have the same exact name. Make sure that you have selected the right protocols inorder to play the games. IPX should be activated. And I think thats it.

BTW if I missed something could someone add it to it.

[TUK101]

Thank you AMD'er. That is what I was looking for, something straight to the point, no frills. Now I know what to get, a switch, some NIC's and some regular cable to link us to the switch with. Use the name "Games" so that everyone knows what username to enter so that we are all on the same print file sharing database. Is this correct? If not somebody please correct me.

[LandShark]

that's pretty much all 'bout it.

one point is, it's NOT the user name "Game" (or whatever u like to call), it's the WORKGROUP name that needs to be the same in all of the machines that's connected. u should be able to find that field in:

Win2k/XP: My Computer --> Properties --> Network Identification
Win9x: Network neighborhood --> Properties --> Network.....

yeah, all u'll need is a NIC for each machine, and a 8 port switch. just brough a Linksys 5ports switch w/ a free NIC card for like 40-some dollars in a computer show 2 weeks ago. saw they also have a Linksys 8 ports switch w/ 2 NIC card for like $60-80!

good luck, and happy fragging!!!

[TUK101]

Thanks man. I kind of figured that it was not that hard to set up a small network. Especially when I am not worried about the internet. Now I just need to scrape up enough dough to be able to buy the switch and a couple of cards. I am going to make my buddies buy thier own darned cards. Why should I buy them thier cards? lol. I guess that we could end up having problems though since a couple of them are pretty darned cheap and will probably get the slowest most incompatable piece of crap out there just because they saved 12 cents. If I am not mistaken, all that it has to be to be compatable is a 10/100 card right?

[etnies]

i've just set up a basic network between my PC and my brothers with a single cable from pc to pc, but its not working, i need help on installing the TCp and IPX thingies, does anyone know which ones i have to install. I can't see anything in my network neghbourhood, but my brother can see his PC name in his.. so i think im missing something. please could somehelp me
thanks

[AarontheJC]

When I first set up my network here for gaming, I used This Site. It's pretty good for an overview, but requires a little bit of tinkering. If you follow the directions, you can get stuff working. If you're like me, though, you don't read it the whole way through and end up adding protocols you don't need.

Read through it and only use the protocols you need, and the rest is all cake...er, gravy.

Have fun, and don't stay up too late. I had a LAN last weekend...19 hours of pure gaming...34 without sleep...then we did it again. I'm beat! Next weekend, though...next weekend I'm hosting another. Expecting a party of 16-20...not bad for a garage-get-together.

Etnies: Add TCP/IP and enter a name for your computer, enter a WORKGROUP identical to that of your brother's, set your Subnet mask to his, choose an IP that isn't taken on the network, and add NETBEUI. Nothing needs to be done to NETBEUI.

Like I said, I'm beat, so if I missed anything in this post, somebody please correct me.

Hope this helps. I'm out.


Aaron

[LandShark]

Originally posted by etnies
i've just set up a basic network between my PC and my brothers with a single cable from pc to pc, but its not working, i need help on installing the TCp and IPX thingies, does anyone know which ones i have to install. I can't see anything in my network neghbourhood, but my brother can see his PC name in his.. so i think im missing something. please could somehelp me
thanks

first, if just connecting 2 rigs together w/ cable. u'll then need a "crossover" cable instead of regular ethernet cable.

second, to add extra protocol, just right click network neighborhood-->add-->protocol-->microsoft-->tcp/ip or ipx

and make sure both of ur rigs r set w/ the same workgroup too

good luck