How to Throw a PC LAN Party

Getting a bunch of friends together to play PC games can be a blast. A PC LAN Party allows everyone to enjoy playing the same game at the same time. With a little planning and preparation, you will be able to throw a great party and play multiple video games. Read on to learn more.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Personal computer
• Four port or larger hub
• Link cables

1. Select a date for your party that is about 3 weeks out from the current date. It is usually best to select a weekend afternoon or evening, Fridays work great.

2. Call your friends who have computers that are powerful enough to support whatever games you wish to play and see who is available the weekend you are planning. Schedule a date with at least five or six people for the best party.

3. Determine where you will throw your party. Clean out a large room or several rooms in close proximity in your house. Either will work great to setup everyone.

4. Clear out the room or rooms you have chosen and build several stations where people can set up their PC. Each area will need a place for the monitor, room for the mouse pad and a place to put the computer's tower. Large tables work well for multiple PC setups.

5. Collect multiple extension cords and ask your friends to bring surge protectors so you have enough plugs for everyone to get power for their PC and monitor.

6. Purchase a network hub that has enough ports for the number of PC's you are expecting. You will also need network link cables to connect each computer to the hub and a place to plug in the hub.

7. Decide if you will provide food and drinks or if you need to tell your guests to bring their own.

8. Direct people as they arrive where they will setup, where they will get power and how to connect to your network.

Tips & Warnings

• Have everyone who comes bring a few dollars to pitch in and buy several large pizzas. Pizza is a great party food that you can all enjoy while you are playing and it usually can be delivered so you can maximize playtime.
• Make sure you have a large enough circuit to power the number of computers you plan to run. If you do trip a breaker you should pull an extension cord in and power a few of the PCs from another circuit.
• Be sure everyone who comes has a copy of the game you wish to play. If not you will not be able to play together. PC games require each computer to have its own individual copy of the game.