How to Throw Your First LAN Party

LAN parties are the perfect way to spend a rainy weekend with friends -- all it takes is a little planning to make sure that things go smoothly.

Whether you are planning a PC or console oriented LAN party, getting the right mix of gear together is the first and most crucial step. Console players have it a little easier, since the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 are much more portable than their full-sized PC counterparts. However, don't forget that you'll need extra monitors, game titles, LAN cables, and a hub/switch big enough to handle as many consoles that you need to connect everyone. Having a buddy with a 16- or 24-port switch is always handy; but an older 10/100 switch is all you need. Spending hundreds on a Gigabit-grade switch is overkill.

When you tell your buddies what to bring to a console LAN party, don't forget to tell them to haul along their monitor, correct video cables, game titles, wiredcontroller, and networking cable. The A40 Audio System is the ideal solution for a console LAN, so don't forget your audio gear, even if your friends don't have ASTRO equipment yet. If your buddies have an extra network cable and wired controller, have them bring those too (after they've marked them with initials). Someone is bound to forget theirs. Remember that a wired controller isrequired -- more than four wireless controllers are going to interfere with one other unless you are a fair distance away, which takes away from the fun.

The same advice for a PC LAN applies, with the addition of needing a place to put computers, monitors, and mouse pads -- in addition to a spot for everyone's butt. Beg and borrow every card table, picnic table and folding chair that you can scrounge from relatives, neighbors and friends.

Lastly, whether you go the PC or console route, don't forget to sort out the power situation well beforehand -- using industrial grade extension cords to draw power from multiple circuits in your house is a smart way to go. Nothing is a bigger drag than blowing a fuse or tripping a circuit breaker mid-match. Having your buddies bring their own power strips with surge protectors is also a smart idea.

What to play? This is the all-important question, and one that will make or break your party. Start with your friends: what games do you usually play? This game -- whatever it may be -- will be the game that gets the most mileage during your party. Being all together will certainly open up new strategies and new wrinkles to whatever you are playing (if only the 'in yer face!' factor of in-person versus play), in addition to the tactical advantages of having a 'Lag-free' connection that is only possible when you are on a LAN.

If you have another game that people might enjoy, but haven't necessarily played yet (or perhaps not for a long time), this can be a welcome break from the main attraction. Mix and match your genres as well: If everyone got together to play an intense first-person PC shooter like Counter-strike orBattlefield, be sure to take it down a notch by starting a friendly pickup game of an RTS classic like WarCraft III or Dawn of War. If you've got newer gear and newer game collections, Dawn of War II and Supreme Commander are incredibly fun. Most RTS titles have 2v2 (or even 3v3!) modes that enable you to put noobies with more experienced players, and advanced controls that enable you to balance things to a fine degree -- guaranteeing that everyone is enjoying fun and challenging games.

If you are gearing your LAN toward PC play, take a break by firing up a fun, tried-and-true console game. Sure, everybody knows Halo can be a great way to blow off some steam, but after playing PC shooters, a console FPS will seem like it is in "slow motion". It's better to fire up Mario Kart, Bomberman, orBoom Blox (try it, seriously!) if you have a GameCube or Wii. If you have an Xbox 360 handy, the Xbox Live Arcade selection should have something for everyone: old school multiplayer titles like Gauntlet and Joust are a riot, while new school faves likeGeometry Wars are extremely entertaining just to watch. And of course, fighting games like Super Smash Brothers, Street Fighter, and Soul Caliber are perfect for a quick player-versus-player fix.

For console centric LAN parties, taking a break from the controller is the way to go. Try loading up the universal LAN party standard: Unreal Tournament 2004. 2k4 is a stellar run-and-gun action title that is 10lbs of fun in a 5lb bag -- even if you are playing for the very first time. It's also an older title that even low-spec laptops will be able to handle nicely, and available dirt cheap in most stores' bargain bins, or downloadable from Steam.

Once you've attended or held a few LAN parties, you'll start noticing games in the bargain bin that will be ideally suited to a LAN, especially those "forgotten" shooters. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. has an amazing deathmatch mode that is wildly popular in places like Russia, but if you live in the West, you'll need to create a local server -- and a LAN party is the perfect opportunity. Likewise, Prey is an ideal PC LAN game if your group is on the small side -- this console-centric shooter fared poorly since it was too claustrophobic for 16-32 player servers, but is ideal for 4-8 friends at a LAN.

One last thing: unless you are getting your Guild together for some in-person raid action, it would be wise to ban World of Warcraft during the weekend. WoW has a tendency to divide your group into ever-smaller chunks, and really takes away from the mano-a-mano spirit of a LAN.

Good luck--and save us a slice of pizza!

ASTRO Gaming creates premium video gaming equipment for pro gamers, leagues and their lifestyles. Spun-off from design powerhouse ASTRO Studios, known in the gaming world for designing the Microsoft Xbox 360™, Alienware PCs, and HP's Blackbird PC, ASTRO Gaming produces a line of gamer centric "tech-life" products, supporting this rapidly growing community. ASTRO Gaming's product line includes the critically acclaimed A40 Audio System, the Official Licensed Headset of Major League Gaming, and the new Transport Series of gaming bags. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Peter_Roberts

Computer Rental - A Basic View

Benefits that businesses of any kind can get from computer rental services are not already new because it has long been known for quite a long time. However, what on earth can prevent its popularity in the internet?

Computers change so fast, as fast as how the world of Information Technology evolves. The "in thing" today will be outdated tomorrow. Spending thousands of dollars to avail today's considered high-end computer model is just not right. In just a very short time, you would be enjoying the luxury of owning it. However, like all other products of technology, computers depreciate quickly. The value and its prestige easily diminish as time goes by. When time comes in which your thousand-dollar worth computer unit is already outdated, you cannot escape the usual feeling that anyone else experiences-embarrassment. This happens most especially if you are in the competitive sphere of Information Technology.

That would not happen if you avail computer rental services at any computer equipment rental shops. The best benefit you can get from renting a computer is free upgrades of any item types you have rented. You heard it right (or read it right rather). It is the computer rental companies' task to upgrade the rental items (rented and not yet rented). There is no extra cost on items you have already availed. Although, some small and medium rental companies may charge for a very minimal fee to have your rented computer be upgraded. Of course, rental companies do not want their customers to be left behind from the current trends.

If you opt to rent a computer unit for personal use, you have variety of options to choose which rental provisions you like: short term and long term rental. However, most of the rental companies allow you to take home the rented item after paying only a month deposit fee. Comes with that is the agreement to pay the remainder of the cost over a defined length of time.

The payment of most of the computer rental companies does not include interest fees. You only have to pay the rental service fee and that's it. There is no monthly changing of payment rate or scheme needed.

With computer rental shops, you can save a lot of bucks. You don't need to go through the crowded computer stores in big shopping malls just to buy computer peripherals you need such as printers, scanners and other "techy" items such as digital cameras. These computer rental companies have all you need.

Computer equipment rental shops do not only provide rental services but as well as providing technology products for sale. Their items' prices are relatively lower than those being sold in typical computer stores. What's good is that the shops allow the customers to try out a computer for a definite period of them. This enables the customers to have a taste and test of the item they want to buy.

When it comes to computer experience, nothing beats the customer-oriented principles of the computer rental shops. They are a great time and money-saving option. There's one thing you should not take for granted; research on the background of the computer rental shop to confirm its credibility and reliability.

Visit TR Vidcom, the leading audio visual equipment rental hub based in Australia. The company offers specialised solutions and caters clients from commercial and government establishment across the Asia Pacific, recently working on its product and service availability to other countries of the world. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lemuel_Asibal

All About Memory Suppliers

Despite years of technological leaps and dazzling innovations, most personal devices would be worth very little without the proper memory equipment. Consumers must demand high quality goods because we entrust some of our most precious information to the reliability of retailers. From digital flash cards to server memory, our progress and achievements are often dependent on these sources of memory.

As advancements quicken the pace of innovation, customers can rest assured knowing there are trustworthy merchants who can deliver top notch products at a price you can afford. With so many memory solutions on the market today, there is a myriad of options to choose from. State of the art memory upgrades are popular among consumers with an ever expanding need for hard drive capacity. Ranging in function from fully buffered memory to laptop memory, almost all shoppers can fulfill their needs through existing online retailers. Another option for individuals looking to improve their device functioning is exploring the options among batteries and chargers in conjunction with additional memory.

As the public becomes more connected, we also grow increasingly acquainted with those ubiquitous devices that improve our lives such as cell phones and digital cameras. As the usage for these products continues to rise, so does the demand for increased memory supplies. Many online outlets have sprung up to serve this need and offer great deals on a broad spectrum of memory equipment to enhance your experience. So, if you too are looking for better memory upgrades, you can surf the internet to compare between different online outlets in order to get the best deals within no time.

Get memory for your laptop computer, server, Mac , HP or Dell computer at MemorySuppliers.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Seif_Sel

The Project Managers Role in a New IT Network

The project manager's role in a new IT network involves defining the project to meet the objectives and then dividing it into the tasks and stages to get the finished IT network that runs smoothly and efficiently.

Not only are they responsible for controlling the different stages, but they need to be able to identify financial consequences and risks involved if changes in configuration or additional equipment is needed and figure out ways to deal with them.

The project manager's role in a new IT network is to also determine each person's role as part of the team and provide a controlled, organized and consistent approach to track the progress as the finished IT network nears completion. They are responsible for good communication between the different components of the IT network and they need to be aware of flexible decision points, to determine the best option, at the time it can still be altered. If the project manager fails to identify problems as they arrive during installation, it can cost more to correct items after the fact or it is later found out that they don't perform the tasks expected.

The primary role of the project manager is to keep the business purpose of each step in the network installation process in mind, and the involvement of management or ownership at the times where a business or financial decision is needed. The role involves coordination between departments and vendors that will be using, installing and responsible for the proper working of the IT network.

Because there may be a need for coordinating telecom services, IT asset recovery companies, new computer equipment vendors for hardware, software and firewall or antivirus protections, it is essential that data is transferred, and all components of the IT network are functioning. This will ensure a smooth transition without the problem of business interruption or data loss.

A good project manager should be aware of technical and logistic problems that may arise during the initial installation, setup and training on a new IT network. For large networks, where a large budget is set aside for the hardware, software and installation, it is the project manager's role to make sure that everything is delivered, working and at the price agreed upon when installing the new IT network.

With any project, it is possible to have unexpected expenses, but the project manager is to oversee the coordination to make sure that it is kept at a minimum and yet fulfills the expected needs of the business and management.

Because so much business is conducted electronically, it is crucial that a new IT network is functioning in a proper and secure manner and an experienced project manager should have the knowledge both technically and operationally to make the transition run smoothly and successfully.

To sum up this role the project manager in a new IT network is a coordination effort that involves all of the aspects of an important IT asset, while keeping communication, scheduling and expense in line with the budgeted plan.

Derek Rogers is a freelance writer who writes for a number of UK businesses. For information on Project Management when building a new IT network, he recommends Network 24, a leading UK provider of Communication Networks. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Derek_Rogers

An Introduction to IT Support

When it comes to IT support your business is probably looking for two things, you're looking to save operational costs, especially in this current economic climate, and you're looking at protecting and maximising the IT investment you've made to support your business. Both of these objectives are easy to achieve so long as you understand the criticality of the IT systems and components in relation to the business. The higher the importance and criticality then the higher the service level. The lower the importance and criticality then the lower the service level. By taking this approach customers can actually realize saving of up to 30% as apposed to a single service level across the business. This is the smart approach to IT support.

The smart approach to IT support means there are packages available for every business, from the global corporation down to the small businesses. Off the shelf, prepackaged, pre priced IT support is going to be more suitable for some small businesses and it's available in different service levels. If you've got a mission critical server that you want covered, then you could get a committed or guaranteed service which is straight of the shelf, and for a lower level of service, say for a development or a test system, then a Monday to Friday, or a next business day responses would be appropriate. The key is really to understand your environment and assign the right level of service.

One of the most significant changes in IT support in recent years is the growing importance and dependence on remote support. Traditionally, when customers had a hardware problem they'd call in an engineer, and engineer would order a part and if they couldn't fix it, they'd maybe get the senior engineer involved and this meant long down times for customers. Remote support really turns that on it's head. It takes the burden away from the customer site so the support translates into higher availability for the customer.

Most IT systems these days are built with a level of resilience, resilience is designed into it to protect against critical business impact, but it's important to look at what the implications are of an outage on the business, it's also important to consider how systems and IT components interact with each other regardless of manufacture. It's then a case of taking all this information and creating a benchmark. Against your IT systems and components, what support have you got in place today? Is it fit for purpose? Can you identify any gaps that require addressing? The next step is to get a align the service with the business critical components making sure to remember software support because operating system support is a key component in any IT systems, not only the technical support but also all the non defect support so for business critical environments, is it appropriate to have a service which answers the 'how to' questions. There are tools available on the web that can get you started with self assessment.

Everyone is trying to save money at the moment, but your IT support is not a very practical place to be frugal. The most significant risk is the potential impact on the business, if you're using maintenance like an insurance policy, then the chances are you don't want to use it, and like an insurance policy, there are usually exclusions, so it's really important to check what you're getting for your money, if there are exclusions someone has to pick those exclusions up. So if you're looking at a cheap maintenance deal, make sure you balance the risks against the value of the IT systems and also the risk to your business.

GuruOnline is the biggest video based free business advice resource currently online aimed at SME's in all industries. Because all the content is from recognised industry leaders like IBM, and their section on IT Support, you know the content is reliable and valid and because it's all broken down into bite sized videos, it's easier to absorb. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kimberlie_Hutson