Now that word of your LAN party has gone out, you need to get on to working on the heart of your event-the network. Since the computers are going to be networked, the most important aspect is the network switch. This is the box that will link all your computers to each other using standard Ethernet cables.

It is advisable to go in for a switch instead of a hub, as switches are a lot faster. Besides, the cost of network switches has fallen drastically-you can now buy an 8-port 10/100 network switch for about Rs 2,000. If this is your first LAN hosting event, you most probably won’t have access to a switch and you would need to pool in with the rest of your buddies to buy one-y u can always use it for future LAN parties even rent it out to others who need it!

Talking about money, it’s important to split costs equally among all the participants. This is especially true if you plan to pepper the party with a constant supply of potato wafers, coke, pizza and the like! Food always adds to the charm of a LAN party and you should plan for a supply of your favorite frag-time goodies. It’s important, therefore, to instill a ‘pay and play’ policy.

You do not want to be stuck in a situation where you wind up footing the entire bill with some of the participants telling you that they’ll square you later. While this policy appears drastic, all will eventually appreciate it.