LAN Gaming 101

    Welcome! This website was designed for people seeking to learn more about the mysterious world of LAN gaming. If you just happened on this site and are wondering what in the world this is all about just keep reading. You'll probably learn about something you know nothing about.

    Local Area Network gaming or LAN Gaming for short is a coming together of people to play networked video games usually on a computer. While usually referring to computers it can also apply to consoles such as the xbox 360, PS3 or Wii. In order for a gathering to be constituted a LAN party there must be at least two people and at least two devices, a PC or console connected via a network. A small LAN party would be up to 15 to 20 people, the largest LAN parties are in the thousands. Below is a picture of Dreamhack, the worlds largest LAN party with over 8,000 people.

    There are a few different types of LAN parties; BYOC (bring your own computer), sponsored and console. The first, BYOC is the most common type where competitors bring their own computer, monitor and accessories to the LAN party. The host provides the location and works out all the fine details like making sure there is food, network, plenty of power and air-conditioning. The competitors will pitch in and either brings some of the equipment and food or pay a fee to the host to help cover the cost. This type of LAN party ranges in size from two people to thousands, the largest being Deamhack pictured below.

    The second type is a sponsored LAN party. These are the elite LAN parties where the best in the world compete. They are sponsored by companies like Dell, Intel, Cisco and Nvidia who provide all the hardware necessary to play. The competitors just pay a fee to get into the LAN party and everything is provided including food, sleep areas, alternate entertainment and of course the computers and accessories needed.

    The last LAN party is the console. These like PC LAN parties can range in size from two people to hundreds and are played on a console like an xbox 360 or PS3.