Networking two PCs for games

Is it possible to join two computers together using a serail cable for games?

Ive never done any networking before so could do with idiot proof help! Ive found stuff on Direct Cable Connection but dont know if this is Ok for gaming. I realise ethernet is probably better, or even WiFi but I haven't got any ethernet cables and my comp doesnt have a WiFi adapter.
Will the serial cable be quick enough for battlefield, C&C Generals etc?

How do I set it up!?

Many Thanks

 

A direct connection between two computers using a serial or pararell cable will be too slow.

You'd be better off investing in an ethernet cross-over cable and hook up both computers via their LAN ports.

You'd have to manually configure the IP address of both computers. Something like 192.168.0.1 for the first computer and 192.168.0.2 for the second

 

yeah, it's much much faster and also easier to setup using eathanet

 

I'll get an ethernet cable then. We were going to set it up last night and the shops were shut... hence the serial cable.

This means im going to have to spend money in PC World,

 

just one thing worth mentioning: i think you need a crossover ethernet cable to connect 2 computers directly together via ethernet, their not that expensive, even @ PC World[ot]thanks for correcting my spelling of eathanet[/ot]

 

A cross-over cable is usually (but not always) yellow

 

Ive just had a root around for that serial cable to find it is a parallel cable.... still slow I know but quick enough for C&C?

 

I can't remember the rated speed for parallel An ethernet connection would be faster. A standard serial connection is 128Kb/s and parallel is faster then that.

You will have to use the 'Network Setup Wizard' to configure your computer to connect using parallel

 

Question: Do you plan on distributing internet access between the two computers?

Having them connected in a PtP arrangement wouldn't allow for that, unless you had two NIC cards in one of the computers or had your internet modem hooked up through USB, (my internet router allows for that).

If so, the better, (albiet, more expensive), solution is to buy a switch or a router with multiple ethernet ports to share internet access two each of your computers.

Here's a simple guideline of how the network should look like in a logical topology:



Should you decide to go with this option, I'll be happy to help you if you need it.

 

Well, actually color has nothing to do if a cable is a crossover or not. A cable is a crossover if the transmit and receive pairs are reversed on each end. The same thing goes for a serial cable, though it's impossible to tell by just looking because the connectors will look exactly the same either way. FYI, a crossed-over serial cable is actually called a "null-modem cable". Though I don't recommend it, if you do want to use a null-modem cable for gaming, be aware that the max speed will be about 0.1% of what an ethernet cable can do. Ultimately, it'll be faster, easier and cheaper just to string a crossover cable between the two PCs than to go with a null-modem cable, but it is your choice to make. And the best possible scenario of all would be to go with something similar to what Jackal recommended.

 

The weekend is over now so maybe next weekend!

I did think about using my mates wireless ADSL router but I want to keep my computer away from the net. We just use this riddled thing for the net.

We'll probably end up chipping in on an ethernet cable now, they are only a tenner.

Many Thanks for your replies!

 

Yes, I am aware of that.

Zeus said he was going to buy an ethernet cable from PC World. PC World colour their crossover cables yellow. That's why I said it.

 

I am sure this red belkin cable i have here is crossover, and i got it form pc world, damn rip off it was, about 10 quid for 1.5m

 

Oh great! Now I look really stupid... :doh:

 

You never know, i could be wrong

 

Theres only one crossover cable in pc world and its yellow so......
PC World - BELKIN A3X126-10 CAT 5UTP CROSSOVER CABLE - Shop for cheap PC Cables

 

I went to the store for mine, it was about4 months ago....

 

Color doesn't matter, but... Like megamaced said... Most times than not, they're usually Yellow.

I say this because, I make my cables myself, and I've used a blue cable just because I had it on hand. So physically, there's no difference between the cables.

 

Usually yellow? No offense intended, but where are you guys getting this info? I've worked with plenty of wiring schemes where yellow = gigabit or yellow = a certain network segment, but never yellow = crossovers. So while I'm sure that in some times, some places, yellow may be used to designate crossover cables, it's not some kind of unwritten rule or something. So please don't confuse people with this misinformation. Crossovers have everything to do with how the wires are terminated and nothing to do with the color of the PVC sheathing.

 

Exactly right AT - I have a black crossover cable, and you wouldn't be able to tell it apart from a standard ethernet cable, it has 'Crossed' printed in small grey writing on the cable and that would be the only way to tell in my case. While some places do use colours to specify what type of cable it is it's not a given rule that everywhere must use it.