Playing multiplayer games on the home network

Posted on December 7, 2010 by Jim

Are you still playing Multiplayer games with your friends on a single computer system? If you play a multiplayer game on a single computer you will have to share the game controller, keyboard or mouse with your opponents. This is not as invigorating as playing a multiplayer game on a LAN. Playing a Multiplayer game on the Lan allows each player to have his own individual computer system, and many players can participate at once. The whole family can enjoy playing the multiplayer games over the Lan and this is special fun as compared to playing the multiplayer games over a single PC.

How to convert to multiplayer:

Once the game is purchased or downloaded from the internet, you can host the game on one of the PC of your home network. Once the game is installed, there are options to convert it into a single player or multiplayer. Once you select the multiplayer mode, you have the further options to host the game or connect to a hosted game. For converting into a hosting server, you have to enter a name for the server and the password etc. and host the game on the network. Once the game is hosted, other users can install the same game and connect to the hosted server. In order to connect to the server, the game provides options to enter the the server name or the Ip address. If the Ip address of the server is required you can find it by using the network commands from the command line.

Playing the multiplayer internet or online games:

Installed games are not the only way to play multiplayer games on a Lan. You can also play multiplayer online games on your home network. All of the players can logon to a particular game on the same gaming website. Once all the players have joined, the list of the players usually appears on the right side of the game. When you click the start button you will be asked to select the players or opponents you want to play with. Although most of the online games start in this manner, it is advisable to follow the instructions provided on the website to play multiuser games over your private home computer network.

A free site for downloading multiplayer games:

Here is a good site www.network-games-collection.com where you can download free multiplayer games, which you can enjoy playing with your friends on your home Lan.

How to build PCs on your own and form a home network?

You can always build high quality gaming PCs at low cost, by purchasing the barebones computer kits from easyasmypc. It is very easy to know how to build a PC by downloading the instructions from this online computer store. Once you have built a group of PC’s you can easily connect them to form a home network (using the Adsl router) and enjoy playing multiuser games with your friends.

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Easy way to setup your home computer network

Posted on September 23, 2010 by Jim

It is not very difficult to setup a home computer network. But some people think that they must obtain specialised certificates like the ccna, ccnp or Mcse in order to setup a home network. These people are afraid that they won’t be able to setup a home network on their own.

However, setting up a home network does not require special training. One has to simply remember a few basic things in order to setup a home network successfully.

The first step is to draw up a simple plan. You might ask yourself certain questions. What sort of computers am I going to use? How many computers am I going to connect together? What sort of operating systems must I install? Do I want to share some of the peripherals like the printers etc? Do I want to share the internet connection?

The answers to the above will lead you the next step — that of creating a list of network components. From this time onwards, everything including your computers, printers, etc are going to be a part of your home network. Once your network is setup you should be able to access any network resources by working from any computer in your home.

A computer home network setup might consist of the following checklist:

Computers:

You must remember that ultimately you are connecting your computers together in order to share the resources such as software, printers, Cds/ Dvds etc. As an example, if you plan on using your computers for playing network games, you must purchase gamming computers. These computers mostly use high end video cards such the Ati or Nvidia. Basic computers and business computers do not require the Ati or Nvidia cards. If you know how to build a PC you can construct any sort of computers you need by connecting the computer components together. You can learn how to build a PC by downloading the step by step instructions from Easyasmypc.

Ethernet network cards:

The home computers establish communication with one another with the help of the network interface cards. If any of your computer does not have the network card you will have to install the card before proceeding with the networking.

Cable modem:

If you have subscribed to the internet your ISP will supply you with the cable modem. This will enable you to connect to the internet. If you have subscribed to the Adsl broadband you get an Adsl router/hub combined with the modem within a single unit.

Router/ Switch / Hub

Of the three, a router is much better. A router is an intelligent device and you can connect securely to the outside networks. With the
help of a router you can set up one or more networks and connect them together. This can be done by connecting additional switches to the router ports. A hub will also suffice if you want to setup a home network, but a simple hub will not enable you to create subnetworks.

Cables:

For connecting the computers together you require cat25 cables with Rj25 connectors.

A home computer network which uses upto four computers only requires operating systems like the windows xp, windows 7 etc. to be installed on each of the computers. These operating systems help us to setup a workgroup and allows the computers to be connected together in a peer to peer network configuration. Your next step would be to connect the computers together by connecting the cables to and from the router/ Switch / hub to the computers and other peripherals.

Here is a good video which demonstrates how to setup a wired home network.

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Hard disk selection criteria

Posted on July 26, 2010 by Jim

The various parameters which must be checked while purchasing an hard disk are the capacity, read/write speed, seek time, interface etc.It is always better to purchase the hard disk which has higher capacity, read/write speed, seek time, and SATA interface. Such an hard disk will prove to be a boon while running applications, playing games and storing valuable data.

Let us dig a little bit deeply into these parameters and find out why they are important while selecting a hard disk.

You must purchase a hard disk having as much large capacity as possible, as it can store a larger amount of data. Besides data, you can also  install a large number of software application. It would be better not to go in for a hard disk with lesser than 200 GB in capacity.

Another parameter worth your consideration is the rotational speed. It would be better to install a hard disk having greater rotational speed than a slower one. Today, the speeds of the hard disk platters have reached the level of 7,200 rpm. This will help your software, games and applications to run at a faster speed.

One other parameter that you must check while selecting your hard disk is the “Seek Time”. This parameter measures the time it takes the hard drive’s read/write heads to seek a particular sector where the required data is stored. A drive cannot instantly read or write the data that is required, as there is some “time lag” or ” latency” due to the spinning of the drive spindle and positioning of the drive head over  a particular sector. A drive with a lower “Seek time” will definitely affect the speed at which the games and other software operate.

The data transfer speeds, such as the read and write transfer speeds also affects how the software will run. A faster data transfer disk is better than a slower one.

One more factor which you must take into account while selecting an hard disk is the type of HD interface. The IDE drives make use of the PATA (parallel) interface. This interface is cumbersome to handle. The recent interface is the SATA interface (serial) . SATA is better than the PATA in respect of less amount of cable wires, better cable reliability and ease of installation. Another advantage of the SATA interface is the possibility of hot swapping the drives.

Apart from the magnetic hard disks, new solid state hard disks have entered the Computer market. These drives are more efficient than the magnetic disks, long lasting and smaller in size. They have very less “Seek time” since there is no need to move the head to a particular location. These drives consume less power and can be used in laptops and notebook computers. However, as of now they are a little costly as compared to the magnetic hard disks. If you have the budget you can definitely upgrade or switch over to the solid state drives.

Get your good quality hard disks for faster speed, reliability and large amounts of data storage at Easyasmypc right now!

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Can free antivirus sofware protect my PC ?

Posted on June 21, 2010 by Jim

You must have definitely heard of computer viruses attacking your PC and destroying all the data and the software. Are you, therefore, not worried that your computer may be the next victim of a virus attack? What then is the quick and easy solution to this lurking danger?

The answer to all the virus problems is, off course, the antivirus software. It is always safe to protect your PC with an antivirus program and if you do not have an antivirus program installed on your PC, you must get one as fast as you can.

The antivirus programs act like the sheild and protect your PC from virus attacks. You can get an antivirus program for a cheap price or even free and it can provide great help in alerting you about the virus attacks whenever they occur. Such a program can help you to scan and detect the viruses and also destroy them. It can also provide protection against virus attacks by preventing the viruses from downloading to your PC from external sources such as the internet.                  

The best free antivirus software packages available today are the Avast and the AVG. These programs are available for download from the internet. They have many good features that can protect your PC for free.

Off course, a free antivirus software does not provide the complete protection that you would desire, but it does provide the basic type of protection, which you must never dispense with. A free antivirus software can alert you to any suspicious virus activity on your computer. It can allow you to regularly scan your PC for any suspected virus problems. It can help you to detect the viruses and even destroy them.

However, a free antivirus software may not provide protection or sheild against potentially dangerous programs being downloaded through the internet. It will also not provide protection or alert you to websites that are dangerous. It will also not allow you to prevent your data such as the credit card or personal information from being compromised. These additional features can be added by upgrading to higher versions from the free antivirus software you have installed on your PC.

Hence, the best advice is never to run your PC without an antivirus software being installed. A free software gives you the opportunity to protect your PC at no price at all. It, therefore, makes great sense to download the free antivirus software such as the Avast or AVG from the internet instantly and install it in your PC. You can always upgrade to the higher versions by paying a small annual fee and avoid all sort of computer virus problems.

Here is also some information on how to get a good computer for an affordable price. If you want to have a good quality PC at a cheaper price, it is advisable to build one yourself. You can download the step-by-step instructions on how to build a computer from easyasmypc and start building your own Pc . Building your own computer can be fun, while it can  also train you in the skills of upgrading and repairing. This can turn out to be economical in the long run, since, you don’t have to rely on any external help. Buy the barebones computer kits  right now and start building  your own PC at a cheap and affordable price. 

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Backyard Chicken farming

Posted on May 29, 2010 by Jim

As a hobby,  chicken farming is beneficial for getting fresh eggs and chicken for your household. It can also be cultivated as a full time business. But, whether you cultivate chicken farming as a hobby or as a business, being successful at chicken farming would require some inside knowledge.

First, take the steps to construct a good chicken coop – this is the starting point. You can get good chicken coop plans on the internet and a lot of information on how to construct your own chicken coop. This would enable you to cut down on the costs of your chicken farming project. A chicken coop is used for the purpose of keeping your chicken stock safe, feed the chicken and provide a place for the hens to lay the eggs.

Second, buying the right breed of chicken will make it easy for you to get good meat and eggs. The success of your chicken farming project definitely depends on the breed of the chicken you have selected. There are quite a few chicken breed available in the market and you must be familiar with these chicken breed so that you can select the right breed.

Feeding your chicken with the right type of chicken feed will enable you to keep them healthy so that you can get better quality meat and eggs.  There are quite a few ready made chicken feed packages available and it is important to know which feed is the best.

Discover more on how to build a chicken coop, how to select the right chicken feed, and how to select the right chicken breed by login on to www.diychickencoops.com

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Opportunities in the field of video games

Posted on May 1, 2010 by Jim

Games are developed not only as a means of fun and entertainment but also for the sake of education. Numerous games involve themes like puzzles, simulations, problem solving, management and skill enhancements. The gaming industry is always in the state of development. As new computer technologies emerge, the games are improved to accommodate the latest developments. As the preferences and styles of the gaming community keeps on changing, the games too keep on changing. There is always an opportunity as far as the gaming field is concerned. There will be many games developed in the future to cater to the tastes of numerous gaming enthusiasts.

Here are some of the opportunities for the gaming enthusiasts:  

Developing yourself as a Game Tester:  Games are developed by the software companies, but before they are actually launched for public use, a thorough testing is carried out. The games are, therefore, tested by the game testers, who are actually young people who are experts at playing games. A game tester gets to play and analyze the games before its actual launch. The inputs provided by the game testers help the software companies to know if there are any bugs present in the games and whether anything needs to be added or deleted, before the actual game is launched in the market.   
 
Working as a Game Designer: A video game requires lot of graphics designs. The backdrops, the characters, the effects etc have to be, at first, drawn by hand or on the computer. As a graphics designer, you have the opportunity to design the graphics from scratch, by reading the script or plot of the game. This is an exciting opportunity for those with a lot of imaginative faculties and graphics design abilities.
 
Working as a Game reviewer: Many magazines and websites today feature articles on gaming. People are interested in knowing all about the game before actually buying it. Reviews and testimonials help clear the doubts in the mind of the gaming enthusiasts. They generally read the reviews in order to select the best possible games for themselves.  
 
Working as a Game Programmer: Writing the actual programs for the games is a great opportunity. Gaming industry, therefore, requires expert programmers. Game programming is, nowadays, a definitely highly paid job. A game programmer has to not only keep himself abreast of the changes taking place in the gaming styles, but also develop a good sense of programming for different hardware platforms. The games programmers is, therefore, supposed to have the knowledge of the field of computer hardware along with the skills of computer programming.

Today, you find numerous online and offline games being played and developed. The industry is constantly on the move. If you want to be a gaming expert it would be advantageous to possess a good customized gaming PC. Games require use of advanced hardware and, hence, your PC should be flexible enough to be upgraded at a future time. It is, therefore, advisable to build your own PC in just the way you want it to be.

You can now build your own PC by purchasing the readily available computer gaming kits from Easyasmypc . The barebones computer kits, along with the instructions manual, enable you to build a computer on your own. You can now get the best gaming PC for yourself and become an expert in the field of computer gaming.

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Scuba diving training

Posted on May 1, 2010 by Jim

Scuba diving has now become very popular as a lucrative career option. Off course, scuba diving can be undertaken merely as a hobby and you can scuba dive for fun and enjoyment. However, for the younger generation scuba diving is available as a vocation. But, whatever may be your aims, scuba diving training is extremely essential for the sake of safety and security of the scuba diver.

Scuba diving is a risky affair and it is not easy for the uninitiated to understand its complexities. It involves combating with some dangerous circumstances when diving to great depths inside the seas and oceans. Hence, proper skills are necessary if you want to become a good scuba diver. Unlike other sports activities, special training is definitely required for the scuba diver to achieve successful results.

There are many recognized Scuba diving training centers in the USA. The Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) is the largest scuba diving training organization. Another renowned training institution is The National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI) (also based in USA). This institute conducts several certificate courses in Scuba diving. Both these organizations have laid down a series of Scuba diving safety standards, which have to be strictly adhered to by the students.

If you have the right training in scuba diving you can equip yourself to fight with any sort of underwater risks. Many types of emergency situations can arise when diving deep under the seas and oceans and these can be tackled effectively if proper skills are developed. Getting trained in scuba diving can give you many ways to deal with trying circumstances when you are inside the water.  A proper knowledge of the safety standards imparted during the training can make scuba diving much safer. Hence, if you are an aspiring scuba diver you should make every effort to get the best possible training for yourself.

The scuba diving lessons teach you how to use the scuba gear. It also teaches you on the use of the breathing apparatus. The important techniques of ascent and descent under the deep oceans are also taught during the scuba diving training sessions. Diving under strong ocean currents is an important function covered in the course on scuba diving. Also, tackling under water creatures such as the sharks and the whales is given due consideration.

Besides the normal course on scuba diving there are many specialized and advanced scuba diving courses which are taught in the recognized training centers. This training encompasses lessons in specialized areas such as night diving, wreck diving, cave diving, ice diving and deep diving. These advanced courses can be joined after the main course is completed and give you an edge in the field of scuba diving.

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How is the tattoo applied?

Posted on April 18, 2010 by Jim

Tattoos are artistic symbols and many people apply tattoos nowadays. Tattoos are applied by means of a tattoo gun. The needles from the tattoo gun inject small amounts of coloring pigment into the skin, creating the impression of signs and letters. Hence, tattoos are inscribed on the body by piercing the outer skin by means of the tattoo needles.
 
The tattoo guns use sharp needles that pierce the skin, hence, the tattoo needles must be changed after application of the next tattoo. Again, tattoo needles, if used without disinfecting may lead to infection. Hence, care must be taken to get the tattoo applied from the best tattoo studio, where the needles are replaced and disinfected, after the tattoo job is done.

Tattoos are a form of body modification, and involve coloring your skin with small amounts of pigments. Tattoos have been around for many years and have been applied with the help of needles. Removing the tattoos once applied is not a very easy job. This can be avoided by selecting a good tattoo design right in the beginning. If a good tattoo design is selected and applied to the right part of the body you will never have to remove the tattoo. An experienced tattoo artist will perform a good job with the design you have selected, by applying the tattoo with disinfected needles.
 
The tattoos must look good after being applied to a body part, hence, proper color combination must be employed while applying the tattoos. Many of the tattoos are just black and white, while others use the right balance of color. The tattoo should look appropriate and impressive after its application and this can be accomplished by giving proper instructions to your tattoo artist.

Good tattoo designs can be selected from a variety of sources, but a good source is the internet. There are various websites which allow you to browse through hundreds of tattoo designs . This makes your task of selecting a suitable design very much simple. Once you have selected a good design it is only a matter of selecting a good tattoo artist and getting a perfect tattoo inscribed on your body.

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Don’t you Dare!

Posted on March 31, 2010 by Jim

Yes, don’t you dare build a computer with out being able to see properly. Honestly, vision is important anytime you get in your vehicle as well. It’s very important to make sure that your eye wear is getting your vision up to par for near sighted, far sighted, night vision and every day seeing.

Look, I hate going to the doctor. I don’t like to admitt that I’m getting old. I don’t like spending all of the money on a new prescription! However, I do advocate building your own computer! Frankly, building your own computer can be a very sensitive endeavor. That’s right! I don’t want to damage valuable components because I’m too stubborn to make sure I can see properly.

The problem is that I know new glasses are expensive but don’t you know there’s a point to this post! Apparently, just like with building computers, there’s a way to cut out the middle man. Take a look at this review of

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Use of Switches and hubs to extend your Home network

Posted on March 28, 2010 by Jim

The ADSL router which you get in the market is actually an Internet Modem + router combined into one unit.The internet is connected to the input of the internet Modem.  The output of the modem is internally fed to the input of the router. Your computers can now be connected to the router ports by means of ethernet cables and, thus, the single internet connection can be shared between all your computers.

The wired Adsl router which you purchase normally has only four ethernet ports to connect upto four of your Desktop PCs in a network. However, this does not mean that you can share the internet connection between only four computers. You can now further expand your network to more than four desktop PCs by connecting additional lan hardware called as switches or hubs.

For effective networking to take place, your LAN network might use peer to peer networking or Client-server networking. In case of peer to peer networking each computer acts as a server and client, but in case of server-client networking there is only one server and several client computers are connected to this sever.

Daisy chaining of switches and hubs is useful for building larger networks across your homes. However, as you connect more number of computers and share your internet connection between them, your internet speed might drop significantly. If you want to maintain higher internet speed, you will have to upgrade your internet service package to a better one.

You can also connect your network printers or scanners to some of router ports and share these peripherals across your network.

A wired router will also consist of a firewall to protect your network. Routers also contain the DHCP server, which is a service to automatically provide IP addresses to your computers and make those addresses unique. A DHCP server eliminates the need to configure each of your computers with a unique IP address, which is a tedious administrative task.  

With a single router at the center you can now create a network of computers across your home. You can now share high speed internet connection, files, printers, etc across many computers simultaneously.

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