Servers, FTP & Gaming Lan Parties

[mokaboy]

Basically im running a LAN PARTY soon for up to 18 people

i know i keep asking simular questions in this forum (there not the same just simular) but i need to know if...

Q1. A PIII 450mhz / 192mb SDRAM (was going to be our FTP server), would run a CSS server for up to 18 people dedicated? i kno its a low spec etc but some1 told me u can run a CS1.5 on a PII 400mhz with 92mb RAM? what kind of ping should i expect and im not worried about map loading times.

Q2. Also is a P4 2.4ghz 512mb DDR ram 60gb >>>>(5200RPM)<<< ok to run games like call of duty, UT2004 etc with up to the same amount of people?

Q3. Can i run 2 games servers (Call Of Duty and CSS) on the same P4 2.4ghz with up too 18 people (9 on each etc no more then 18)

Q4. Would CAT6 Cabling be better for the servers to the switch or will that make hardly any difference compaired to CAT5e?

thanks alot

 

[REB_ElMagnifico]

Well, I am not really into gaming and I have never hosted a lan party similar to the one you are going to host, but I can answer one question...

The Cat6 Cabling won't make any difference...the speed and bandwidth is the same. From what I have heard Cat6 cabling's major benefit is preventing crosstalk (more reliable). Anyway if you have cat 5e cabling...stick with it.

Good luck, sorry I can't answer your specific gaming questions.

 

[DriverJosh]

he's right cat5 or cat 6 doesn't matter you will notice no differnce.

For a Lan its pretty simple more power = better

you probably could run the CS: Source dedicated on that box, would I for that many people? probably not. I would use closer to the recommended specs for running the game I wouldn't

If you are going to run a CS: Source dedicated I would suggest a 800 Mhz - 1Ghz and 512mb just to be on the safe side and get optimal performance.
As far as CS 1.6 I was able to run my server on a 266Mhz with 768 MB of ram. And it ran great.


You can run a multiple games on a 2.4 Ghz machine, with a decent amount of ram, the only issue I would see is bandwidth for both of those games... thats where you may drag the machine down. I would stick to one game per server for optimal performance.

If you were going to attempt and run multiple game servers i would use the 2.4 Ghz machine and run CS 1.6 and CoD on the same machine that way you minimize the chances of running into resourcing issues

 

[mokaboy]

Thanks for your reply,

I have decided to purchase a 4 port NIC from ebay that runs up to 800mbit etc etc

how would i connect call of duty to one of the ports to the switch

&

how would i connect css to one of those ports to the switch

THUS doubling the bandwidth thus allowing another game u get me?

Any help on this would be GREAT!!!

Thanks