Creating your own gaming local area network, or LAN, can be easier than you think. It use to be that doing your own network could be quite the challenge but now with improved products it’s a breeze.

You will need a few things to get started like a router and network cables. Follow the instructions to set up your router. You can buy pre-made network cables practically everywhere these days. You can also make your own cables, which can be hard at first but gets easier with practice. If you are going to use more than one router then you will also need a crossover Cat 5 cable to connect the routers to one another.

Each person will have to have their own copy of the game on their computer. Hook up all of your computers through one of the ports on the router. For most multiplayer games, one machine will have to host the game while other PCs will search for the host machine through their game.

LAN gaming use to be difficult and frustrating but now it’s really a simple process to hook up computers on a home network. Hooking up computers on the same LAN is also made easier if they run a later version of Microsoft Windows.

Hydro Thunder is a classic racing game. Choose your boat and one of the many different settings to race to the finish line. The arcade version was always a lot of fun to play. A trip to the mall just wasn’t complete if we didn’t stop by to play at least one game of Hydro Thunder.

Sadly the game is no longer at the local arcade. We now enjoy it on the small screen since there is Hydro Thunder for the Dreamcast. It’s nice to play to get that Hydro Thunder fix but not nearly as fun as the arcade version.

Every once in a while we run across the arcade version at a remote store. I dig around for a quarter and relive some fun memories.

Game night has become a tradition with our friends. We love to get together and play either card, board, or video games. Preparing for game night can be quite challenging since there are several people involved.

We start with a list of games we want to play and supplies needed. Since we like to eat when we get together, we have to stock up on food and pull out the folding tables. A folding table is an essential to game night since we are always in need of table top space. Sometimes we have two different games going on at once, so the need for more than one table arises quite often.

Another essential for game night is folding tables. Since we have limited space, folding tables and chairs are easily stored when not in use. Getting set up for game night does take a few hours, but the fun had by everyone is worth the effort.