• Guide to Home Networking
  How to set up your own home network quickly and painlessly.
• Routers and Xbox Live
  Everything you need to know about routers on Xbox Live.
• Diagnosing Xbox Live Connections
  Use the Xbox Dashboard to solveICMP, MTU, and NAT issues.
• Lose the Lag
  We've got a few pointers to help you avoid laggy games and host lag-free ones

Guide to Home Networking

A brief introduction to quickly and easily setting up a home network.

The Basics| Preparation |Step-by-Step

The Basics

What's a home network?
A home network is a way to connect your Xbox and all the computers and printers in your house so that you can share files, share the printer, and many people can surf the Internet and play on Xbox Live at the same time. This eliminates all kinds of inconvenient and annoying situations, such as: having to save your file to a floppy and take it to the computer that's connected to the printer; waiting until someone is done sending an e-mail so you can surf the net; letting your flatmate finish researching his dissertation on the net while you wait to jump on Xbox Live! A home network saves you all that aggrevation.

Do I need to have a home network?
You don't need a home network to play on Xbox Live. You can connect your Xbox console right to your cable or DSL modem with an Ethernet cable. That's the direct connection. It's fast and simple to set up. But there are disadvantages to the direct connection:

• Your PC cannot access the Internet if your Xbox console is using the connection.
• Unplugging the Ethernet cable from your Xbox console and back into the PC every time you need to use your PC can become a little trying.
• Unless your TV and Xbox are right next to your PC, you'll have lengths of cables underfoot. The second time you trip over them, you'll want to find another solution.

Why would I want a home network?
Setting up a home network isn't as intimidating as it sounds, and there are many advantages:

• You don't have to unplug your computer from your cable or DSL modem and reconnect your Xbox console every time you want to play.
• You can play Xbox Live while someone else in your household is sending an e-mail or surfing, though this may cause some decrease in speed.
• You can hide unsightly cables and equipment.
• If you have a USB modem (as opposed to Ethernet), it's the only way you're going to be able to go Live.

What kind of home network should I use?
There are two kinds of home networks that Xbox Live supports: The router connection and Internet Connection Sharing. Which one you use depends mainly on whether or not you have a USB modem as opposed to an Ethernet modem. If you don't have broadband Internet service yet, and you have a choice, you should definitely get an Ethernet modem and opt for a router connection. If you have a USB modem, you'll need to use a Internet Connection Sharing.