How To Host A LAN Party: A Techie Teen’s Guide

Are you a techie, gamer teen? Do you like nothing more than logging onto your computer and shooting some foes in Fortnite? Or perhaps you’re more into racing games, RPGs, platformers or Soulsborne titles. Being a gamer or tech geek is fun, and you’re guaranteed to get some funny gifts for geeks from your parents on your birthday or Christmas. 

Video games also have benefits for your mind as well, increasing your reaction time and logic skills.

No matter the genre of games you’re into, there’s nothing quite like killing some time by gaming. It can be an excellent way to relax after school or on the weekends, once all the homework and housework are finished. 

And hosting a LAN party is an excellent way to bond with your friends and game together. But what if you don’t know how to host one? Lucky for you, this helpful article will explain all the steps to hosting a successful LAN party. Read on to discover more.

Ask Your Parents’ Permission

The very first step is to get permission from your folks. They’ll need to agree as their house will be filled with boisterous gamers for an afternoon or evening. Also, you’ll likely need to rearrange the living or dining room to host everyone, so they must agree that you can host a LAN party. 

Agree on What to Play

This is the first step because you may all be at home playing single-player without a common game over a LAN connection. Plus, establishing a consensus on the game ensures maximum enjoyment and participation for everyone involved. 

Games with varying difficulty levels and cooperative modes can cater to players of all skill levels, fostering a more inclusive gaming environment. You might opt for a Fortnite deathmatch, an MMORPG raid session, or an Apex Legends competition. You can ask your friends in the group chat what to play or even use a Google Form to survey your friends. Then, go with the most popular option. 

The beauty of a LAN party is you don’t need to utilize voice chat apps like Discord for seamless communication and teamwork during the game. You can discuss strategies, celebrate victories, or simply engage in friendly banter fosters stronger bonds among friends. You can also rotate game selections periodically, keeping your gaming sessions fresh and exciting. By prioritizing your group’s preferences, you cultivate an engaging and entertaining shared gaming experience that will be fondly remembered.

Ask Your Friends to Come Prepared

Once you’ve agreed on what to play, you should ask your friends to ensure they have copies of all the games you will play and that they have installed the latest updates. The last thing you want is for everyone to arrive, only for a few people to wait to install a 20 GB patch. You can communicate this in the group chat.

Encourage participants to test their gaming setups, including hardware compatibility and internet connections, prior to the event. Proactively addressing potential issues maximizes gaming time and enjoyment, fostering a smoother and more engaging experience for everyone involved in the virtual gathering.

Ensure You Have the Right Hardware

You want to ensure you have the hardware up to the task for a fantastic, lightning-fast LAN party. You will need an excellent router and enough ethernet cables so your buddies can plug their computers into your router. You’ll also need a router with enough ports to support the number of friends you have coming over. If you plan on having more than four mates come around, you’ll have to purchase a network switch to support more connections. 

In addition to your router and possibly a network switch, you’ll also need some power boards. You will need enough to power everyone’s computers, monitors, and other hardware. Ideally, you should spread the connections between multiple powerpoints to avoid overloading your home’s circuitry. 

Consider Seating

You’ll need enough chairs to comfortably seat all your friends. If you don’t have enough chairs at home, you must ask your friends to bring some or borrow some from family. Ensure the chairs are ergonomically designed, providing adequate support and comfort for extended gaming sessions. Having comfortable seating arrangements contributes to a positive atmosphere, allowing everyone to focus on enjoying the games and camaraderie without discomfort.

Test Your Internet Connection

Your home broadband connection needs to be up to the task, so run a speed test at the time of day you’re planning your LAN party. Don’t test the speed over a wireless connection either, as you want to gauge the strength of your ethernet connection. Plug your computer into your router using an ethernet cable, then run the test. Ideally, you want speeds of around 80-100 MBPs. If you don’t get these speeds, run some troubleshooting or contact your ISP to see if they can find a solution.

Stock Up on Snacks and Drinks

It’s not a LAN party without snacks and drinks. You’ll want to supply enough for everyone to enjoy and stay hydrated. Your parents might have some restrictions on what you can have, for instance, a few bags of chips, but the rest of the snacks may have to be healthy. Traditional LAN parties would have many caffeinated beverages such as Coke, Pepsi, or energy drinks alongside pizza or Doritos. Still, you’ll have to get everyone’s parents’ permission to serve energy drinks, as some parents prefer their teens to not indulge in them. 

Set Up a Server

Once everyone has arrived and has set up their PCs, boot up your decided-upon game and create a local server for everyone to join. You can do this for most games via the home screen multiplayer menu screen. 

A LAN Party Summary

This helpful article has shared how a techie teen can host a LAN party with their gamer friends. We’ve covered everything from choosing the proper hardware, stocking up on snacks and drinks, and testing your internet connection. Now have some multiplayer mayhem and fun! 

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