Creating a LAN w/o Internet

[ShortKidSean]

Okay, so this is the situation:

 

My roommate and I run the Video Game Club at my Uni and the Housing Director wants us to (eventually) run a giant LAN party between all four dorms. 

We think it's a fantastic idea, but we need more experience with networking before we can even attempt to get this thing up and running.

 

So, I wanted to start out in our own room.

I have two computers, with one computer acting as a server for Minecraft, my roommate has one.

We have a Linksys SE1500 switch.

 

When we connect everything to the switch, our computers identify that there's a connection, but only "Unidentified Network" is shown. No actual information is transferred/received, even though all the computers say that packets are sent/received between each other.

 

My university doesn't have hardwire connections in the dorms, so the both of us are using wifi-adapters to connect to the internet.

 

What am I doing wrong?

[manikyath]

if theres no router -or more specific no DHCP server- you have to manually set the IP addresses of every machine on the network. in theory every device on the network should *magically* assign itself with a 169.x.x.x address, and connectivity can be done trough this, but IMO thats a terrible solution.

 

what you need to do is one of two (three) things:

 

- assign every computer with a static IP address.

- get a router at the top of the network; any old thing will do since it wont actually be transferring data, the switches below it will do that.

(- get a DHCP server going on one of the machines, advanced, not directly recommended)

[rustikles]

For your two device configuration there, it would need to be set up as an ad hoc network. Just so you know, some games' multiplayer components won't work over an ad hoc connection, only a true LAN environment.

[ShortKidSean]

if theres no router -or more specific no DHCP server- you have to manually set the IP addresses of every machine on the network. in theory every device on the network should *magically* assign itself with a 169.x.x.x address, and connectivity can be done trough this, but IMO thats a terrible solution.

 

what you need to do is one of two (three) things:

 

- assign every computer with a static IP address.

- get a router at the top of the network; any old thing will do since it wont actually be transferring data, the switches below it will do that.

(- get a DHCP server going on one of the machines, advanced, not directly recommended)

 

Static IP address as in a 169.x.x.x address? 

I've tried assigning it an IP Address before through various Google searches of this problem, but never using a 169 address.

 

If we got a router, would it assign the IP addresses automatically? I didn't specify this exactly, but the router would NOT be able to connect to the internet. Other than through a wireless connection, we have NO WAY to connect to the internet. So my next question is: wouldn't the router need to connect to the internet?

At that point, wouldn't it just be better to take the switch back and just get a regular router?

 

I'm sorry for all the questions, just trying to learn!

 

 

For your two device configuration there, it would need to be set up as an ad hoc network. Just so you know, some games' multiplayer components won't work over an ad hoc connection, only a true LAN environment.

 

We eventually gave up after trying to configure the switch for a few hours and just hardwired our computers using an ethernet cable which worked perfectly, but didn't help us out in terms of using switches.

[rustikles]

-snip-

 

We eventually gave up after trying to configure the switch for a few hours and just hardwired our computers using an ethernet cable which worked perfectly, but didn't help us out in terms of using switches.

As far as your inter-dorm issue goes, things get complicated. How do you intend to connect the actual buildings? I'm going to assume that you have a campus IT department that manages the wireless APs in your dorms. They would NOT take kindly to rogue DHCP servers and routing devices shoved around. Is there an option to have everyone in the dorms meet in a central location (conference hall, big room, etc.)? From there, it's a simple matter of "any" routing device and a bunch of daisy chained switches.

[pwn_intended]

We eventually gave up after trying to configure the switch for a few hours and just hardwired our computers using an ethernet cable which worked perfectly, but didn't help us out in terms of using switches.

 

Setting up a router SHOULD automatically set up ip's for all computers connected. If you dont have an extra router lying around but have literally ANY old computer/laptop around, I would recomend turning that old computer into a dedicated router using software such a pfsense. It takes a little bit of time to set up but it is dam amazing.

There are great videos online on how to set it up I know that Tek Syndicate has a good one.

[ShortKidSean]

As far as your inter-dorm issue goes, things get complicated. How do you intend to connect the actual buildings? I'm going to assume that you have a campus IT department that manages the wireless APs in your dorms. They would NOT take kindly to rogue DHCP servers and routing devices shoved around. Is there an option to have everyone in the dorms meet in a central location (conference hall, big room, etc.)? From there, it's a simple matter of "any" routing device and a bunch of daisy chained switches.

 

Because the dorms have such distance from each other, we were thinking of doing it so that the dorms would battle against themselves, then the winners of each dorm would meet in one place and we'd have the grand finals there. So, in terms of connection, we're trying to not mess with the IT Department by using the least-invasive networking we can (switches).

 

 

Setting up a router SHOULD automatically set up ip's for all computers connected. If you dont have an extra router lying around but have literally ANY old computer/laptop around, I would recomend turning that old computer into a dedicated router using software such a pfsense. It takes a little bit of time to set up but it is dam amazing.

There are great videos online on how to set it up I know that Tek Syndicate has a good one.

 

Couldn't I technically use my secondary (streaming/server) PC as this in addition to everything else it would be doing? What about my laptop?

[EmeraldFlame]

If we got a router, would it assign the IP addresses automatically? I didn't specify this exactly, but the router would NOT be able to connect to the internet. Other than through a wireless connection, we have NO WAY to connect to the internet. So my next question is: wouldn't the router need to connect to the internet?

At that point, wouldn't it just be better to take the switch back and just get a regular router?

 

A router has very little to do with connecting to the internet, that is the Modem's job, not the routers. A router, is simply a piece of hardware that assigns IP address (typically with DHCP) and it routes traffic to the correct computer, whether that traffic is coming from another computer, or from the internet. Just get a cheap router, plug its power in and then plug your swith into it and everything should be good to go. Since most routers these days have a built in WiFi AP, this will also give the ability for wireless connection to the LAN for games, but you still wouldn't be able to connect to the internet.

[pwn_intended]

Couldn't I technically use my secondary (streaming/server) PC as this in addition to everything else it would be doing? What about my laptop?

PFSense is a full on OS you have to install on the computer (though you can install it to a USB key if i remember so as not to re-format your computer)

the PFSense route I suggested is mad overkill for what youre doing, I was more saying it so that you dont have to go out and buy a router, but like @EmeraldFlame suggested, any cheap router will do, so you can go out and buy one for under $20 if you dont already have an old one kicking somewhere.

[ShortKidSean]

A router has very little to do with connecting to the internet, that is the Modem's job, not the routers. A router, is simply a piece of hardware that assigns IP address (typically with DHCP) and it routes traffic to the correct computer, whether that traffic is coming from another computer, or from the internet. Just get a cheap router, plug its power in and then plug your swith into it and everything should be good to go. Since most routers these days have a built in WiFi AP, this will also give the ability for wireless connection to the LAN for games, but you still wouldn't be able to connect to the internet.

 

Ah, I see! This makes a lot of sense. Thanks for the help everyone!

 

Essentially though, for just the two of us, a router would be our best bet. The switch would be for more connections when we have actual LAN parties between the dorms and need to assign multiple IP addresses. I assume that a router can have full connections along with a switch? For example, the router connected to the server and the switch, and the remaining ports to computers, with the switch also having connections.

 

 

PFSense is a full on OS you have to install on the computer (though you can install it to a USB key if i remember so as not to re-format your computer)

the PFSense route I suggested is mad overkill for what youre doing, I was more saying it so that you dont have to go out and buy a router, but like @EmeraldFlame suggested, any cheap router will do, so you can go out and buy one for under $20 if you dont already have an old one kicking somewhere.

 

Understood! I do think the router is probably my best bet. Thanks for the info though, man!

[EmeraldFlame]

Essentially though, for just the two of us, a router would be our best bet. The switch would be for more connections when we have actual LAN parties between the dorms and need to assign multiple IP addresses. I assume that a router can have full connections along with a switch? For example, the router connected to the server and the switch, and the remaining ports to computers, with the switch also having connections.

 

Yup. If it is just a few of you plug right into the router, if there is more, plug the switch into the router and then people into the switch. And yeah when you plug in a switch to 1 port on the router you can still use the other ports to plug in the server or whatever. In fact if you want you can plug in a switch to every port, and then plug switches into those switches (although it is typically recommended just to get 1 single larger switch).  

[pwn_intended]

 In fact if you want you can plug in a switch to every port, and then plug switches into those switches

you can get some nice switch-ception going.

but for best results, only go 1 level deep