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View Full Version : Halo System Link and Online setup questions



mrmp3
03-24-2002, 08:35 PM
Alright my new buddy I met at school is getting an Xbox. So after I found out, I got rather excited and couldn't wait for some 8 way this weekend. Anyway, I just want to make sure I have everything down right so there isn't any f*ck ups and 8 way Halo never happens. So system link questions first. I know how to hook up 2 Xboxes together. However, a third Xbox might be coming to the party. So how do I hook up 3 Xboxes together? What is the name of the HUB I have to buy and do I need three of those System Link cable to hook it up to the Hub? Also, what other wires can I use besides Microsoft's 20ft System Link Cable? What is the name of some other cables that would work and how much would ones cost that are 50 to 300 ft. long?
Now my Online questions. Alright I downloaded the Xbox Connector program so wtf do I do now? I have a 4 port Cable router and all the ports are different. The only open one right now is a USB one which looks nothing like a standard USB port. So is there a cable I can use that connects my Xbox to that USB port or is there some other port I unplug to hook up my Xbox to the cable router. If I have to unplug one, what cable do I use to hook up my Xbox to that port? Now once my Xbox is hooked up to my cable router, wtf do I do with the Xbox Connector program? Will my Xbox be ready to be scanned or do I have to do something else? Also do I need to download mIRC to find games? Thanx in advance to anyone who helps me out a lot. OT for a sec, I just saw Training Day and it kicks ass. U MUST SEE IT! Signing off...

Huckleberry
03-25-2002, 01:23 AM
Originally posted by mrmp3
So system link questions first. I know how to hook up 2 Xboxes together. However, a third Xbox might be coming to the party. So how do I hook up 3 Xboxes together? What is the name of the HUB I have to buy and do I need three of those System Link cable to hook it up to the Hub? Also, what other wires can I use besides Microsoft's 20ft System Link Cable? What is the name of some other cables that would work and how much would ones cost that are 50 to 300 ft. long?


hey, mrmp3...hooking up your boxes is really simple. you'll want to find yourself an inexpensive 10/100 hub (20-30 bucks), and then you'll need cat5 cables to hook each box to the hub. if you only use two boxes, there is no need for the hub...just a crossover cat5 cable. you can buy them online pretty inexpensively, or from best buy for way more than they're worth (if you don't have time to wait for them to be shipped, check with a smaller computer company in your area and see if they'll make some up for you). if you check at www.tigerdirect.com, you'll be able to find cables up to 100'. if i remember correctly, it should be about 20 bucks for a 100' cable.

remember this...to hook the boxes directly to each other, the cable has to be crossover! if you use the hub, then you need normal cables. you can always use the hub for connecting two boxes, as well, so you don't need to buy both kinds of cables.

someone else will have to answer the online questions. i can get you connected to the internet, but i've not set up gamespy or xbconnector (i think that xbconnect.com uses mirc). maximus or any number of others can help you out with that!

we pretty much play halo with 4 boxes all the time now...even if it's just 4 of us playing. it's awesome, though, once you start with the 16 player lan bashes!!! good luck!

l Maximus l
03-25-2002, 12:05 PM
Huckleberry is right...to hook up two XBoxes, you only need a Category 5 Crossover cable. The System Link Cable is simply a 20' CAT 5 Crossover cable. That's it.

However, to hook up three or four XBoxes, you need a 10/100 HUB or Switch...but, you cannot use "System Link Cables" because they are Crossovers. Instead, you must use standard CAT 5 patch cables.

As for getting on the internet...this is what you need:

Requirements:

1. Broadband internet (Cable, DSL, etc)
2. One 10/100 HUB or Switch
3. A total of three standard CAT 5 patch cables.
4. Download the free Gamespy Arcade Software and Gamespy Tunnel Software. To do this, go to this link: http://www.gamespyarcade.com/support/tunnel_xbox.shtml

NOTE: If you decide to use XBoxconnector.com instead, simply go to www.xboxconnector.com and download it. To communicate with people to organize a game, simply download IRC if you don't have it already. The website for this free download is www.mirc.com . Go to the XBoxconnector channel by simply typing in "#XBC". XBoxconnector is a little more complicated than Gamespy, however, once you use it, it actually is the better solution. I recommend learning Gamespy first and then go to XBoxconnector :)

This is how you hook everything up:

1. From your broadband modem, insert the first CAT 5 patch cable into it and the other end into the port labelled "uplink" into your HUB.
2. From your Ethernet Port on the back of your computer, plug in the second CAT 5 patch cable into it (it's the only possible input that it will fit into on the back of your computer) and plug the other end into port 1 on your HUB.
3. From the back of your XBox, plug the final CAT 5 patch cable into it and the other end into port 2 on the HUB.

You're set!! See you on Gamespy and XBoxconnector! My ID is "[XBA]-Maximus" :)

mrmp3
03-25-2002, 03:28 PM
THANK YOU HUCK FOR THE SYSTEM LINK ADVICE! AND MAXIMUS THANX FOR THE ONLINE HELP!!! I'M SO HAPPY! :) :) :) :) :) Well his cable router won't work with those standard cat 5 cables. But once I get DSL and get my 5 port HUB I'll be set. I always wanted to play u Maximus. I just love your posts at the 3D Shooter forum. Maximus since your the only one who responded that has online, can we play on a team or are the only ones who can be on a team the ones playing on the same Xbox? Either way it'll be fun playing with people. Thanx a lot the both of u. Signing off...

P.S. :cool: VOTE MAXMIMUS FOR 3D SHOOTER MOD!!! :cool: Signing off...

Xtopia
03-25-2002, 04:57 PM
hey mrmp3! I play online all the time! Hurry get online! And In my humble opionio...go to XBC and not gamespy! It is a lot better! Look me up! my id is in my sig.

mrmp3
03-25-2002, 05:22 PM
Ahhhhhh more help. I went to www.tigerdirect.com They got some sweet prices. But for some reason, I can only find Standard Cat 5's and I don't have a 10/100. First off is getting 2 50' Standard Cat 5's and a 10/100 cheaper than a 50' crossover cat 5? Back to the crossover cat 5's, Huck u recommended the site to me. could u give me some links to a couple 50' crossover cat 5 cables that are below $24.99 Thanx a bunch. And xtopia I'll play u online when I officially get it. Besides I hear DSL can play up to 8 people with no lag. WHOOOOOO! Signing off...

terrapin
03-25-2002, 05:41 PM
mrmp3, If you have the money I would DEFENITELY recommend buying a hub and 2 Cat 5 cables over a 50' crossover. The hub would defenitely come in handy since you plan on getting a dsl connection. It would allow you to share your internet connection with your PC and your Xbox and 2 other devices :) I am also wondering why you need such long cords. A 20' should be enough for most uses.

some prices for you
1 - 4 port 10/100 hub $29.99
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00000J4M9/qid=1017099349/sr=1-11/ref=sr_1_11/102-5637385-3656927
2 - 50' Cat 5 cables $19.99
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00000JDF6/ref=pd_sr_ec_ir_e/102-5637385-3656927
total = 69.97

1 - 50' crossover cat 5 cable - $22.99
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-Details.asp?sku=C250-2010

Huckleberry
03-25-2002, 05:46 PM
here's a couple of links for you. i didn't look at tigerdirect to compare prices, but these are really inexpensive. i don't know why tigerdirect doesn't carry crossover, either...it's a standard cable. i searched their site, though, and nothing was there...

http://www.rainbowkits.com/cables.html#network

http://www.connectworld.net/cgi-bin/enet/scan/sf=cat3/se=Crossover/

this second one looks like your best bet...you can get a 100' crossover cable for $13.63

mrmp3
03-25-2002, 06:50 PM
Thanx for the research! Man 100 ft. cable for $13.99?? That's a great deal! See I need to hook up the downstairs TV to my upstairs TV so 100 ft will defintely reach. Thanx a lot. Signing off...

mrmp3
03-26-2002, 04:33 PM
More questions from someone who knowns nada about cables. Today I found a LAN cable! But I dunno if it's a standard one you hook up to a HUB or a crossover. Here's what it reads: "CAT 5 Patch Cable 36/00". For some reason I feel it's not a crossover but let me know if it is or isn't. Now my other question is about the HUB. Does the HUB have to be plugged into a computer to hook up multiple Xboxes? Cause my PC is nowhere near any of my TV's so it could be a problem if it needs to be plugged into a port on my PC. Signing off...

Huckleberry
03-26-2002, 04:38 PM
hey, mrmp3...how many mp3's do you have, anyway to take that name? i have 3900 on my pc and another 500 on my laptop

a crossover cable should say crossover on it...right along with all the other printing on the cable. if you need to test it, just try to hook two xboxes together with it. if they can't see each other, it's not a crossover cable.

as for the hub, it doesn't need to be plugged into the computer. just plug it into the outlet, plug your cat 5 cables into it, and you're ready to go. mine just sits contantly plugged in in front of the tv.

enjoy!

l Maximus l
03-26-2002, 04:42 PM
Originally posted by mrmp3
More questions from someone who knowns nada about cables. Today I found a LAN cable! But I dunno if it's a standard one you hook up to a HUB or a crossover. Here's what it reads: "CAT 5 Patch Cable 36/00". For some reason I feel it's not a crossover but let me know if it is or isn't. Now my other question is about the HUB. Does the HUB have to be plugged into a computer to hook up multiple Xboxes? Cause my PC is nowhere near any of my TV's so it could be a problem if it needs to be plugged into a port on my PC. Signing off...

Hey, dude...a Patch cable is different from a Crossover. A Patch cable is what you do in the presence of a HUB. A Crossover is only what you use to connect to peices of hardware (Connect two computers, or two XBoxes, or one computer and one XBox in the absense of a HUB).

As for linking multiple XBoxes (more than two), you don't need your computer at all. All you need is the 10/100 HUB and patch cables from each XBox into the HUB. So, if you have four XBoxes, you will need four patch cables, one HUB, and four Halo game discs. If you want 16 people playing, you will also need 16 controllers and four TVs. :)

mrmp3
03-26-2002, 07:30 PM
Well I know I don't have the biggest collection, but if you include just the ones I have on my PC I downloaded, that's about 500 or so and I only got 56k. I also got all my CD's and a ton of my friends mp3's he turned into .zip files so that's about 1250 and if you include the ones on my laptop, I got about 3700 or so all togther. As usual, Huck and Maximus thanks for the help. That $13.33 crossover cable is pretty tempting and I don't got the cash for a HUB and 3 more patch cables, but Xbox mania has just hit some of the people at my school and they are really into Xbox but don't have one. Like today, I was rounding up some people for this Thursday's first ever 8 way Halo match coming up this Thursday. I first said "I'm gettin some Halo going this weekend..." before I can finish "Sure I'm in!" "Yeah it's gonna be 8 way this time" "HOLY S*IT! 8 WAY! I'M IN!!! CALL ME!!" I love having an Xbox :cool: . Signing off...

mrmp3
04-02-2002, 06:59 PM
Tigerdirect.com is a scam. You must have at least $50 in your cart. Absolute BS. So I went to Belkin they had a 20 ft. cable for twice as much as the Xbox cable. So I went to EB and they are sold out. So I checked out PC Connection. I got a Cat5e Crossover Cable 40 ft. in my favorite color blue. Got a lifetime warantee too. Thanx a lot for everyone helping me out. Now all I need to do is get it and I can FINALLY PLAY 8 WAY HALO!!! Signing off...

ShannonX
04-02-2002, 08:34 PM
tigerdirect.com makes you have $50 in your cart? Thats news to me. I've ordered from them on several different occasions. But now i usually go to other sites as there's usually cheaper items elsewhere. =)