How to Connect Your Video Game to Play Online Multiplayer Games

Online multiplayer modes take a video game to the next level. Over the internet, one can challenge opponents a world away, on separate continents, while trash talking in a language they probably do not understand. Besides, online multiplayer alleviates the problem of boredom from lengthy singleplayer campaigns and instantly launches the gamer into a whole new dimension of his or her favorite game.

So, you've ordered XBOX Live or you have an internet-ready Playstation game, what now? Now, you have to navigate the tumultuous sea of hardware and ethernet cords lying between you and the great online multiplayer beyond. First make sure you have the prerequisites: an online service for your console (XBOX makes you pay for its Live service, while Playstation internet gaming is free), a high-speed internet connection (Broadband or DSL), a router if necessary (if you want to share a connection between your console and other computers), and if you use a router, enough ethernet cords to connect to your console and whichever computers you intend to keep online.

Installing the hardware
Once you have these devices, you must know how to set them up to facilitate the internet connection necessary to play online multiplayer games. Start at the source to do this: the cable or DSL modem. Your modem takes the line from the wall (either a coaxial cable or a line similar to a telephone cord), and translates the source into a usable form by outputting a simple ethernet cord. Now, if you will not be using a router, you must unplug the aforementioned ethernet cord (which looks like an oversized telephone cord), from the computer that it is likely plugged into, and plug it into the ethernet port on the back of your console. For a router-less setup, this should simply be all that you need to begin your online multiplayer experience. If something fails and you cannot connect, see the troubleshooting section below for a quick fix.

Router set-up
Do not worry if you want to add a router into the mix to share a connection between several devices, the setup is not much harder. To do this, you begin as one would without a router, at the cable modem. Take the ethernet output from the cable modem and plug it into the WAN port on the back of the router. Now, take ethernet cords and plug one end into one of the ports (labeled 1 through 4) on the back of the router. Plug the other ends into your console and the PCs that you want to have internet access. Now that you have everything set up, double check that you follow this hierarchy: start with the modem output, go to the WAN on the router, and then run cords from the ports on the router to the PCs and computers. If all checks out, plug in the power cord to the router and test out your online multiplayer. If you hit a snag, troubleshoot below.

Troubleshooting
I wish hooking up consoles could always be as simple as plugging a few cords in correctly, but oftentimes the internet just doesn't want to cooperate. Don't fret, however, because after a quick fix you will be on your way to gaming heaven. If you run into the dreaded problem, a Cannot connect to internet message, then try the following:

1. Ensure that your hardware is set up properly and that the power cords to both the modem and router are plugged in. They don't work without power. You will be able to tell that the devices are turned on if you see flashing green lights on the fronts.

2. Turn off your game, unplug the ethernet from the back of the game console, then reconnect it and turn the game back on. This won't work with everything, but usually when I try to play PS2 this simple step works effectively.

3. Finally, if all else fails, you must learn the tactic that every online multiplayer gamer should know: Turn off the game, then unplug the power from both the back of the router and the back of the modem. Now you wait 30 seconds. It may sound stupid, but this allows the router and modem to clear their caches and reboot, which cures problems 99% of the time. The other 1% is cured by a pistol shot to the Playstation (it will probably break it, but it is relieving. Don't be an idiot an actually do this, darn liabilities.) Anyways, once you have waited the time limit, first plug in the modem power cord. The modem will initialize with a dazzling array of LED lights until it finally setles down to just a few lights, with maybe a blinking one. Now you can plug in the router and wait through another light show. Once both are done, turn back on the game and you are ready for online multiplayer action.