What is the best network solution for...

If we have have any smart networking wizards here, I have a question for you. I will assume that all of you have heard of the Microsoft Xbox system and the capability to create LAN gaming for like Halo and stuff. Right now, we are using a hub to connect all the systems together. You can run 4 stations at the same time and up to 16 players this way. So here is the dilemna. The last time we had 4 TV's going with 4 xbox' over a Hub network, we had bad lag, probably due to data collisions. Is there any solution to avoid this Lagging?

Here is the only thing that I thought of and tell me if it makes any sense or if there is a better way. I thought about using a switch instead of a hub to connect all the systems together. This would avoid the data collisions I would think, thus eliminating some of that LAG. Is this a correct assumption? Any other solutions for optimal performance?

 

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Yes. Switch helps.

 

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I have seen 4-port Belkin routers for as little as $20 US that have a built-in switch and firewall. I've had pretty good luck with them so far.

 

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Everybody keeps telling me that using a crossover cable will help with the lag. Can somebody explain to me how a crossover cable would/wouldn't help. I thought a switch/hub does the same thing a crossover cable would do.

Confused....

 

A cross-overcable is for system to system connections, where as a normal cable is connected to a hub, switch or router and then controlled by that device to how it then send/receives data with other normal cables connecting out to other systems.

A cross over is fine if your using only two machines, but if your using more, then you have to use a hub/router/switch.

Lag should not be a factor in certain respects (which I guess is why this post exists) since the XBOX has a 10/100Mbps capacity, even with a 10Mbps hub, thats still enough data transfer for games, considering on the most part that games developers have for a long time tried their best to limit the bandwidth contrstraints of multiplayer games, no matter if it's a PC or a games console.

Now the 16 player scenario is this:
4 players connect to one machine each and 4 machines connect to one hub.
If there seems to be lag, then my questions would be:

1: Are all the XBOX's configured with the correct network parameters?
2: Is the Hub switched on? (I've seen some people run some types in a kind of powered off mode, where it still works but not as effectively)
3: Are the connection cables all "Normal ones"? (Perhaps someone is mistakenly using a crossover-cable)
4: Are the cables roughly the same length? (Information travels at the same speed, so longer distances are going to take a little longer creating latency.)
5: Are the cables the same type? (Copper wire cables are going to have a different resistancy level in comparison to gold ones etc, again effects latency.)

Thats pretty much the main questions since with a hub usually you don't have control over how your network mechanism is framed, if your using a Router then obviously you could have a hardware firewall blocking ports.

But that pretty much sums it up.

 

Stryder... Thanks a lot. Your post really helped. I am going to have to change some things so hopefully it all runs to optimum performance.

Thanks!