Requirements, Cost Analysis, Purchasing Windows

We begin by discussing the hardware requirements of Windows Server 2003. Microsoft says that you need

However, as you are probably well-aware of, requirements and recommendations do not always equate, and generally speaking, I would personally recommend (for any serious server environment) at least 1 GB of RAM and a 2.6 Ghz. Intel / 1.8 GHz AMD processor. In addition, remember what the purposes of your server will be, and adjust the amount of space available to your server accordingly. For example, a simple domain controller does not need terabytes of space, but the budding Exchange or file server may require much hard disk space. Use common sense here.

Now, the more important question is, “Why?” Why use Windows Server 2003 and pay exorbitant amounts of money to Redmond when you can use Windows 2000 or XP (clients) and run all of the same programs that you can on Server? If you didn’t know, very few (if any) programs exist that can only be run on Windows Server products, and the ones that do exist are generally Microsoft products. Everything from Oracle to Apache can be run on any Windows 2000 or XP client. Now back to our original question, “Why?” Simply put, when you pay for Windows Server 2003, you are really paying for Active Directory and all of its inherent sub-features.

Active Directory allows Windows to utilize LDAP (a directory protocol) in a natively Windows environment. In short, it allows users to connect, logon to, and interact with a central server that acts as a mediator between client PC’s. The implications are enormous. Through Active Directory, you can force automatic software installation, mandate the Automatic Update system, define security zones for IE, and so forth. The point is that Active Directory allows a systems administrator to achieve more work in less time, and that’s music to everyone’s ears.

It is important to note, however, that not everybody can benefit from Windows Server and Active Directory. A systems administrator of a company with more than a few computers can definitely benefit from Windows Server, but if you use your PC to play games and read email, there is absolutely no reason for you to bother with it. Windows Server 2003 is on the pricey side, and to spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars on Server would be a tremendous waste of money if Server does not save you time (and therefore money). How then do you know if Windows Server 2003 is right for you? I recommend that you read through this guide, take a look at some of the things that Server 2003 can do, and then decide that for yourself.

Once you have read through the guide and decided to spring for Windows Server 2003, there are a plethora of places that you can purchase Server from, and some even offer very nice pricing. I would personally recommend (for larger companies) an organization like CDW that deals with customers regularly and understands the software business well. However, for smaller operations, it may be beneficial to purchase Windows Server 2003 from one of the many small online retailers. Here are a few that I found after a quick search on Google (note that neither PC Mechanic nor I endorse any of these retailers):

• http://microcity4less.com/item.asp?PID=916
• http://www.agsolutionspc.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=11

File sharing is a phrase of dubious meaning. To some, it represents the theft of copyrighted materials and works; to others, a means of freedom in the modern world. Depending on which side of the fence you stand, file sharing has a ubiquitously accepted association – “Napster.” However, there is more to file sharing than simply downloading music from online sources. The old “Napster” service, which featured the ability to search for music through a centralized server and download it from peers, was deemed in violation of the law. However, since the fall of “Napster,” many alternatives have sprung up to take its place.

To the contrary of what many people believe, file sharing is not all about downloading free music (and in these times, movies, games, and other applications). Instead, file sharing is the ultimate method of creative expression and freedom. File sharing enables the budding poet, artist, programmer, or other such person to distribute their work to the general public in a way never seen before. Utilizing the speed and size of the vast Internet, modern file sharing programs enable these burgeoning authors to become known among the general community. For example, many college bands distribute their singles through peer-to-peer file sharing services, such as Kazaa, as opposed to the archaic method of physically distributing tapes and CD’s to their potential listeners. The possibilities and potential rewards of file sharing are indeed enormous.

However, there remains a flipside to that equation. Because the computer does not discriminate from bit to bit, a movie of your little brother’s graduation cannot be distinguished from a first-run feature. Because of this, many of the large industry associations, such as the RIAA, MPAA, and their ilk, are not fond of file sharing programs. There is no doubt that the vast majority of file sharing programs are utilized for the very purpose of spreading illegally obtained copyrighted files.

The issue is twofold: Should one be allowed to distribute legally purchased music to his peers, and should file sharing programs be legal? While the scope of this guide is not to answer either of these two questions, I will offer some insight into each. Under current law, it is indeed illegal to “copy” any of the contents of a CD for anyone’s use other than your own. Additionally, most file sharing programs are under most circumstances legal. Now, I will in detail describe how to obtain and use some of the more popular file sharing programs available.

Limewire

Limewire is an indeed a very popular and modern file sharing program that utilizes the Gnutella network. Though commercially offered, the majority of Limewire users download the “free” version of the program. The company, originally named Limewire LLC, claims Limewire to be the “fastest P2P File Sharing program on the Planet.” I would make no such claim, as the speed of the program most likely is highly dependent on many other factors and variables. However, my experience with Limewire has been a very positive one. I personally downloaded the free version of Limewire. Setup is easy enough. Once completed, you will be asked to complete a small set of options, concerning such issues as your connection speed and where you wish to store downloaded files. Upon completing this short initial setup, you should be ready to begin searching for and downloading files. On the left pane, you will see the search area. Here, you can type in what you are searching for, and choose the “type” of file you are searching for. My general experience in these matters is that programs have a difficult time discerning one type of file between another, and thus if you limit your search to one particular type of file, you may miss out on what you are looking for. In general, I would advise this to anyone using any file sharing program in general. Now, once you have searched for the file, a new tab on the right hand side will emerge. When you click on this tab, the search result for that string of characters will appear. This search result will consist of all files that satisfy that string condition; that is, everything that has the attributes that you searched for. To download a file, double-click it. The file should shortly appear in the bottom “Downloads” pane, and file download progress, as well as other attributes, are displayed in this pane. Another useful feature of Limewire is the ability to easily filter search results, found on the left hand pane of the search window.

Overall, Limewire is a very good program. It downloads files with great speed and has a fairly reliable integrity-verification system. According to the makers, it also does not include any pesky spyware, and I have not experienced an issue with Limewire and spyware before. As for built-in file management/media player capabilities, I offer you the same advisory: Do not rely on any program’s built-in facilities for file management or media playback. I assure you there are better, more flexible, and more reliable options found elsewhere.

Getting Started

By now, we have covered a great deal in the course of this guide. Processor history, motherboard form factors, cases, and connectors are the most important topics thus covered, though an intimate knowledge of all material is desirable. In this guide, we will cover a subject already discussed frequently on PC Mechanic – memory.

First, let’s discuss memory as a whole. What exactly is memory? A simple glance at the Webster dictionary yields “The mental faculty of retaining and recalling past experience.” Now, this definition is certainly familiar to us, but in computing, this definition is garbage. First, memory in computing is obviously not a mental faculty, but a physical one. Memory also does not typically retain or recall past experience as well – though, it is possible for memory to retain and recall past information. A typical confusion associated with memory concerns the discerning between RAM and the hard disk drive. Although both RAM and the hard disk drive store data, RAM does not retain data when the electrical charge to it is lost. By comparison, the hard disk drive does. Thus, it would be prudent to observe that the hard disk drive generally matches our conventional definition of memory better than RAM. However, in computing, RAM is typically referred to as “memory” while the hard disk drive is referred to by its name. Be careful not to confuse the two.

Next, it is important to differentiate between the roles of memory and the roles of the hard disk drive in a computer. Given the following information above, try to see if you can determine which of the following might be stored in A) RAM, B) Hard Disk Drive, C) Both

1. The operating system at its current state
2. Your music collection
3. A music file
4. A document
5. Your email correspondence
6. What you are typing in an “Word” Document
7. What you are typing in a web browser

You should recognize that the operating system at its current state would not need to be committed to the hard drive, as the state of the operating system changes every fraction of a second. Therefore, the state of the operating system would only be concerned with RAM. Your music collection is far too large for RAM most likely; and furthermore, there would be no reason to open more than one music file into memory at a time. After all, you are only playing one music file at a time, right? Thus, your music collection would fit nicely only on your hard drive. Now, a music file, on the other hand, might be on your hard drive but it also might be in your RAM because your computer is using it at the moment. A document, in addition, also might be on your RAM or on the hard drive, because any open document is dynamically stored into RAM as you type each individual character, and when you save the document, it is committed to long-term hard drive storage. Your email correspondence is far too large and it is very much unnecessary to have more than a few emails open at a time; so, unless you have opened every single email you have at one time (which you probably do not have enough RAM for in the first place), that correspondence is saved to the hard drive exclusively. The last two, what you are typing at a given moment (whether it be in a Word document or a web browser), are obviously not saved to the hard drive as you type them, as you should know from experience when the power goes out and you lose your work. Thus, what you are typing at a moment is saved only in RAM.

Towers, Mini-Towers, Desktops 

Although it is relatively unimportant, there lie a few distinctions in classifications of PC cases. The case of the PC is the exterior body, or the enclosure, of the motherboard and all connected components. This includes the power supply, cooling equipment, hard drives, optical drives, and any expansion cards. The vast majority of cases today are beige, mid-tower ATX enclosures known as a “beige box” to describe the generic qualities of this case (this is not to be confused with the phone-hacking term “beige box” as I am sure there is an enlightened person reading this with some other connotations in mind concerning the term). There are some general and some more specific classifications regarding all cases. The first classification is by one of three basic types: towers, mini (or mid) towers, and desktops. Most standalone servers come in large towers, which sit upright and are generally very large to accommodate a large number of hard drives, cooling equipment, and dual processors. Some high-end workstations and gaming rigs these days are enclosed by full towers. Mid-Towers are like towers in that they sit upright, but are generally smaller in depth, length, and height. The vast majority of computers these days are mid-towers. The third class is the desktop. This is a computer that lies flat on the desk, usually with the monitor on top of it. Although most consumer PC’s no longer utilize this enclosure, many corporate computers use this space-saving design. 

There is also another widely-known means of classification – by motherboard form factor. However, motherboard form factor has much more relevance than just in the physical sense. 

Motherboard Form Factors 

There are a multitude of motherboard “form factors.” Form factors of a motherboard describe the physical shape and appearance, as well as features and circuitry, of a motherboard. There are newer and older form factors, as there are newer and older computer components. 

XT 

The XT, or extended technology, form factor was developed for the Intel 8088 CPU. All you need to know about this is that it is very, extremely old. It utilizes a 16-bit internal and 8-bit external bus. The XT form factor also could not be configured electronically – rather, to configure BIOS settings, you would have to manually set jumpers. 

AT 

Advanced Technology, or AT boards were the next step up from XT motherboards. Though physically (dimensionally) the same as its predecessor, the AT form factor motherboard is distinguished by a number of features. The first of these is a 16-bit (or in some cases, greater) external bus. It is important to understand what is being referred to when a bus is called “16-bit” or “32-bit.” The width of the bus, known as the datapath, is measured in bits. One bit represents a single digit, one or zero, in the binary system. With 8 bits, one can form 8 1’s or 0’s. Correspondingly, those 8 digits can form a number between 0 and 255 in the decimal system. The greater the size of the datapath, the more information can be pushed from one system component to another, including such things as hard drives and expansion cards. A serial bus, for example, transfers information serially, that is, one bit at a time, whereas the parallel bus transfers information at eight bits at a time. Make careful mention that although the datapath of one bus may be larger than another, this does not make the former faster than the other. For example, USB is a serial bus, yet transfers information hundreds of times faster than an eight-bit parallel bus. In addition to the 16-bit external bus, AT utilizes a keyboard connector that has five pins and is larger than the PS/2 keyboard connector that will arise in the future. This five-pin DIN connector would come to be known as the AT connector, synonymous with “old keyboard connector.” This is because the AT form factor is a number of years older than the more modern form factors. The last major advantage of AT over XT was its use of CMOS – Complimentary Metal Oxide Semiconductor – in configuring BIOS – Basic Input Output Settings – in the place of jumpers and switches. 

Baby AT 

The Baby AT board was a response to those manufacturers and consumers who longed for a smaller yet similarly capable form factor. Thus the Baby AT factor was born. 

LPX/Mini-LPX 

Although the Baby AT motherboard form factor was very slim, it still was not quite small enough to fit into a slimline desktop unit. To alleviate this, the LPX and Mini-LPX form factors were utilized and although they share many features with the AT design, they also have a few advantages over it. One, of course, is obviously physical shape and size. The AT board was more than twice as big in area! Less obvious is the ability for the LPX and Mini-LPX boards to use a riser card, which allows all of the expansion cards to lie flat, rather than tall. This reduces the height of the desktop by the width of the riser card. In addition, the connectors on these motherboards were in well-fitting, standard placements. Because the AT five-pin DIN connector was too large, a smaller and more versatile six-pin Mini-DIN connector was created. This was to be deemed the PS/2 connector. 

ATX/Mini-ATX 

The majority of today’s PC’s utilize the ATX form factor. Smaller dimensionally than the AT form factor, and with many more features, the ATX form factor is practical in today’s PC applications. First of all, it is physically smaller and eliminates drive overlap in most cases. Second, all of the I/O connectors are built right into the board. Third, the ATX utilizes the PS/2 keyboard connector. Fourth, the CPU placement and cooling options are designated for a cooler computing experience. Fifth, there is a single 20-pin power connector. Finally, the ATX form factor runs at a lower voltage than before, 3.3V, which is now an accepted computer component standard. 

NLX 

NLX is basically the update to the LPX and Mini-LPX corresponding to ATX. It is found in newer retail slimline and desktop PC’s.

Certainly you have heard of CompTIA’s ubiquitous industry-standard computer technician certification – the famed CompTIA A+ Core and Operating System certification. Although it is seen as the lowest level of credentials one can possess, it is nonetheless essential in scoring any type of lower level (i.e. basic hardware repair or diagnostic) position at a computer repair shop, small business, or even a large corporation. Without the base of an A+ certification, you are essentially at a lesser standing with your colleagues in the world of computer diagnostics.

There are also a number of places of business which put a particular weight or emphasis in the actual hiring process on an applicant’s certifications, including the A+ one. This is why there are literally hundreds of books, classes, and online resources dedicated to the passing of the A+ exam.

I am here to tell you that you need not purchase these books, or pay exorbitant amounts of money to attend these classes. Although, both of the above enrich the learning experience and provide a large base of applications, they are not necessary in passing the A+ exam. In fact, all you really need to pay for is the fee for the exam itself – the rest of what you need to know can be found in these guides and in the resources referenced by these guides.

That is not to say it is completely simple to pass the exam. Although I had no problem passing it, there are some that learn by alternative methods or means and thus may find difficulty in passing this exam using my method. I do not really require much hands-on experience to learn, but I also believe that my experience did in fact help me with some of the exam questions. If you lack an experience base, I recommend simply taking your computer apart and reassembling it to get familiar with all of the hardware components of a computer. If you are a very textual learner, this guide will simplify many key areas for you and provide you with a “no frills” learning experience that will definitely allow you to pass this exam.

Now, I will not ever use “actual previous exam questions” in this guide. I believe that cheats the value of the certification and thus lowers the bar overall for those holding it. However, I will provide you with example questions that are very similar in nature to those on the test itself. I will also provide you with strategies for taking the test in general and in optimizing each response to each question you are meant to answer. I will now go on to explain some more specifics about the test itself.

LAN stands for “Local Area Network.” Basically, it is a communications link between two or more computers to share information with each other. Although “Local Area” seemingly implies that LANs are always small, this is not always the case. A LAN could possibly consist of thousands of computers provided that they are all connected through the same network connection and are directly linked through hubs and switches. However, once a router becomes involved, the definition of LAN no longer truly applies and you may call a computer connected to another through a router a member of an Internetwork, or if it is part of the main Internetwork, the Internet, and a computer connected to the Internet. The Internet in general can be thought of as a great LAN with all of its members indirectly connected in a giant mesh with each other.

It is important to understand a bit about Networking in order to actually “build” or put together a Local Area Network. Every member of a network possesses an IP address, or a unique identifier of that computer which no other computer or node of the network can use. When a dial-up user connects to the Internet, he or she is either in use of or is dynamically assigned an IP address, which follows the following structure:

xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx

…Where each “xxx” is a three digit number from 0 to 254. For example, 163.56.52.199 is a valid IP address, while 53.275.41.3 is not, because 275 is above 254, which is the range of an IP address.

This number is used on the Internet to specifically identify your computer. However, within a network, you use a special type of IP address. Although this is certainly not the correct terminology, I will refer to this as the “Internal IP” in this guide. I call it this because the Internal IP uses a special format:

192.168.xxx.xxx [most common in LAN's]

or

10.xxx.xxx.xxx [common in large LAN's]

or

172.16.xxx.xxx – 172.31.xxx.xxx [uncommon]

Each of these Internal IP blocks, or groups of addresses, is specifically reserved for Internal IP addresses. What exactly is an Internal IP address? An Internal IP address is the IP address that a computer uses to communicate with other computers or nodes in a network. Think of it as the Office of the President. In the White House, there are many personel that operate inside of it. However, there is only one true outlet – the President and his PR team. In this metaphor, each of the computers in the network is a member of the personel of the White House. Amongst each other, they are free to communicate and all have (somewhat) of their own identity and voice. To the rest of the world (the Internet), however, your computer and all of the others in your network are represented through your WAN Address, or the IP address assigned to you by your Internet Service Provider. In other words, Juan, Joe, and Mike may have the Internal IP addresses 192.168.1.5, 192.168.1.77. and 192.168.1.83; however, when they surf the Internet, they are always represented as their WAN Address 24.54.51.146. To make this point clearer, observe the diagram below.

What equipment is necessary for a LAN?

There are some basic equipment needs for a Local Area Network. These include the communication cards to connect the network plugs into (known as Network Interface Cards, or NICs), the cables to connect between nodes (known as CAT5 cables), the switch to connect all of the nodes to, and the router to connect the switch to the Internet (therefore, indirectly connecting each of the nodes to the Internet). Note that the switch and router are often combined in to a single unit these days.

For the most part, choosing a NIC is rather simple. In many cases your computer or motherboard may already possess one. However, in the case that you need to purchase a NIC, buy a cheap 10/100 NIC (you can find one at many retail outlets for under $20.00) or a nicer 10/100/1000 NIC. The only reason you would possibly want a 10/100/1000 NIC is if you planned on buying one to keep for more than a year or so, and are anticipating your own purchase of a gigabit switch. I would recommend buying a 10/100/1000 NIC if you can, but 10/100 would of course suffice in most circumstances.

Cabling is never a serious issue these days. Just be smart enough to buy one that you know is right for your location (i.e. a five-foot cord won’t suffice in most circumstances, whereas a 1000-foot monster may not be such a great idea for your home LAN).

The main issue at hand is the switch/router. I say this because there are many switch-router combinations each with their own merits. However, for the value, I would highly reccommend the Gigafast or Netgear line of products appropriate for your network size. Something that you must understand is that networks have very little to do in physical configuration and almost everything to do with software and settings. Every switch/router has its own configuration software that is usually based off of the HTTP protocol (or in other words, accessed through a web browser). So, depending on the switch/router you choose, the configuration software for that switch/router will vary.

Physical Setup

Install the NIC in its proper place. If it is a PCI card (which it probably will be), make sure it is in snug.

Make sure that you place the switch/router in a central location such that each of your nodes has easy access to the switch/router. If the RJ-45 plug is connected on both ends, the light on the switch/router should light up under which port you are using. Do NOT place anything in the uplink port.

Power up the switch/router and get ready to rumble.

In the last year, the PC case landscape has changed. No longer is the beige box acceptable; rather, a computer’s abode should have a window to peak through, many fans, a temperature monitor, multiple light sources, at least two Front USB 2.0 ports, and of course, a theme.

A-Top technology has missed none of these points in creating the Z-Alien case. Upon first inspection, I noticed that there were already four clear case fans pre-installed, as well as a power supply fan. The main case fan is particularly large and spins at a considerable speed rate. Upon even closer inspection, I observed the LED’s in each case fan.

The window piece came to me pre-cracked, unfortunately, but I am sure that this was a shipping error, and thus with that point aside, the window looked great. It is shaped like an alien, with window covering the “face” and a vent covering the eyes. Also, on the window piece lays a “lock” which prevents the window piece from being unscrewed if it’s in the “locked” position.

The back of the case contained a pre-mounted motherboard plate and the typical seven expansion card bays. One of the points I particularly noticed was that the cover-plates for the unused bays are well-crafted and indented (such that even after you knock them out, they can be placed in again). One of the things that bothered me was the lack of thumb screws on both sides (there are thumb screws on the window side). Although thumb screws can be cheaply obtained, it’s always appreciated to use thumb screws whenever possible.

On the top of the case is a semicircle-shaped “Front-USB” port that also has two audio ports (one mike, one output) and an IEEE 1394 (Fire Wire) plug. Apparently, the entire case is made of aluminum and is extremely lightweight as a result.

On the bottom are four feet. They simply hold the weight of the computer up, and are rather minimalist. I was hoping for the long, slender feet that make your computer look more like a mammoth than a ballerina dancer, but they work effectively enough.

On the front is a plate that covers the 5.25/3.5 bays as well as the simple power and reset buttons and Power/HDD LED’s. The plate is lit by a blue LED with the Alien logo engraved in it. It looks rather cool. Under the logo is a temperature monitor, which incidentally looks pretty cool as well. To the left are two front USB ports. To the bottom are five air vents where the fan and hard drive area is.

The case itself is very lightweight and it is very easy to assemble a new computer within it. One of the first things you will notice is that there is no need for screws when installing expansion cards or hard drives. Instead, you use hardware either pre-installed or included at the bottom of the case in a small plastic container attached to the case itself. Basically, the concept is that instead of using screws, you use “plates” that tighten and loosen based on the case’s design. Despite a small difficulty getting my Radeon 9700 Pro in, everything else went fine.

Overall, this is an astounding piece of hardware and definitely a great deal for the money. The ease of installation, the style and design, and even the cooling make for an awesome buy for the gamer or workstation owner.

What is a Server?

A server is any computer that is used to send, receive, or relay data to other nodes on a network. In simpler terms, this means a server is any computer that “serves” other computers on the network. Now, servers come in all shapes and sizes. There is nothing holier about a Dell Power Edge server over any other server, such as a Compaq Presario made in 1993. There is obviously a difference in all sorts of things: form factor, speed, memory, and so forth. However, because a server’s only requirement is that it must serve , then any computer with a network card should make a fine server.

What can servers do?

Well, servers can do many things. Obviously, they can host web sites and pages, serve files, serve DNS records, host computer game sessions, verify users, and even share an Internet connection. How does a single computer do all of this? Usually, it doesn’t. Most servers have a single type of purpose. For example, if you wanted to use an old computer to host a personal web site, you probably would leave that server specifically to do things like hosting web pages, serving files, and maintaining a database. However, if your objective is to host multiplayer games, you would probably set the server up to host a dedicated server program for only the games you wish to host. That being said, most servers are specialized . Why? Most servers simply lack the raw processing power to “do-it-all.” If you have a need for a server, there is software and hardware made just for your purpose. I guarantee you this.

So, how does this “server software work?”

Server software is simply an application to a specific function. The Apache Foundation maintains powerful web server software known as Apache Web Server. This software doesn’t know how to maintain large databases or host multiplayer games or run scripting language code. It is specialized for one purpose, and that purpose is to host web pages. Similarly, all server software is relatively specialized. Each piece of software has its own requirements and setup procedures, and each piece of software is unique.

Hardware Stuff

Now that we have those pressing questions out of the way, we can go over the hardware requirements of servers.

The hardware you choose for your server is dependant on its purpose. However, usually, an old computer lying around is a very appropriate server. Remember, this tutorial is focused on the software side of things, since a server is just a computer with different software.

Now, if you really want to know what would be a good “mid-range” setup, here’s one:

• ATX Full Tower Case


• Xeon 1.5 GHz.


• 1 Gigabyte RAM


• Motherboard that supports SCSI (for many hard drives)


• Appropriate Amounts of Disk Space (per application)


• Gigabit LAN Card

Now, refer to the Build Your Own PC guide to build your server. Remember, on the hardware side, there is little to nothing that differs between a PC and a server (with the exception of the SCSI motherboard), and usually that kind of stuff is only optional. IDE hard drives should be just fine for a lower-end, small operation.

A Skeptic’s Opinion

As a skeptic of “high-end” input products, I was a little amused by the sticker price of the Logitech MX Duo — $100.00 or more, at many retail outlets. I have never owned a keyboard worth more than $4 and a mouse worth more than $30.00, so I did not expect very much with the Logitech MX Duo. Just a bit of background.

Design of the Duo

I plugged in the MX Duo’s cradle. From what I can gather, it includes both a PS/2 Mouse/Keyboard as well as a combined USB mouse/keyboard. In other words, there are two plugs: a USB one that can use a keyboard adapter, and a PS/2 Mouse plug. I opted for USB on both mainly because I could. I also know that USB is a whole lot faster than PS/2 anyway, although I don’t really see how it makes a difference. After the USB was plugged into the computer, I plugged the power adapter into the USB cable and into the power outlet. The adapter is strangely designed and takes up too much space, in my opinion.

At first glance, I noticed that the wireless keyboard requires AA batteries that are obviously not recharged through the cradle. I do not think that the keyboard is a power-hungry device; however, for a definite conclusion, I will have needed to test this keyboard for much longer than I did. When depressing each key, you feel a sort of light resistance at the top and a soft spring at the bottom. When you look at the keyboard from the top, you can see the reflective plate that is the holder of all of the keys. Another thing you will immediately notice is the number of “specialty” keys on the board; luckily, all of these can be turned off or configured. There are your standard system volume control, mute, play, rewind, fast forward, etc. buttons. There are also many others, such as a Search button and a Shopping Button. Generally, if you are a gamer, you will probably find these more annoying than useful but for certain simulations, these “hotkeys” may actually help you out a bit. If you look closely at the picture, you may see that the “/” key on the 10-key pad is depressed. For some reason, this model is defective in that way, but I do not think this is a rampant problem.

When looking at the mouse, one must wonder why in the world there are so many buttons. This mouse is extremely comfortable to hold and looks pretty darn cool. The scroll wheel has that “soft” feel of high-quality products, as it should have. After all, this is a very expensive mouse and keyboard set. The LED of the mouse is always on (it doesn’t blink on and off like any other annoying optical sensor). This is something that I like. Also, it is positioned differently. The batteries are placed in an obvious position at the bottom, which definitely adds weight to the mouse. Yet, the mouse still feels dubiously lightweight and easy to move. Of course, I did test this on a RatPadGS, one of the best mouse pads available, so you may experience slightly different results.

Let’s say that you and your buddies decide to play on the Internet. Well, it sounds easy enough, but there are often many obstacles involved in accomplishing a fun and functional multiplayer game. It doesn’t take any special hardware or skill (for the most part), just a bit of time to think and fix potential problems. OK, so the game that you and your friends want to play is none other than the great Battlefield 1942. Your first problem is that you have hosted a game, but your friends cannot join. What could possibly be the problem? The culprit is three letters long: NAT.

NAT stands for network address translation. What does it do? Imagine this: you have just purchased an expensive cable service and setup, and you have four computers at your house. The cable company encourages you to buy four static IP’s, for $9.99 more a month each. Are we made of money? Of course not! So, the only option is network address translation, which allows multiple computers to share one IP. NAT never comes by itself; it is usually a feature in most modern hubs, switches, and routers.

What does this have to do with gaming? Well, when you are trying to host a computer game over the Internet, the world sees you as, let’s say, 65.32.105.232. However, you see yourself as 192.168.1.103. This is because your internal, network IP (192.168.1.103) is unique but only exists behind your NAT, whereas your real IP (65.32.105.232) is seen by the Internet. Thus the problem arises – how does your router know to forward the packets and requests to your computer, as opposed to the other three computers at your house, when you all share the same IP address?

There are a few ways to do so. The best way (in my humble opinion, of course) is to use the port forwarding system found on your router/switch/hub. First, you must access your hub’s software. This is usually fairly easy to do; if you do not know how to access it, go to:

1. Start Button


2. Control Panel


3. Network and Dial-Up Connections


4. (Your Connection)


5. TCP/IP Properties


6. Read the default gateway IP

Now, type that IP in your Internet browser. If a password dialogue comes up, and you don’t know your password, head over to: http://www.phenoelit.de/dpl/dpl.html and check out the default password list. These should work for you.

Now, once you are “in,” head to the “Port Forwarding” section. There should be a number of fields, but the ones that are important are: IP address (your “unique, inside” IP) and Port (will be discussed in a few seconds).

How do you know which port to use? Good question. Head over to Google and type in “game name” port. Usually the result will be in the top few results. Now, fill in the “port” number or number range and press submit.

There is another way, but it is very insecure and potentially deadly. It is called the DMZ host option, which basically sends all traffic directly to your computer. To use this feature, head over to router software and choose “DMZ Host.” Then, type in your IP Address (the unique, inside one) and press submit.

There you have it! Your multiplayer gaming woes should be gone. Provided, that is, that you consistently patch your game, that you have a decent ping, that your network is functioning properly… but, never mind the negative, let’s think positive. At least NAT is no longer getting in your way.

Your next problem is that once your friends join, they recieve an error message that reads, “Incorrect Version.” Well, let’s see how to correct this issue.