Module 1: Introduction

   As a gamer, you probably know that there's only so many times that you can play a game in single-player before it gets old. Therefore, you're going to need to get into the wonderful world of networked gaming.

   This isn't a course to teach you how to kick butt, though; today, you’ll be learning how to properly set up a network for your Windows XP computer. (Many of the concepts are global and apply to all computers, but in Module 5 - Network Setup, we will utilize software tools that will only apply in XP.)

   In Module 2 - Networking Concepts, you will be learning more about what networks are and how they work, as well as learning how to identify different sorts of network setups, or topologies.

   In Module 3 - IP and MAC addresses, you will learn about the addresses that are assigned to your machine for internet and network protocols. You will also learn the basics of the binary and hexadecimal numbering systems that are used in these addresses.

   Module 4 - Network Hardware will find you learning about the machines that enable networks to work, including things like switches, hubs, and routers, as well as learning more about the cables themselves that connect everything.

   Module 5 - Network Setup: what you're here to do. At the end of this module, you should be able to set up different sorts of networks, from the simplest direct connection between two computers to a one-hundred person LAN party.

   A lot of you will be tempted to go straight to Module 5, but be aware that if things go wrong, lacking the knowledge imparted to you in Modules 2 through 4 will severely hamper your ability to troubleshoot the problem.

   Good luck!