I've been really excited about going online with my PS2 for some time now. Online PC games were never my thing and Inever really got into them all thatmuch. I'm not a genius when it comes to the hardware side of PCs and consoles so I was slow to figure out a few things.

I knew I needed a Network Adapter
No problem....got it preordered

I knew I need a fast connection
I've had that so I'm all set


I guess I was too excited to think straight cause I totally blanked on the fact that I'll need a freakin cable modem. I have my PC in another room all hooked up and I sure as heck can't run a cord all the way to my PS2. And I'm not going to the trouble on unhooking it all when I feel like playing a game.

I just e-mailed my internet provider asking if they sell additional modems and I hope they do and they aren't too expensive cause the ones I looked up online are like 60.00 to 80.00 for low end ones. Then there is the Cat-5 Ethernet Cable it says I need. It's pretty cheap but it still adds up.

Anyone know of a cheap modem that is pretty good quality? I'd ask in the Computer forum but I was curious as to what other people think about this whole issue. The line up of online games better be amazing cause all this cash could of been spent on DVDs.

I thought the PS2 network adapter supported both dial-up and Cable/DSL lines. Why would you need another modem if you already have a fast connection?

Maybe I'm being a moron again but to go from the cable outlet in the wall to the Network adapter wouldn't work. It has to be run though a modem and come out through that Cat-5 Ethernet Cable and into the back of the Network Adapter. If I'm wrong then it'll save me cash and that'll be great.

All this came about when I was looking at the set up for Tony Hawk 3 at http://www.neversoft.com/online_guide/online_guide.htm

If I'm way off I certainly don't mind being corrected.

Go wireless. Luckily wireless routers and WAP's are pretty cheap and still droping.

WAP= Wireless Access Point

You could just get a hub/router and run a cable from that to whatever room you have need it in.

Dude, I am pretty sure you are thinking about this wrong. Buying another cable modem won't do it for you. The cable modem has it's own IP address and basicallly to do what you are talking about is signing up for 2 cable modem accounts. What you need is a wireless ethernet router. Plug the cable modem into that and then use wireless NICs to connect your computers and PS2. I am not sure if the wireless will be available right away but you could always just buy a long cat 5 cable, and string it to the tv when you are playing. I have a 50 footer right now that I use on my laptop sometimes.

Okay....My guess was that the IP was based in the serivce and not the modem. I'll look into the wireless ethernet router as an option.

I would recommend going the wired route because wireless isn't as fast or as reliable right now.

Wireless is fast enough for a cable modem and its very reliable. I've set up several wireless systems. The only thing against it is the extra cost. Going wired would save you some money.

Okay....I called Adelphia cable and talked to them for some time.

They told me that the best thing to do would be e-mail Sony and let them know that Adelphia runs off a DHCP Server and uses dynamic IP addressing. They said that Sony might be able to tell me how to go about setting this up.

Turns out a second modem would be about 20.00 extra a months but a wireless hub would be about 10.00 extra a month if I provide the hub.

I sure am glad I didn't wait till the last minute to do all this.

All I have to say is I love the people who made this Tony Hawk 3 set up guide

According to what they say on that page it seems like a DHCP server and a dynamic IP will work. Great.

I might just suck it up and get a real long Cat 5 cable and run it from the PC modem to the Network Adapter when I feel like playing. Most likely I'll by myself a wireless hub for X-mas but I know I won't be able to swing it in August with all the games and DVD I already know I'll need to buy.

Ok, first of all, ignore what your cable company says about having to pay them all. When it comes to routers and hubs, you're best not letting your cable provider in on what's going on.

The easiest and cheapest way to go about doing this is to go out to Best Buy or something similar and buy a DSL/Cable router. If you can't find it, ask an employee.

The router basically takes one IP address (ie: your cable modem) and splits it into additional ones. So here's how the wiring works:

1) Cable modem CAT-5 cable connects to router in port.

2) Your router will have out ports which you connect with additional CAT-5 cables that run to each additional internet connection you want. So with just a PS2 and computer, you'll need two extra CAT-5 cables, one running from the router to the PS2, the other from the router to the computer.

That's all there is to it. No extra costs to the cable provider.

Get a router with a 4 port hub built in and you'll be all set. Then just run a cat5 cable to your ps2. and you won't owe the cable company a dime

First off, if you have Adelphia, drop it for something better. They are going out of business as we speak. Last week the father and son who run Adelphia took there money and ran. Market analysts predict a 99% chance of bankruptcy in the next 2 weeks.

Luckily, I don't have Cable, I have DSL, so I am just going to run another cable from the hub to my PS2. You don't have to get another modem, just do what these people have been telling you to do and you'll be alright.

I just heard about the whole Adelphia deal tonight. We'll see how it plays out since I have a few more months to mess with all this stuff.

Not sure who I'd go with if Adelphia bails. I'll have to think that one over.

I'm guessing that the best and most cost effective solution is the CAT5 cable. When I want to play my PS2 I'll just unplug the CAT5 plug that goes to my PC and snap in a 50ft one and run it to my PS2. If I really like online gaming i might change the setup later on but I think it's a cheap way to start.

Hey guys
Just wondering. Is the ps2 online plan going to cost anything monthly? I can handle paying for the broadband and buying the adapter but I just don't want to have to pay extra fees to Sony for something I may or may not play that often.

I do not believe that Sony is charging anything at all. however they have left it up to individual game developers to charge their own fees for their games if they choose to do so.

thanks for the info gcribbs.

Get a Linksys router if you're going to do that - their support is fantastic. They are easy to reach and they are very helpful in getting you set up to steal from your cable provider.

Steal??!?!? No, no, we borrow. We're *all* planning on paying our cable companies back for the extra IP addresses.

Its not illegal to use a router to split up your IP address for multiple computers. If you call your cable company they should be able to help you set it up. The only downside is if you are using those multiple computers at the same time your bandwith is divided up among those multiple PCs, but I doubt that will be much of a problem in most cases.

Even though you are spliting up your IP you are still not getting any more total bandwith, so technically you are not stealing anything from the cable company.

You are correct, but they usually charge you for the extra IP addresses. I know road runner in my area charges $10 for each extra IP address.

Yeah but that's the point of a router, it lets you have only one external IP address but then multiple ones internally so then you don't have to "borrow" extra IP addresses from them. On the other hand if you use a hub without ICS then you probably are taking IP addresses that you aren't paying for.

I understand that's the point of a router. My message was supposed to be a joke, but apparently my text doesn't convey the jest. My ISP says that you are supposed to get an extra IP address for each computer behind the router, even though the router will give you extra IP addresses for free. My boss has to pay for the extra IP addresses at work so we are in compliance with my ISP's policy. Of course we could use the router and not tell them we have 4 computers behind the router, but according to the ISP's policy, that's illegal. But like I said, I'm *definitely* going to pay them back in the future

A router is also a switch, not a hub - so it doesn't exactly "split up" the bandwidth as you're describing.

And while it is not illegal to use a router to "split up" the IP address or even to share your internet connection among computers, you are supposed to let your cable company know about it because they charge you for each seperate computer you hook up. Most companies charge an extra 10 bucks for each PC. If you call to ask them to help you set it up, they'll charge you for extra PCs.