Playing XBOX online without Live
 

Is it possible to play XBOX online with subscribing to xbox live. My friend's friend says that he plays HALO 2 online and he does not have Live so he does not have to pay the subscription fee.

I was wondering what this was about and what you need to do it?

xboxconnect I think is what people use. It simulates a LAN connection through the internet so you can play multiplayer games without being on Live. I haven't used it though (I paid for live, it's only $50/year...) so I can't say much about how it works.

I'm sure others can.

www.xbconnect.com

It allows you trick your Xbox into thinking it's connecting to other Xboxs for lan play.

Haven't done it since Live was released, but I played Halo and Tony Hawk online through Gamespy Arcade or All Seeing Eye I think. Xbox Connect must be the new hipster way to do it.

What kind of setup do you need.

My friend was saying that I might be able to plug the ethernet cable from my xbox to my high speed modem where the ethernet cable from my pc is going in. I think with this setup however, I won't be able to have my Internet connected to my pc at the same time?

Actually, XBConnect predates both of the above, though initially it was Linux-only. In any case, XLink Kai is another non-Live option, though it has fewer users than XBC.

That's correct. You should get a NAT router (sometimes called a "hardware firewall") and use it in between your modem and LAN (PC, Xbox, etc.). This will allow you to connect multiple devices to your broadband connection and will also provide security for your LAN. You should never connect your PC directly to the Internet via your cable/DSL modem... It is a definite security risk not worth taking, especially considering that basic NAT routers can be had for well under $50.

I tried playing Halo 1 on xbox connect last year, and the lag made it unplayable for me.

That probably depends on the host's uplink speed and how many people are trying to play in that particular session. I've played Halo and a couple other games quite a bit on XBC and it's been pretty good, but I only play with a few friends, never any more than about 4 people.

Just got set up on xbox connect. Handle is K-D0GG