$500 Game Server

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Stu55

[H]ard|Gawd
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I'm thinking of building a game server for LAN parties and possibly used as a game server over the internet, what is the best option I can get for $500? Any suggestions are welcome.
 
Here's the best I could do for that amount..

I'm sure you might benefit from gigabit if your network supported it.

Biostar TFORCE6100-939
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=249004

AMD Opteron 144
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=80100-R

Corsair VS1GBKIT400 1GB Kit DDR400 PC3200 CAS2.5
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=80098-21

Western Digital Raptor WD360GD 36.7GB Serial ATA 10,000RPM
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=101221

Total: $432.49

I'm fairly confident the operton 144 runs on any socket 939 board but someone can correct me if I'm wrong.

That gives you a little room to play with for a case/psu.

Hope this helps..

-Matt
 
also..if you do plan to use it over the net...i hope you have a VERY good net connection...your standard cable connection aint gonna cut it...
 
4b5eN+EE said:
also..if you do plan to use it over the net...i hope you have a VERY good net connection...your standard cable connection aint gonna cut it...
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Sure it will... I ran a 16 player natural-selection server for 2 years on an optimum online connection. No lag issues at all, even for some out of the country.
 
I use an old intel p4 2.4 socket 478, a asus 949800 from ebay and 1gb value ram with 2 40gb drives I had lying around.. works just fine for lans.. I think my total cost was under $200
 
paintb4707 said:
Sure it will... I ran a 16 player natural-selection server for 2 years on an optimum online connection. No lag issues at all, even for some out of the country.
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yes..but the hl1 engine requires much less bandwith than any more recent games out today
 
A standard cable/DSL connection will work, as long as it's a dedicated connection. 4mbps of dedicated bandwidth is more than enough. A gigabit LAN connection is also useful.

Edit - If it's a LAN party, definitely get a gigabit connection. Dual gigabit if you can.
 
Bona Fide said:
A standard cable/DSL connection will work, as long as it's a dedicated connection. 4mbps of dedicated bandwidth is more than enough. A gigabit LAN connection is also useful.

Edit - If it's a LAN party, definitely get a gigabit connection. Dual gigabit if you can.
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Most Cable connections have very poor uplink speed. In some areas it is much better..but for the majority, limited to less <128kBytes
 
Trepidati0n said:
Most Cable connections have very poor uplink speed. In some areas it is much better..but for the majority, limited to less <128kBytes
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yes...download speed is fine for hosting on a standard cable connection..but the upload speeds are horrible and are what makes it a very poor choice to use as your servers net connection
 
Plus, if you just use your standard cable connection if you download any files on your main PC or play any games on your main PC it will lag out all the players on your server.
 
Thanks for your time replying and comming up with the parts list, I already have a case, so more storage probably and a psu, and for a connection...T1 so that should work. Thanks guys.
 
Does anyone know what kind of ATX power connector this takes? 20 or 24 pin?
 
Stu55 said:
Does anyone know what kind of ATX power connector this takes? 20 or 24 pin?
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24

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What's up with opterons? What makes them better than a regular A64? Just wondering.
 
There's really not a huge difference actually, especially with the 144. Most opertons use socket 940 and ECC registered ram. There are other opertons are also able to be put into multi-cpu boards so they have optimizations for that.

you said "server" so I just automatically picked out an operton. You could actually get an Athlon 64 with the same specs and probobably not know the difference.

here's an Athlon 64 3200+ (200mhz faster than the Operton 144)
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=80701-5

cheaper too.

--Matt
 
So as long as it will be single socket, what would be the best? ie: in the line of intel/amd, what would be the best bang for my buck for being a server.
 
Stu55 said:
So as long as it will be single socket, what would be the best? ie: in the line of intel/amd, what would be the best bang for my buck for being a server.
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Depends who you talk to.

AMD cpu's as well as motherboards seem to be cheaper. I personally prefer AMD but someone else might come along and tell you to go Intel. You really have to form your own opinion with these kinds of things.

For my money, I'd go with an AMD Athlon 64 3200+.. the one that I linked you to.

-Matt
 
Would this work? Or would the cost of the dual socket 940 mobo's cost too much?
 
Hell, if this is a game server it will only be running games in dedicated server mode.

I run a HL2 server on a P4 2GHz box and a gig of PC133 ram with no problems. It ain't the sexiest box on the planet but it was cheap as hell. The motherboard/processor/RAM combo cost me $10 (TEN!) plus $15 shipping.

I'm pretty sure the guy didn't know what he was selling. :D
 
Stu55 said:
Would this work? Or would the cost of the dual socket 940 mobo's cost too much?
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you can get that now, use it in a skt 940 board and upgrade later with a second CPU and a dually mobo...
 
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