need help for setting up lan cafe. please help thx

if you like the info it is in vancouver near david thompson secondary and next to round table.

and o yes. most of the poste are in the selling and trading section. you could even check.

to answer the peoples questions. i did not do anything about the network yet. since im not done setting up. im and currently using a 24 port switch for the 10 computers.

and i contacted steampowered about there cafe programs. they did not respond to me yet. i only had this place for about a month.

and i got licence. for the place.

the old place was a corner store. not alot of buissness since there is a 7-11 near it. so i told them about lan cafe and how it could bring in profit since it is near schools. so im in the process of drawing out how to biuld this place.

if you want the full adress of the place just ask. and ill kindly give.


and since you are saying that this is bs. why dont you tell me how the layout should be.

im currently wanting to split the store in half. one side for arcade and xbox and the other for computers

got any ideas? i will post pics when i am all finished. and mabey ill post a website up later on.


satisfied?


also im not doing this for money. im biulding this place so people can have a place to enjoy and relax. i had been to lan party and helped out and it feels good knowing you done a great job and seeing happy faces.
 
coolazn said:
also im not doing this for money. im biulding this place so people can have a place to enjoy and relax. i had been to lan party and helped out and it feels good knowing you done a great job and seeing happy faces.
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That's pretty nice. If you're not in it for money, you just don't want to LOSE money, I suppose that does make the business a bit easier :)
 
ya. the only thing i have to worry about is the new gr8 comming in this year. seems like gr8 steal and get into the trouble the most.
 
coolazn,

Go to your local library and check out as many books as you can on how to write a business plan. Asking a lot of computer related questions is great but I get the impression that you lack basic management skills. That will torpedo your business faster than anything else.

Ask yourself whether you want to tinker with hardware or you want to run a profitable business. You can do both but you should focus on one before the other.
 
i already have 2 of my friends working on the buisness.

i planned out everything for finance. how much i exspect to make and stuff. the place is already a big hit.

all 10 computers are full each day. same people each day most of the time.

$15 for whole day and $4 hour.

do you think i should charge more?

well i have alot of friends and family helping out.i never even knew my friends could biuld. pretty amazing. you just never know till you ask.
 
Collector said:
coolazn,

Go to your local library and check out as many books as you can on how to write a business plan. Asking a lot of computer related questions is great but I get the impression that you lack basic management skills. That will torpedo your business faster than anything else.

Ask yourself whether you want to tinker with hardware or you want to run a profitable business. You can do both but you should focus on one before the other.
Click to expand...

I can second this. The more you know about business, the easier it gets. Local community colleges often times have business courses that prove quite useful. I was amazed switching from a Computer Science major to a Business major just how much really goes into small businesses.
 
My local LAN Cafe charges $5 an hour and they are still making alot of money.
 
A lot has been revealed since I checked in, coolazn.
I think we have all been a bit skeptical because you want our opinions without explaining everything right from the start. I'm curious:
When was your opening day?
How did your "regulars" find out about your cafe? Are you advertising?
How many staff/friends do you have helping?
What is your network configuration? Do you now have a Domain server? What OS is it?
What games do you currently have besides cs? Which do you plan on getting for the near future?
What types of expenses do you have for running this place? Are you finding your current income satisfactory?
Did you decide on a method of computer security and imaging like DeepFreeze?
Please answer us some questions and you may find we can help in a lot of areas. Otherwise, we can't take you seriously.
 
When was your opening day?

when school starts or around there.

How did your "regulars" find out about your cafe? Are you advertising?

from friends and there friends. since the cafe is like a block away from a high school and 3 blocks away from high school


How many staff/friends do you have helping?

8

me
alan
justin
andy
owner
owner wife
owner son(gr8)
owner daughter(gr11)

also have others but they are not help yet. they will later.

What is your network configuration? Do you now have a Domain server? What OS is it?

no network stuff yet. just connected 10 computers to a switch. still biulding.

os is like window xp pro oem

What games do you currently have besides cs? Which do you plan on getting for the near future?

war craft 3 frozen throne
battlefield 1942
battlefield 2
brother in arms
nfs underground 2
san andreas
juiced
c$c general and expansion
starcraft
swat 4
rome total war
ut 04

all the games are bought from eb except the steampowered games. i contacted steam for cs games.

What types of expenses do you have for running this place? Are you finding your current income satisfactory?

its ok. its practicly full now. since of the provincials. after the provincials they yet walk in the store and play on the computers(after paying of course)

Did you decide on a method of computer security and imaging like DeepFreeze?

no im not using deep freeze.
im using csoft. paid version. cost me like a hundred somthing.

Please answer us some questions and you may find we can help in a lot of areas. Otherwise, we can't take you seriously.


we are located 6990 victoria drive 54th ave. near DT



just to tell the story from the beginning.

the place was a corner store where they sell stuff like 7-11. after a while they didnt get much money in so i offered to rent the place and biuld it into a cafe. so we changed the licence and stuff. right now. we are still in the process of removing everything from the store and biulding walls. and secerity setup. i have a corner where i setup 10 computers for now. so i could at least make somthing while i am fixing the place. my uncle is going to also help with power and stuff. and friend andy is doing the network. and the rest are help setup the place. except me and the owner. we are reserching on finance stuff.

am i clear enough?
 
Thanks for the clear info - it sounds like you are off to a great start. I hope you know we are so interested because you get to be around all those nice computers.

There's a lot of good suggestions posted about methods to lock down your computers. I only have experience with DeepFreeze. We used it in our college computer labs to freeze the computers with a set image. It was really simple to use and easy to "thaw" when you wanted to make changes (ie. for you it would be to install new games or patches). Then you freeze it again so that on the next reboot it will "remember" its image. You should definately get this or something like it because once you expand you won't be able to monitor everyone making changes to your computers.

The idea of selling some sort of food would be a great idea and get you extra revenue. And customers would love the convenience.

I'm glad to hear about the "owner" and his family involved and you are not going into this alone. Even if you have won the lottery, I expect they have some stake in this and hopefully some business experience too.

Now get us some pictures. Heheh. ;)
 
You know, i always had an idea for a Cafe, with a laungry room, resturant, computers, pool table, and lounge with a small bar in it.........2 dollars to enter, and chagred for whichever you used and such :p

hope all goes well!

soulsaver_8229
 
ahah. my idea of a cafe is having a lan cafe with computers and then a mini cafe for food and next to a cafe a auto shop. now that would be cool. well since i like cars lmao.

well. the owner of the shop just didnt want to work anymore so i asked him if i could rent his shop and he said ok. now he even helped change the licence of the shop.

all i have to pay is $500cdn a month. nice deal. unlimited water and power ^^. enough jiuce for all 30 computers and xbox plus arcade.

when im done all you canadian people better come to my cafe and play :D

just finnished with 3 more computers. so now im having 13 computers operational.

gosh i still need to biuld the rest. its gonna take a while. ill post sum pics later. soon i hope. i can get a hold of a camera.


i like csoft. its like deep freeze. i can even stop people from downloading stuff and opening c dries and stuff.


also make shure if you biuld a cafe have lots of friends. and i mean lots.

i got all these computer parts from a factory were retail shops go to buy there stuff.

also a evga 7800gtx for $750cdn only no tax :eek: .but im smart enough not to get it yet. its way to expensive.

buy from factory not from retail. but then again you need to be a retail to go and buy stuff from factorys. good thing for friends
 
coolazn said:
anyone know where i could get Centurion Guard or drive shield or deep freeze for free like the full version. i tried bittorent but could not find it.and i dont want to waste a couple of hundred bucks on a peice of software.
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:eek: :rolleyes:
 
haha. ya. i was like screw dis. so i bought the software instead. csoft is great. its like deepfreeze
 
Hye, good to hear it's gone o to start. However, i have to say this, havin gone to a few LAN cafes and been disappointed; make people happy to be there. Say, set a weekly date after closing time, e.g. a Sunday, to go around and patch all the games, anitvirus/spyware scan while you play on an Xbox or something. Open up the machines and get rid of any dust or w/e, look for damaged headsets and unplugged things. number of times i've walked into a LAN and sat at a computer with no fucking keyboard, it does my head in.

Also, write a little survey to hand out when people pay you, such as...

"Out of 10, how would you rate:
a) Our atmosphere
b) Our games selection
c) Our service
d) Our machines
e) Our value for money
f) Our food selection"

etc and have a little suggestions box or something to see where you might be slipping up. I betcha, for the price of a few colour printouts you could vastly improve your business without having to pay through the nose for a professional advisor.

Also, for promotion, when you have all the machines all up and running after the initial few weeks hold like a "official opening" with mini tournies for separate games with a prize (say like a $10 games voucher) and chuck a few flyers at your local school or any nearby youth clubs. As you said, you never know 'til you ask, so one of your friends might be a secret photoshop whiz or something.
 
i dont use headsets. since they always get broken so im useing it.

ya. ill patch the games like once every month or so and do mantenece on the computer.

for the xbox. well. im finding it hard for a place for it like. since im using a projector screen. and not enough room. since i have arcade machines in the biulding too.
about the flyers and stuff. ill ask my friends to make some.

the survey. ill do later when i have all the computers setup. dont know if anyone will acualy fill one out. im scared they might just take one and throw it around and waste my money :(


already have 13 computers operational and its like always full if not the people are playing on the arcade machines.

i tihnk ill get alot of money. hopfully a couple thousand bucks when school starts.
 
ha.

i have a computer setup as a mini server. so i can control all the computers.

ccsoft is what i use. its cheap and gets the job done.

im still planning. and getting all the wood and supply now.
 
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