Homemade Gaming Server

[Von]

I built my first gaming personal PC with the help of RichPLS using these forums. It is still going strong!

My exciment for building computers has doubled since that time. Now, I want to build a gaming server but I am not sure what to do. I will tell you what I want and hopefully you guys can help with the answers.

I want a rig that can host a 3 12man 100tic Counterstrike Source servers.
What Parts do I need?

I also want to know the cheapest way to get this rig hooked up to the internet so I can be in business.

 

[mpjesse]

If you really want to run a decent counterstrike server, you're going to have to lease one from a hosting company. Here are a couple Source hosting companies and their prices:

http://www.midpointgaming.com/source.php
http://funservers.com/content-3.html
http://www.leetservers.com/index.php?page=prices

If you want to create a server that has 3-12 dudes... you might run into some high ping times but you can do it. Here are the things you'd need to make it l33t:

1. Windows XP Pro or Win2K3 if you can get it
2. Athlon Dual Core processor
3. mobo not important so long as it has native RAID support (like the NForce4 Ultra series)
4. 2x WD Raptors in Raid 0
5. 2GB of memory
6. a good NIC (NOT wireless)
7. a good router with a fast switch
8. DSL w/ an upstream around 768kbps or more
9. Video card is not all that important unless you want to play CS on that machine (which you probably shouldn't do if it's the hosting server).

Of course you downgrade all that if you need to. 2x raptor's aren't critical, but RAID 0 is. 2GB of RAM is crucial as well. Do not use a wireless NIC for it. Most of all, a fast upstream DSL connection is what you need. You can have a bad ass server, but if it doesn't have the bandwidth to host... it's pointless.

-mpjesse

 

[Von]

Right now. I am renting a server from nuclearfallout.net and its working fine. But I just feel like making my server for some reason. Where can I get a dsl/cable with upload speeds that fast? Do I have to set up my server in a special place or can I get a line like that to my house? (or is that insanely expensive?)

 

[ProdigyMS]

I don't think any places will allow you to keep your server there to use their internet connection, not to sure though, never heard of it happening. And to build a server like that would be quite costly, dual processors (I would prefer an AMD), a lot of Registered RAM, hard drives set in raid, etc... Also, to get great pings, DSL and Cable won't host that. It would have to be really fast upload, but I dont think many cable/DSL providers would support that. You could get T1, but it still wouldn't be as good as some of the servers you see today. But if you really want to and have the money, check out Verizon FIOS. It might have the upload speed that you need if you go with the 30/5 Mbps plan.