Building a 60m LAN Between Two Blocks (2002)
In 2002, when I was 14, computer clubs were booming.
Most of my free time after school and on weekends was spent there playing local multiplayer games like:
- Half-Life
- Counter-Strike
- Red Alert
- Warcraft
Playing PvP over LAN was far more exciting than playing alone.
Eventually, a friend who lived in the next apartment block and I decided to build our own local network so we could play from home.
The Setup
The distance between our apartments was roughly 60 meters.
To make it work we bought:
- 60 meters of Ethernet cable
- 2 network cards
We also asked several neighbors if we could temporarily use their balconies to route the cable between buildings.
Surprisingly, they agreed.
Network Configuration
Once the cable was installed we configured the network manually.
IP: 192.168.1.*
Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
Default getaway 192.168.1.1
After installing the drivers and configuring the addresses, the connection worked.
The moment we saw the computers communicating over the network felt like magic.
What the LAN Enabled
This simple connection changed everything.
Instead of physically visiting each other with CDs and DVDs, we could:
- play PvP games from our own rooms
- share movies, music, and files
- occasionally share internet access
We spent countless hours playing:
- FIFA
- racing games
- Counter-Strike
The Messaging Problem
One unexpected challenge was communication.
We didn’t have a messaging application.
So we improvised.
Our workaround:
- Write a message in a .txt or .doc file on the desktop.
- Copy it to the other computer over the network.
But how did we know when a new message arrived?
We invented a notification system.
To signal a new message, we would try to access the A:\ floppy disk drive remotely.
The drive made a distinctive mechanical noise.
When the other person heard the sound, they knew:
“A message has arrived.”
Then they would open the shared desktop file, read the message, and respond.
Primitive, but it worked.
One Year Later
About a year later we discovered a real LAN chat application, which made the whole system much easier.
But building that first network taught me something important:
Understanding technology often starts with curiosity, experimentation, and improvisation.
That small DIY LAN was my first real experience with computer networking.
Looking back, it was the beginning of my interest in systems, networks, and security.
You can explore my work in more detail under Projects, Research, and Notes.