Advantage of going Hardware over Software?

[Ishar]

Hmm.

I have 2 vetra. ! 8port multiplier, and 1 8 port Km. So, technically, i can say 'vetras'. but after that picture, maybe no one but Xzin should really say 'vetras' LOL.

jk

Ishar

[entoptic]

GO SOFTWARE OVER HARDWARE!

Its simple. With software you have just one box to worry about and there is 1 bottleneck.

With hardware you introduce multiple bottlenecks that are only fixed by updating your hardware. Imo hardware over software is a lose lose as your upgrades are costly, you waste MAD amounts of power, your room heats up, troubleshooting sucks etc etc....

Not to mention the stress you put on a consumer network.

[Ishar]

Computers are dirt cheap if you build your own and only want something capable of running wow. Its simple really...

for a 5 in 1 machine, you pretty much have to go with cutting edge hardware, getting the newest and most expensive parts.

for 1 instance of a game per machine, you can go with something much closer to the min specs, and get really cheap, 2-3 year behind the curve hardware.

I actually did both, though not for wow. But I have a single comp than can, well, rather, could before i cannibalized it, easily handle 5 or 6 EQ instances. I spent more for its 3d cards and processor than I spent for my 3 clones. Are you really saving any money?

The only really expensive part of the hardware is the Vetras/Xkeys if you decide to go full hardware. It worked out being a third of the total cost for me.

[Vyndree]

With hardware boxing, you never have to worry about blizzard banning you as a "false positive" -- and yes, it's happened before.

Multiboxers using software solutions have gotten mistakenly banned (and rightly un-banned)
Linux users utilizing windows emulators (i.e. Wine) to play WoW have gotten mistakenly banned (and rightly un-banned)

Hardware boxers have nothing "funky" on the boxes that Warden could potentially sniff out. There's still the chance that a not-so-knowledgable GM bans you because they don't know their own policies, but that's pretty slim in comparison to their automatic processes like their mass botter banwave uses and their recent wintrader banwave automation.

[Knytestorme]

Multiboxers using hardware solutions have gotten mistakenly banned (and rightly un-banned)

Am guessing you meant software solutions here Vyn?

[Vyndree]

Multiboxers using hardware solutions have gotten mistakenly banned (and rightly un-banned)

Am guessing you meant software solutions here Vyn?

>.>

<.<

Fixt.

[Knytestorme]

Weird, I can't delete my post now...only wanted to put it there till you seen it

[Nisch]

I went the hardware route.

Disadvantage........heat and cost.

Advantage......compatibility with games......reliability.......and your desk looks insane.

[Ishar]

@Fursphere

I so totally read that thread a long time ago, and utterly forgot about wireless kbds. oh well. point taken. But, I hate wireless with a passion, so for me, their not really an option hehehe=0. Tho i might bite the bullet and use it for mouse broadcasting. /grumbles.

Hmm. I wonder if its cheaper to build 4 extra machines that can run wow, or rebuild your main PC into a monster PC that can run 5 instances comfortably. hmm. my 3 clone machines are cheaper than my main machine(even if i had built a 4th), but I might have went overkill on the main machine, or underkill on the clones... The main pc does more than run the head of my wow army. and predates my decision to go full hardware. /shrug.

[entoptic]

Full Hardware Ghetto Five-Boxing - A how-to guide.[/url]

As far as power goes - TURN THE SHIT OFF WHEN YOU AREN'T USING IT. Power problem = solved

Troubleshooting? If you're using this as an argument tool, you probably shouldn't be multiboxing.


:!: My computer cost me about 1000.00 dollars and is fine. I don't pay for additional power since its on one machine and there is not heat issue, when the computer is on it is not sucking down up to 3 times the amount of a hairdryer like some people's systems. I don't know about you all but I like to save money which is why I do shut my system down when not in use.

Buying a Ghetto systems screws you in the end. your north bridge, south bridge, memory, cpu, video card.... EVERYTHING is outdated and SLOW. These are some of the bottle necks. Not to mention not using a gig nic card on the network with a non gig switch/router WILL be SLOWER.

Troubleshooting is a big issue. Do you want to game or figure out IPs or why one monitor is not in the right resolution.... There is ALWAYS troubleshooting and you want to make that as easy as possible.

In the long run you pay WAY more for hardware and you are not being cost effective as you are getting screwed on your ROI. :!:

Not to mention the stress you put on a consumer network.

FALSE.
5 WoW clients is 5 WoW clients - doesn't matter if its one PC or multiples. Its the same amount of network traffic. Nice try though.

:!: You are wrong here. 5 wow clients is not 5 wow clients if they are laid over a network with hubs and switches each firing shots off of info to each computer. I design networks for a living and having multiple computers over a network is a very bad thing. Your routers since most of us here use consumer routers will die faster and drop packets. We are looking for clean lines with speed right? Network traffic is indeed network traffic but when it comes from multiple sources then it is not longer the same thing. :!:

:thumbsup: You have some great comments here but I think you are alittle misguided. :thumbsup: