While the fat PS2 model doesn't have an Ethernet port without the accompanying Network Adapter, network functionality was built in with the slim model. This allowed games to be played online or with LAN multiplayer across multiple consoles. This feature was supported by many games and can still easily be used today. This guide will go over setting up a network configuration to for games like Star Wars Battlefront, TimeSplitters and more. Note that if you want to play PS2 games online using the LAN mode, you need to take a look at XLink Kai.
Automatic vs. manual set up
Setting up a Local Area Network to play across multiple consoles is relatively easy once you know how it works. There are 2 ways to do it. You can either:
- connect all your consoles to your router and let it handle everything, or
- connect only your consoles together and set up the network manually.
Using your router is the easier way, but you might not always have one available or can’t always connect all consoles to it.
The other option involves giving every console it’s own static IP-adress. It’s not hard once you know how to do it, but you have to be careful not to give one adress to multiple consoles. This approach also allows you to connect 2 consoles together directly, with only a cable in between. You can also use a switch or hub to connect many more consoles.
In both cases, we'll need to create or edit your LAN configuration first. This can be done with the PS2 Network Access Disc. Some games, like Star Wars Battlefront, also have the configuration menu built in, meaning that you don’t need the disc.
Setting up LAN multiplayer with a router
Using a router is the easiest way to connect multiple consoles together.
Once in the config menu, these are the settings that you need to change:
- The ISP password can be set to no, since we aren't trying to connect the console to the internet
- Set the IP adress to automatic (DHCP)
- Set DNS to automatic
That’s it already. Set these settings for all consoles and save the configuration on a Memory Card as “LAN DHCP”. Next, connect all PS2 consoles to your router. You can also use hubs or switches.
Setting up LAN multiplayer manually
Configuring every console manually allows you to connect them together without a router in between.
Once in the config menu, these are the settings that you need to change:
- The ISP password can be set to no
- Set IP adress config to manual
- Set the IP adress to 192.168.0.1 for your first console
- Set the Subnetmask to 255.255.255.0
- We don’t need the gateway here, but the software does not allow us to leave it empty. You can set it to 255.255.255.255
- We don’t need or have a DNS server, so just set it to automatic
For every other console you add, the IP adress has to be slightly different. The first console in the network will be 192.168.0.1, the second one 192.168.0.2. You always need to increase the last number by one for every console. Be careful that no console has the same IP.
Now, all consoles can be connected together. If you only have 2 consoles, connect them directly with an Ethernet cable. If you have more, use a hub or switch.