Help & Guides

Tickets & Purchasing

To buy tickets to an event head to the event specific page and use the inbuilt tickets section. If you have any further questions about which ticket is best for you reach out to us on any of our socials!

The following ticket types are available, but not all ticket types will appear for all events:

  • A Bring your own PC ticket lets you access everything The Big LAN has to offer. For your PC you get a seat at one of our rows of tables where you'll be provided an ethernet (network) cable to plug into your PC that is already linked into our network. If you'd rather Wi-Fi is also available. You'll also be provided two power points at the desk, one for your PC and one for your monitor, and a 3'x3' space to set up all your equipment in. You can connect any device you'd like including a laptop, desktop, Xbox, Playstation, ROG Ally, Steam Deck, or Nintendo Switch, however a Windows based PC is recommended to get the most out of the day.

  • An Away From Keyboard ticket lets you access everything except for the major tournaments being run on our network, e.g. you'll be able to play split-screen games like Super Smash Bros and Mario Kart but not games that require access to the network like Rocket League even though they may run on a portable device. An AFK ticket is best for players who want to play Nintendo tournaments, Chess, and VR games, and who don't want to bring their own PCs or devices.

  • Exactly the same as a BYO PC ticket but with a discount for bringing so many friends! Please note that this ticket type is not able to be combined with any Rental PCs, but if you contact us via Messenger or Discord we can help customise you the best deal for your needs.

  • Everything included in a BYO PC ticket with an additional charge built in for renting a PC from us. Currently we are able to provide a PC and Monitor, but you will need to bring your own keyboard, mouse, and any other devices you'd like to use like headphones, mousemats, and controllers. The PCs are wiped after every event and start the day with Windows, Steam, Epic, Discord, and a few other services installed. You simply sign in with your accounts and download the games you'd like to play via our cache at gigabit speeds. We ask that all Rent A PC ticket holders arrive at least an hour before the first tournament they'd like to play in to allow our team to help with the setup and install process.

  • Only available at events with speedcubing, this ticket covers your access to lunch and dinner but does not allow you to enter any tournaments.

Our Support Promise

At The Big LAN we aim to provide you the best experience possible by getting you into the most games we can through the day, however sometimes we won't be able to fix certain issues on your personal equipment in time to get you into a specific tournament.

The Big LAN team recommends a Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC for the smoothest experience, and may not be able to promise all our supported games will run on alternate configurations (e.g. Steam Deck and similar Linux based systems) nor that we will have the games we are supporting cached on services besides Steam and Epic (e.g. Microsoft Store, Nintendo E-Shop, Playstation Store). We also recommend arriving with plenty of time before your first tournament of choice to give our team ample time to help you with anything you might need. We also ask that you ensure all your games are installed and working the night before. However, we all know computers can do weird and wonderful things at the last second, so don't hesitate to ask for help!

Tech Desk

Event F.A.Q

Have you got general questions about the event? Check the topics below for answers to common questions, and remember to go to the specific page for each event for more details like what games are supported, what prizes are on offer, and our operating hours.

  • If you've purchased a BYO PC Ticket bring your PC (including keyboard, mouse, monitor, power cables and display cables) or console (including controllers, screen, power cables and display cables). If you've chosen an AFK ticket bring any additional controllers you'd like to use. Regardless of ticket please also bring a photo ID.

  • You can pay for your ticket by card or cash on the day, but we can't guarantee ticket availability. It's easiest if you prepurchase your ticket online.

  • We will be serving lunch and dinner at no additional cost to all ticket holders. Vegetarian options are available, please let us know of any additional dietry requirements well ahead of time and we will try to accommodate them. Additional snacks and drinks, including freshly cooked potato cakes, nuggets, and jam doughnuts, are available for purchase throughout select events.

  • The Big LAN aims to be a safe and inclusive event for everyone to attend. However, it is important to remember that if you connect to our network and access a device not owned by the LAN we cannot ensure the content will be safe or secure. Equipment owned by The Big LAN including our file server are read only for everyone except The Big LAN admin staff.

  • You can bring and play any extra games, including card and board games, you want to enjoy at the event. The only limitations are space (for physical games, we have 4-6 player tables available at most events) and content. While The Big LAN is primarily an 18+ event we do reserve the right to request players remove any overly explicit or sexual content for any game or media not directly supported by the event.

  • All The Big LAN events provide internet access to everyone, however each event has different and varying internet speeds. Players are welcome to use the connection for online gaming, however other content may be restricted. Users found to be using excessive amounts of bandwidth for activities not related to the event may have their connection restricted.

Network Help

For game specific help select the game on the event page and scroll down the resulting window for the latest tricks, tips, and help topics. This section is for general network or service issues while you are at the event. If you're at the event and need more help head up to the Tech Desk and talk to our friendly staff.

  • So you've found this page, but you can't access the internet via The Big LAN Network

    1. Check your ethernet cable is properly connected to your machine and The Big LAN LAN Box

    2. Check that other attendees using the same LAN Box are able to access the network. If not request staff assistance

    3. Check you have received an IP Address. Search for cmd.exe and then type ipconfig. Check to see the network port you are using has received an address in either the 192.168.0.x or 192.168.1.x range from "TheBigLAN"

    4. Check you have not assigned your own IP address

    5. Attempt to ping The Big LAN Router. Search for cmd.exe and then type “ping 192.168.0.1”. If this does not work request staff assistance

  • So you can't see LAN games in the game lobby

    1. Make sure the game is allowed through your firewall

    2. Try switching TheBigLAN network to "Private" rather than "Public" by selecting "Network & Internet Settings" under the network option from the task bar, selecting TheBigLAN, and choosing "Private".

    3. Try disabling all network interfaces besides the one you are trying to use. For example, CSGO will default to your first ethernet port for server advertisements regardless of if you are on Wi-Fi or a secondary interface.

    4. Try connecting directly to the server via IP. The tech desk will be able to help you do this.

  • So you're on the network but games are downloading slowly

    1. Users are speed limited on the network to ensure there is sufficent bandwidth for onlines games, however The Big LAN Cache will allow you to install supported games at up to Gigabit speeds. Ensure you are automatically receiving the address for the DNS and have not allocated your own, it should be set to 192.168.0.3 else you will not be able to access the cache.

    2. Enable Steams own file transfer service by following the instructions here and accepting downloads from any user. The Big LAN Cache also has this service enabled and if it doesnt have the game you're after, maybe another machine in the room does!

    3. If you have the correct network settings but are still seeing slow download or patching times, speak to a member of The Big LAN tech team to diagnose the issue. Note we cannot pause the schedule to fix this issue once a tournament for the game experiencing the problem has already started.

  • So you can't access a site you wanted?To conserve bandwidth we block the following sites:

    1. Speedtest.com, as speed tests by their very nature attempt to use all available bandwidth. If you want to access speedtest.com we do host our own local version here.

    2. Twitch.com, as streaming consumes the maximum bandwidth per user. You can access a limited version here.

    We also maintain a list of inappropriate sites which are blocked on our network including scams, adult content, pirated material, and gambling services.

Cache F.A.Q

We encourage everyone coming to an event to have already downloaded and installed all the games they want to play. If you haven't, or an update is released at the last second, don't worry! Our cache and file server are here to help. All games on the schedule will have been pre-cached on Steam and Epic where possible, so in the first instance attempt to download any games or updates through those services. When you attempt to download a file the cache will intecept the request and return the files to you at up to 100MB/s! Note cache speeds can flactuate depending on network conditions and end user hardware. You can also access our file server by selecting "Files" on the top menu of this site.

  • 1. Attempt to install or download the game through Steam as you normally would at home. If the game you are downloading is being run at the event it should download at high speeds.

    2. If Steam is downloading slowly enable Steam's own file transfer service by following the instructions here and accepting downloads from any user. The Big LAN Cache also has this service enabled and if it doesnt have the game you're after, maybe another machine in the room does!

    3. If neither downloading option works, instead download the zip file for the game under the Steam folder of our file server (link above)

    3a. Extract the folder to "Your Steam Install Path"/steamapps/common/

    3b. Load Steam and attempt to install the game. Instead of downloading the game again Steam should state it is detecting local files

    3c. Allow Steam to download any other updates for the game

  • 1. Attempt to install or download the game through Epic as you normally would at home. If the game you are downloading is being run at the event it should download at high speeds.

    2. If downloads are slow, instead download the zip file for the game under the Epic folder of our file server (link above)

    2a. Extract the folder to "Your Epic Install Path"/Epic Games/

    2b. Open the Epic Games Launcher again and instead of downloading the game again Epic should see the files you copied and download any other updates for the game

  • All games on the schedule will have been pre-cached on Steam and Epic where possible.

    Whenever anyone downloads anything connected to our network from the majority of popular game stores (including the Microsoft and Nintendo stores) they are automatically cached. So after one user takes one for the team and waits the full first download time, the rest of the room can get the same files ultra fast!

    Generally speaking the Xbox Gamepass store/service will not be cached as it doesn't interact with the process well. You will need to download or update any Gamepass games at regular internet speeds.