LAN party

在西班牙舉行的Campus party，電腦螢幕多如繁星

LAN party指的是由一群人暫時性、通常也是自發性的帶著他們的電腦，在一個地方將電腦以區域網路（以下簡稱區網）連結的聚會，這樣的聚會大部份是以玩多人網路遊戲為目的。

這樣的區域網路可大可小，從只有兩三個人到數千人都有。小型聚會可以自發性的舉辦。大型的聚會則需要有組織事前規劃與準備。

LAN party一詞有時會與網咖或遊戲場混淆。雖然所提供的服務很類似，但是LAN party通常是參加者要自備電腦（BYOC, Bring Your Own Computer），而非主辦者事先準備好電腦。

[编辑] 小型的LAN party

這樣的聚會有些是不同小團體間、或朋友間，在某人的家裡或借用學校場地舉辦。聚會通常只有簡單的準備工作，且時間從幾小時到幾天不等。

許多商業性團體在LAN party舉辦比賽，比賽項目通常是一些熱門的電腦遊戲，如雷神之錘、魔獸爭霸、戰慄時空等。且會頒獎給優勝者。獎品通常是一些電腦硬體，如超頻套件、機殼、風扇、顯示卡等。有些甚至以整部電腦當做獎品。

大型的LAN party通常還提供參加者食宿服務，也會有讓參加者自由參與的研討會、音樂會或演唱會等。有志工或雇用專人提供服務，用餐服務大多以自助式吧台方式提供。網路連線也會以專業級的設備提供。

遊戲族通常以組隊的方式，在LAN party與其他參賽者或隊伍進行比賽。而機殼改裝及超頻愛好者也會利用這場合展示他們的大作，利用此機會互相切磋學習。但也有極少數的參與者利用此場合互相交流違反版權的軟體、音樂、電影等。有些LAN party還會在會場自行架設P2P的伺服器。

LAN party並不限於電腦，例如微軟出品的Xbox，提供了區網連線的功能，因此也有些LAN party是由玩Xbox的玩家帶著自己的Xbox舉辦。

LAN party在歐洲及北美洲比較盛行，有許多大型的LAN party，例如瑞典的DreamHack及葡萄牙的Minho Campus Party，參加者多達數千人，需要以很大的場地以及充足的後勤支援才能舉辦。

但在亞洲則少有LAN party的舉辦，原因通常是網咖林立、且搬電腦設備需要有車輛載運，在地小人綢的地方並不方便。雖然亞洲國家常會舉辦電腦遊戲比賽，但為了公平起見，電腦通常由主辦單位提供，比賽者只可自己準備鍵盤與滑鼠（以符合自己的操作習慣）。

KCBeatDown, If it is network playable, we play it - every six weeks in Kansas City, Kansas
ExtremeLAN KC, Monthly LAN Party group in Kansas City, Missouri
Zion LAN, Annual 400-Person LAN party in Zion, IL
EverLan Colorado, Colorado Springs / Denver, Colorado area LAN venue Sponsored by AMD and ATI Technologies
Lan Party Coalition, Coalition of LAN parties primarily based in North America
LPANE, the LAN Party Association of New England, a coalition of LAN parties based in New England
QuakeCon, largest North American LAN party
LANWAR/Million Man LAN, large LAN party in Kentucky, United States
Cyberathlete Professional League, annual LAN party held in Dallas, Texas
Pittsburgh LAN Coalition, growing multi-group LAN party from Western Pennsylvania, United States
Weekendwars, A Growing group of gamers from Central New Jersey, United States
UprisingLAN, Largest LAN party in southern California.
InfernaLAN, A growing LAN party in Western Washington that has events several times a year.
PDXLAN, The largest regular LAN party on the West Coast located in Portland, OR.

Drome, largest Dutch LAN party (over 2000 visitors) in the Netherlands (eng/dut)
European Lan parties (in English/German)
Party Spain, spanish parties database.
LanScene.nl, Benelux LAN scene coverage site (Dutch)
NetworkingDay, LAN parties in and near Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Gameparty.net, Benelux LAN party coverage site (Dutch)
Campzone, large outdoor LAN in The Netherlands (English information available)
LanCamp, large outdoor LAN in Belgium
Paranoika LAN Party, Bianual LAN party
Ordened Computer Chaos, largest LAN party (over 1600 visitors) in Belgium (dutch)
LanParty.BE, Benelux LAN party coverage site (Dutch)

AusGamers Events, list of Australian LAN parties.
3xtreme LAN, Melbourne, Australia (small-medium size)
NexusLAN, Launceston, Tasmanina, Australia (small-medium size, up to 200 people)
Meshteam GhettoLAN, Newcastle, Australia (small-medium size)
Brotherhood of Network Gamers, Sydney, Australia (small-medium size)
Megalan, Burnie , Tasmania, Australia (small-medium size)