Going online

Sony PlayStation 2 adapter

Here's how online games work with Sony's PlayStation2:

An adapter smaller than a deck of cards snaps into the ports in the back of the PlayStation 2 (that's what's under that little lid you always wondered about) and tightens with a pair of screws. The adapter acts as the modem for the game console. It's practically idiot proof.

Next, plug either a phone line or your cable modem line into the adapter, and you're off to the online races.

Lower-end dialup connections, such as America Online, sometimes result in slow, glitchy game play. High-speed connections, such as Road Runner, often deliver game play and graphic quality equal to the regular console versions, with extras such as live chat with teammates or opponents via a headset that plugs into a USB connector on the game box.

Once you sign on to a third-party site, such as Electronic Arts, you can chat with other gamers, download game updates and look for some competition, whether you want to take part in a combat melee with other gamers or find someone who's just a little bit worse than you at video football.

For the most part, the competition's free, but some third-party providers plan to charge as much as $10 a month to play certain games online, such as Squaresoft's Final Fantasy XI and Sony's PS2 version of Everquest.

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