What do i need as hardware and configuration to connect 5 Playstation in a local network, not to the internet.

Question

a LAN

why do i need a router if i want to connect 5 PS2 directly to each other to form a local network for multiplayer games ?

Answer 1

if you mean network them directly together, i'd say go witha router, if you are connecting through a LAN at say a university, you just need an ethernet cable.