Work the registration table.
If you are not yet skilled at networking, or if you are very shy, or if you just want to meet a lot of people very quickly, volunteer to check people in at the registration table.
Bad breath will ruin a first impression. Always keep some mints or breath strips handy, so you can pop one before a networking event. Don’t chew gum at an event, however.
Chewing gum while talking makes a person seem immature and unprofessional.