Xbox Live connection set up.

[DADDYCOOL]

After last nights NL vs Gtm COD3 i mentioned to Somerset Bumkin about putting up a stickied thread on helping people with connection issues.

Anyone new to Xbox Live may be experiencing connection issues during certain games, especially when trying to join private matches.

This probably means your routers NAT rating could be set to strict or moderate, which i think basically means your routers in built firewall will block other uses with a similar NAT rating (although someone may be able to explain that better!)

Anyways if you run a connection test on your 360 dashboard and find you do have such a rating theres a few sites that can help change your rating to 'open'.

http://www.xboxlivetheguide.co.uk/ This was the site that got me (and quite a few others) set up.

http://www.portforward.com/ Havent used this site but i know a lot of people who have. From what i understand you find your routers model from the list and the site will automatically configure it for you.

Obviously be carefull, we dont want anyone to bugger things up for themselves, so make sure you are confident about what you are doing before attempting to make any changes! (ie dont blame me if it goes pear shaped LOL)

[Killerclaw]

Interesting, I've never heard this router thing before. Is that Uk or might everyone have that issue?

[Revok]

Can I just add to this that if you are using the new BT Homehub router - setting it up is an absolute pain.

You need to create a DMZ - port forwarding doesn't work.

Interestingly - you don't create a DMZ by setting a static IP on the XBox360 (as you would expect) - but my instead logging on with the 360 - and going to Devices on the Hub Manager and setting it to 'always use IP' for the XBox 360.

You will then be able to assign a DMZ.

The help files for this are atrocious.

[bluemidget]

oh dear!!

I have a BT home hub and my NAT is STRICT. I have no idea what I'm doing when it comes to setting up computers.

I WAS going to try the 'xboxlivetheguide.co.uk' but to someone like me is there a risk i could mess it all up?

Im off to the library to find 'routers for dummies'

[DADDYCOOL]

Hmm they can be tempremental buggers those Home hubs (mine bricked).
I do however know a few people have them who have had open NATs from the start, you may have been unlucky Bluemidget. I would maybe give BT a buzz and see if they can do anything to help, you could always play ignorance and say its not working, i mean techincaly its not doing the job you forked the cash out for.

[bluemidget]

HA! guess what - I tried the ol' "turn it off then on again" and its been open ever since. I wonder if this strict setting occured after the dashboard update? I dont remember having any trouble before that. Thanks for replying though

[Craymen Edge]

HA! guess what - I tried the ol' "turn it off then on again" and its been open ever since. I wonder if this strict setting occured after the dashboard update? I dont remember having any trouble before that. Thanks for replying though

Mine seemed to become set to strict after downloading the update too. I uses a voyager 205 modem/router I had only joined live and set it up a week or two before, so I know it wasn't like that earlier.

[DifferentClass]

If you have a BT homehub all you have to do to sort out a strict NAT is reset it, don't know why or how that works but hey.
BT don't even seem to know why judging by a painfull call to customer services.

[Ragnaroth]

oh dear!!

I have a BT home hub and my NAT is STRICT. I have no idea what I'm doing when it comes to setting up computers.

I WAS going to try the 'xboxlivetheguide.co.uk' but to someone like me is there a risk i could mess it all up?

Im off to the library to find 'routers for dummies'

the home hub is a pain mate it just seems to randomly switch to strict when ever it likes mine hasnt for a few weeks but to fix all i do is reset the router and go to restore network settings on the 360 and run a connection test. for me it sets the nat back to open 100% of the time.

[AntLibertine]

This post actually helped get my 360 online. *THANK YOU!*

[TheIsolatedWarrior]

Just wanted to say thanks

[spaceagehero]

If tonight, when I reset my homehub and it opens my NAT type, meaning I can finally play Gears of War 2 online, I will buy the 10 posters above me a beer.