NAT settings on XBL

[Archibaldo]

Quick question. How can I change my NAT settings from moderate to open on my 360? I've checked other places but they all have responses what do do with a modem, router or wireless. But with my internet, I just pick up a wireless signal with my laptop and connect it to my xbox through ethernet. I don't know what to do since I'm not really using a router. Any suggestions?

[Cloral]

The reason the responses are like that is that is what NAT has to do with.

I'm trying to understand what your network topology is like. From your description, it sounds something like this:


Internet
|
Wireless Modem
|
| (Wireless Signal)
|
|
Laptop----------------Xbox
(Ethernet)

Sounds like a situation for port forwarding, but I have no idea how to set that up on a PC, since all network setups I've ever had had the PC at a terminating point on the network, not as a step in the middle. Still, you might try searching for port forwarding and see what you come up with.

Another option would be to spend the $100 and get the wireless adapter for the 360. Or you could homebrew one using a wireles router for a good bit less.

[AlexMax]

Port forwarding is one solution.

However, a better solution, if your router supports it, is to enable Universal Plug and Play, or "UPnP". This will allow the Xbox 360 and your router to configure port forwarding automatically.

So how do you enable UPnP? I have no idea, and it's highly dependent on what router and firmware revision you're using. I'm using a Buffalo WHR-G54S with DD-WRT custom firmware, and there is a checkbox in the router settings which enables it. Your mileage may vary.

[Archibaldo]

Thing is, I'm not in control of the router. I live in an apartment building that's owned by the college I go to and have no access to the router. I figure its not the router because my roommate has the same internet connection and his NAT is open. So it must be something on the computer. Because both or ours are set up the same way.

[AlexMax]

Thing is, I'm not in control of the router. I live in an apartment building that's owned by the college...

Forget it, you're fucked. Your IT department will sooner give you a fabled Orb of Zot(TM) than show ANY flexibility at all in their port and routing policies. Make as many friends as you can in your remaining time on campus and find a cheap off-campus apartment pronto.

[Archibaldo]

I know I'm fucked, but my roommate has the exact same internet connection as I do. We're both connected to the campus' internet and yet his connection is open wheras mine is moderate. So it must be something to do with the computer.

[MottZilla]

Well, is your 360 plugged directly in, or do you have your own hub or something splitting it between your pc and 360? More importantly, if your roommate and you are sharing a connection, that's the reason you are fucked. He's got the open NAT, probably cause he's connected first.

I've noticed sometimes with my setup early on, if the PC was on before the Xbox 360, the 360 had moderate or strict NAT. Anyway, I fixed it by going in the router config and setting the Xbox 360 IP to the DMZ. For the PC I just forward the needed ports to it.

But anyway if you and your roommate have 1 Ethernet plug from the college, that you plug into a router, and then into your and his PC and xbox systems, then you need to change that.

But moderate NAT isn't that bad. Strict is. The main thing when you don't have open is it is better not to host games. Ofcourse at college you shouldn't host anyway. Community connections suck.

[Archibaldo]

Well, I'm usually the only one on the connection in the first place yet I still get moderate. I was checking around on some site where they had a grid of what settings are compatible and it said that open and moderate were. But when my roommate tried to join me in a game of Halo, he wasn't able to and apparently it had to do with the NAT settings. But thanks for the help any way.

[AlexMax]

So wait a second, you're connected through your computer, and your computer is connected to the internet?

Try installing UPnP on Windows XP itself, see if that helps.

Do it through Control Panel -> Add/Remove Programs -> Add/Remove Windows Components -> Networking Services (do not press the checkmark, just select it) -> Details... -> Check the box beside "UPnP User Interface Service". Then, OK your way out of everything.

[Archibaldo]

Well I checked the UPnP box but that bumped me up from moderate to strict.