Strict NAT on Xbox Live
I have been able to play on Xbox Live for about two years without any trouble whatsoever. Then Gears of War was released with online co-op capability. A friend of mine a few Western states over, would host the game and send me the invite. It worked great for two weeks, but then suddenly one day the connection would drop. I could no longer connect and I was perplexed what changed. After running the Xbox Live Connection Test on Xbox 360, NAT was coming up Strict; everything else was connected and confirmed. I didn't know what Strict NAT meant at the time, and I don't even remember what it said when I could play Gears of War online. But after hours of research I learned that NAT needed to say Open for optimum online gaming, so that was the goal.
Twelve hours later over a two day span of troubleshooting, reconfiguring my Netgear WGT624v2 Xbox Live Compatible router, and upgrading to the Xbox 360 Wireless Connectivity Adapter, from my MN-740 Xbox Wireless Bridge, I finally figured out how to make it work.
There are three methods to try that I got from the Xbox forums, including:
- DMZ
- Port Forwarding
- UPnp (Universal PlugNPlay)
First, I called Xbox Live Support and they concluded that they couldn't transfer me to Tier 2 support until I could rule out my ISP as an issue. You see, there are Xbox Live Compatible ISP's and while mine isn't, when I connected my cable modem directly to the Xbox 360 the NAT reported as Open. Case closed on that.
Using the DMZ option was useless; it just didn't work. I tried it with a static internal IP and I tried it on Automatic DHCP with a Reserved IP for the Xbox 360 using the MAC Address.
I configured a Static IP to use Port Forwarding for ports UDP 88, UDP 2074, UDP 3074, and TCP 3074 - useless.
So the ONLY option that worked for me on my router is the UPnp option. My configuration on the Xbox 360 was set to Auto (IP/DNS). I am using WPA security on the wireless router. Port Forwarding is configured for other ports, but not the ports mentioned above, and DMZ is disabled. To my surprise and delight, NAT reported as Open.

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Thank you for your insight on this particular issue. I own the same router as you and was experiencing the same problem. The UpNP solution worked to set my NAT to open as well, thought i'd drop you a line to let you know that you're efforts weren't in vein.
thanks again.
Stephen
http://www.jlsnet.co.uk/index.php?tab=2&page=c...
Cheers,
Jim
I tried the same things you did and they didn't work. Just now , before I changed the UPnp setting, I reset the router (through the website not by unplugging it) and now all is well, NAT it open.
thanks a lot
alex
I'm not all thats experienced with networking so I figured you could proboly answer my questions a lot faster the searching the net for answers.
Thanks a lot Steve
It was just as easy as enabling the UPnP and NAT is Open.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/908874
The whole thing on xbox live and Bungie saying you need a new router if you're not "Open" isn't always true. Most routers are fairly configurable in the port forwarding area. Mine was and it's only the crap that came with my DSL
Security wise I'm using both WEP and an Access List based on MAC address. I also have a lot of ports blocked by default.
I was really starting to think that this configuration would not work with XBox Live.
The solution for me using this configuration was enabling UPnP on the router.
Thank you very much.
Adrian
It's downright infuriating.
Following Jim's directions, if I have a dynamic IP, and UPnP enabled, then my NAT miraculously was reported as open.
For some reason, it didn't work with a static IP...wierd.
I upgraded my router firmware as well, to a version supported according to:
http://www.xbox.com/en-US/support/connecttolive/xb...
Kick-ass. Thanks Jim.
So I checked the firm ware and noticed I had a pretty old version. Updated to the latest version, ran xbox live check again and boom, Nat Open.
Thanks for the info Jim.
I know it has been a while since you posted this, but it is still helping people out! Thank a millions. Work for me to! NAT now open.
Best Regards,
Mike
Went to netgear upgraded to latest firmware and then had the option under WAN to open or secure NAT and that fix my problem along with clicking the UPnP on
Here's what i did:
1) Set your network connection types to automatic in the xbox dashboard. (for IP address and DNS settings). nothing should be set to manual.
2) go into the router and disable all the port forwarding to the xbox.
3) go into the UPnP settings of the router and turn on UPnP
Has anyone else found any luck NOT using uPNP? My Router is a checkpoint safe@home, very nice router, 4 times the cost of a standard dlink or linksys router. That's the only reason I don't want to get rid of it.
I have my UPnP turned on but on the UPnP portmap table its showing me nothing ? assuming it cannot find the xbox ? i have my xbox connected to my router Via a ethernet cable.
One thing i did try and it failed was i hooked up my xbox straight into my Modem "NTL:home Broadband Internet" box and it could not find a IP address. Assuming this is going to be a problem from the start.
I also gave my xbox a static ip and port fowarded the ports ppl have listed above, with UPnP on and off and still strict. It used to work fine but now its gone all strict on me :( anyone one else having the same sort of problems as me ?
http://kbserver.netgear.com/products/WGR614v6.asp and then download and follow instructions on the page :) then problem solved
http://kbserver.netgear.com/products/WGR614v6.asp and then download and follow instructions on the page :) then problem solved
appaerently it worked....
Alex
Thank you so much for your help, I have not tried it yet being that I don't get home until Friday but once I do I will try the UPnP right away being that I have tried both of the others, thank you very much, I hope this works.
Great guide guys keep up the good work.
Andrzej Filipowicz
Still life Artist, still life art
http://www.andrzejfilipowicz.com
http://www.life.e-phils.com
STILL LIFE PAINTING
I have got a Linksys WRT54G (firmware 4.x) wireless adapter. There was quite strange solution to my NAT moderate problem:
By DISABLING!!! UPnP NAT And enabling DMZ to my xbox´s ip address it all works now.
GamerTag for xbox live: x GaNsTa xTMx message on that aswel
I have one too only the UTM-1 version and like you no UPnP not that i'd generaly use it to be honest even if i did!
Anyway i have configured port forwards and Nat's but still getting strict anyone had any joy?
cheers
The bottom line is that it is better to use a DMZ or even port forward to the Xbox. I have mine set to port forward to my Xbox and have no issues. NAT is reported as open. I'm not sure why others have problems with this & I suspect a lot of times it's operator error..
Anyway, UPnP = BAD IDEA!!!
Thank you. I was at a point where I was considering the 360, which I bought specifically to play with friends, a waste. You've saved my buyer's remorse.
Thanks!
For people who don't know how to change the settings for the UPnP, here you go:
1. Find the IP Address that your router is using your network configuration.
2. Open a new web browser (or any other kind of browser) and type in http://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx with the x's being the IP address of your router.
3. Look for a section called "System Settings" (maybe near the bottom) and click on it.
4. Among the options you should find something with a label that says something about UPnP. Enable it.
5. "Save" or "Apply" the changes (whichever applies to your system), or just go back to the main menu if if there is not option like that.
6. Look for an option to reset the router on the page you are looking at. It could be listed in the same place you found the "System Settings" option.
7. Reset the router and wait 60 seconds for it to fully reset and start up again. (If you cannot find the reset option, you can also just unplug the router and plug it back in, but I recommend trying the other way first.)
8. Now, test your XBox Live connection again and it should say "NAT Open" at the bottom of the checklist.
I hope this helps any of you who were a little confused at first.
-Josh
1. Find the IP address that your router is using. You can find this on your computer by looking in your network configuration.
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