NAT ports

[Saarbrigga]

I guess am am not the only one with a so called "NAT problem".

As (almost) all of you know, there are 3 options about the NAT ports:

1) all ports open
2) 50-50
3) strict connection

Nr. 3 guys can just play against Nr. 1 guys. Since i joined xboxlive in May 2009 i was a **** Nr. 3.
I did call xbox more than once and they gave me the numbers (TCP and UDP) for open the ports...but it never worked.

Now the journey comes to an end. The reason if you can open all your NAT ports is not about the TPC and UDP numbers, it s about this one:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DMZ_%28computing%29

DMZ

If your router doesn t have a manual DMZ, you can forget it.

My provider "Vodafone" produced routers named "Easy Box". My version is 602...the first without DMZ.

If you want to play xboxlive without problems, don t buy a router without DMZ!
Unfortunately, all new routers from vodafone (602 and now the 800 series) don t have it, so - if you want to buy an "easy box" - you need to get an older version (until 601, not 602 - 801/802!!! etc).

I got a 601 via ebay for 1 Euro and next week my NAT problem should be history.


Ok...maybe not that much interesting for ITST...but maybe good for 1-2 guys which have that NAT port problem as well.

[emate007]

I had the same problem for a while, just had to buy a new router. I tried both plugging the xbox directly into the DSL modem and also bought a cheap Belkin something or other, but neither allowed the correct options to open/adjust port settings.

[ILuvBillVal]

I don't know. I've had issues where I've used BOTH port-forwarding and enabling the DMZ to a static IP assigned to my xbox and it was still unsuccessful.

[ILuvBillVal]

Chris I just wanted to update you on this. I actually found a way to completely open up your NAT. You have to have both forwarding and DMZ enabled, as well as disable the UPnP (Universal Plug 'n Play) feature in your router. It's usually in some odd part of the router's settings, I believe I found mine within "Administration." Be forewarned, however, that this will also disable any sort of wireless sharing you might do with your XBox in the meantime until it is once again enabled as it is the feature that allows devices to discover one another wirelessly.