XBOX 360 S and Airport Extreme - Won't connect - NAT TYPE STRICT

Hello jshoole. Welcome to the Apple Discussions!

Unfortunately, the AirPorts are not listed as Xbox Live-compatible routers ... so there is no guarantee doing this will get Open NAT status for Xbox Live!

The following web blog does a great job explaining the NAT issues with Xbox Live! Basically what it comes down to is that although you can get an Internet connection for the Xbox with the AirPorts, you may not get the necessary NAT setting (Moderate or Open) for the Xbox Live! on-line game that you want to play. As such, you basically have two options: 1) Create a DMZ (Apple calls this a Default Host) for the XBox or 2) Configure the AirPort for Port mapping to open the required ports to allow Xbox Live! access ... or 3) Use a compatible router.

Option 1 - Create a DMZ
o AirPort Utility > Select the AEBSn > Manual Setup > Internet > NAT
o Enable default host at: <Enter the IP Address for the XBox>

Option 2 - Configure Port Mapping

The following ports must be available for Xbox Live to operate correctly:
• UDP 88
• UDP 3074
• TCP 3074

To setup port mapping on an 802.11n AirPort Extreme Base Station (AEBSn), either connect to the AEBSn's wireless network or temporarily connect directly, using an Ethernet cable, to one of the LAN port of the AEBSn, and then use the AirPort Utility, in Manual Setup, to make these settings:

1. Reserve a DHCP-provided IP address for the Xbox 360.
o AirPort Utility > Select the AEBSn > Manual Setup > Internet > DHCP tab
o Click the "+" (Add) button to enter DHCP Reservations.
o Description: <enter the desired description of the host device>
o Reserve address by: MAC Address
o Click Continue.
o MAC Address: <Enter the MAC hardware address of the Xbox or the MAC address of the wireless depending on how you connect the XBox to the network.>
o IPv4 Address: <enter the desired Private IP address>
o Click Done.

2. Setup Port Mapping on the AEBSn.
AirPort Utility > Select the AEBSn > Manual Setup > Internet > NAT > Configure Port Mappings
o Click the "+" (Add) button
o Service: <choose the appropriate service from the Service pop-up menu>
o Public UDP Port(s): 88, 3074
o Public TCP Port(s): 3074
o Private IP Address: <enter the DHCP Reserved IP address for the Xbox you created earlier>
o Private UDP Port(s): 88, 3074
o Private TCP Port(s): 3074
o Click "Continue"

Sorry that neither of those options worked for you. I don't think it has anything to do with a dynamically provided IP from your ISP ... as the majority of us who get consumer-grade Internet service are in the same boat.

Again, unfortunately, Microsoft does not list any of the Apple routers and Xbox LIVE-compatible ... and is, most likely, the limitation here.

Sometimes NAT issues are created when the both the modem or gateway are providing NAT service and the AirPort Extreme is also doing the same, creating what is known as a Double NAT.

Do you have a simple modem with only one ethernet port? If yes, what is the make and model number of this device?

Or, perhaps you have a gateway, which is a combination modem/router in one enclosure with 3-4 ethernet ports?

I've been able to help a few users with this issue, but each case is different and you won't know whether something works until you try it. Post back if you want to look at that angle.

Message was edited by: Bob Timmons

Message was edited by: Bob Timmons

Hello, I have tried every one of these options and have been researching this for 8 hours today. Nothing works. Short of going out and buying a Linksys router,(which I really don't want to do as I love my Extreme) the last post mentioned something about modem with single ethernet port. I have such a modem...Motorola 2210 DSL modem with AT&T.

I would love to hear about your suggestions for that. I switched from Time Warner Cable Modem last week due to their crappy service, but never had a problem with XBOX Live using the Cable Modem.

Thank you.
Tim

Also, XBOX is brand new today. Using the newer profiles. Most of the posts online show settings with the old profile and it doesn't apply now.

I suspect that you're getting one layer of NAT from the Motorola 2210 and another layer of NAT from the AirPort Extreme. Double NAT. The Linksys will be the same. I know.

To confirm, open AirPort Utility - Click Manual Setup
Click the Internet icon
The setting for Connection Sharing is "Share a public IP address", correct?

Message was edited by: Bob Timmons

Yes that is correct.

Are you using AT&T or SBC? Where are you located?

AT&T...Southern California.

OK, the grandkids made off with my xBox some time ago. I can tell you what worked for me, it may not work for you.

You've got to get the modem configured to allow the AirPort Extreme to be the only device that supplies NAT service to the network.

Connect the modem directly to your computer and enter the modem setup address in your browser. It's 192.168.1.254. You need to look for the Advanced tab on the left and then look for the PPP Location tab. You'll see a scary red warning.

Right now, the modem setup reads +PPP is on the modem+
Change this to +PPP is on the computer+ (preferable), or depending on your version of modem, you may not have this option and only a +Bridge Mode+ option will appear. Choose Bridge Mode in that case.

Click Restart to change the modem settings.

Important....you won't be able to see the modem setup once you have the modem setup in bridge mode. So, if you ever have to get back to square one, you'll have to hold in the reset button on the modem for 6-8 seconds, connect it to your computer and pull up the 192.168.1.254 configuration page to get PPP back on the modem.

Now, plug the modem back into the AirPort Extreme

Open AirPort Utility - Click Manual Setup
Click the Internet icon
Change the setting for Connection Sharing to Connect Using = PPPoE
Account Name = Probably your email address, whatever you used before when you first setup the modem.
Password = your password
Verify Password
Leave the Service Name area completely blank
Connection = Always On
Disconnect if Idle = Never

Click the TCP/IP tab just above this area and enter in these two addresses for the DNS servers:

206.13.28.11
206.13.29.11

Click Update. Restart the modem as well.

The Double NAT is now gone. Please post on your results.

Well Bob, that was a giant pain in the behind!! I was able to follow the directions completely, and unfortunately it did not work...i had zero internet capabilities after all changes were made. It made my settings very weird in Airport Utility.

After making all of the changes including the DNS addresses,
When my router came back up, in the Airport Tab, the Status showed PPOE with a yellow light.

It displayed the following under

Internet Icon>TCP/IP tab
IP Address : 0.0.0.1
Subnet 255.255.255.0
Router Address 99.143.127.254

I reset the modem and router again, next it came back with

Internet Icon>TCP/IP tab
IP Address : 99.143.101.247
Subnet 255.255.255.0
Router Address 99.143.127.254

DNS Server(s) were the ones you specified.

I tried several attempts to connect to the internet via my computer, and nothing worked. No choice but to reset and go through the initial setup through AT&T. Everything with computers and devices is working now after about an hour or so of playing around, but alas...XBOX Live is still a no go.

I appreciate all of your assistance, and if you have any more suggestions post away.

Thank you.

Tim

Sorry that this did not work for you. I checked my settings here again and they are exactly as I stated. The xbox was working just fine when the kids brought it back over the holidays. Open NAT, online interactive gaming with very good performance.

I looked up the AT&T DNS servers for Southern California and those were the ones that I provided to you. Perhaps it might have been better to leave the DNS areas blank and let the ISP provide those to you. I use the DNS servers for the Texas area, which are different than Southern California. If you want to continue with this, a call to AT&T to explain that you are trying to connect using PPPoE with the modem in bridge mode and need the relevant information to do so might help.

PPPoE on the AirPort Extreme is the only way that you will ever get open NAT on a DSL setup. Cable modems do not have this problem.

You might look over the link to the article below. I used this several years ago when I was having the same issues that you are having now. If you run to Best Buy or Frys and grab a Linksys or Netgear or whatever, you're going to have the same issues that you have now unless you setup the PPPoE service on the router.

If you want to tackle this and give it one more try, I recall that I reset the AirPort Extreme to factory defaults before I tried the PPPoE connection configuration. That might make a huge difference. I was hoping that you could avoid this, but it may not be possible. I understand that it's a hassle to change the settings on the modem and switch back and forth if things go wrong. Been there.

The point is that setting up the modem in bridge mode and configuring the PPPoE service is the only "correct" way to set this up. The Double NAT setup does not cause issues for most users on a home network...unless they try to setup things with online gaming sites. That requires an open NAT setting.

http://burrowowl.net/wordpress/200803/pppoeon_motorola2210-02/

Would be happy to help if you want to keep after this.

I called my ISP this morning to figure out about my internet. I receive internet from a local company and I do not have a cable modem.

I understand. The Motorola 2210 is a DSL modem. DSL and cable are two different animals.

If the phone line plugs into your Motorola 2210 Modem, you have a DSL service line. You will not be able to connect in any fashion to the Internet unless you connect a device...a router or computer to the modem first.

Sorry to be blunt, but you will not be able to connect the xbox and play online unless you configure your DSL modem as I outlined previously and then get the AirPort Extreme configured correctly to work with the modem. It's that, or you need to go back to a cable modem.

If you want to reset the AirPort Extreme back to factory defaults and try the configuration that I outlined before, I'm willing to help. You now know how to reset your modem if things get lost again.

The PPPoE on the AirPort Extreme does work. I've used it for years.

I should have suggested the factory default reset for the Airport Extreme last night, but was hoping that a shortcut would work. That was a mistake.