Unable to consistently keep XBOX Live party with multiple consoles from same location.
JayTee2
Enthusiast - Level 3

I have FIOS (Actiontec MI424WR Rev E with firmware 20.10.7.5) and am having problems staying in a party when running two XBOX 360 consoles.  Both Xbox's are connected to the router wirelessly.   We often like to crreate our own party (of 2) and play the same game (usually COD Black Ops).  The problem is we can both log into XBOX Live without problems.  However, if we create our own party (of 2) and play the same game we run into trouble.  The party may be fine for a random amount of time (minutes or hours), but then one of two scenarios happen.  We either get kicked out of the party and cannot rejoin it.   Or, we remain in the party, but but cannot play together in the same multiplayer map of the same game.  Usually, when this happens I can reboot the router (via the on/off switch) or I have to unplug it for 10 seconds and plug it back in and things work fine for another random amount of time.

I've enabled UPNP and deleted the port forwarding rules for XBOX Live that were already present on the router.  In fact there are numerous port forwarding rules defined (by Verizon?) for games and other applications that I know I did not create nor do we use.   Anyway, with UPNP enabled, one XBOX has an open NAT while the other always has moderate.

What else can I do to get multiiple XBOX 360 consoles to be able to join XBOX Live and stay in the same party, playing the same game.   

Thanks.

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Re: Unable to consistently keep XBOX Live party with multiple consoles from same location.
JayTee2
Enthusiast - Level 3

I've resolved my problem, but my solution is NOT for everyone....

My Setup:
    •    VZ Service:  FiOS Internet only
    •    Actiontec router, configured as bridge:  Actiontec MI424WR-Gen2 Rev E
    •    Actiontec's Firmware:  20.19.8
    •    Router: D-Link DGL-4300
    •    WAN connection method:  Broadband Connection (Coax)
    •    Download/Upload speed:  15/5

I found instructions to configure my Actiontec as a bridge, so it simply receives the internet over COAX and passes it to my own router via Ethernet cable.  My router, which is on the list of compatible Xbox Live routers, then communicates with our Xboxes wirelessly.  We all have open NAT and we have been able to party-up and play online together for the last several days! Smiley Very Happy

I think this is evidence that Actiontec's 20.19.8 firmware does NOT fully support UPnP.  As additional evidence, running the Microsoft Internet Connectivity Evaluation Tool, which among other things tests the router's support for UPnP, fails with the Actiontec configured as a router.  However, with the Actiontec configured as a bridge and my router on the network the same tests shows UPnP is supported.

URL to the Microsoft Internet Connectivity Evaluation Tool:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/using/tools/igd/default.mspx


The instructions I found to bridge the Actiontec worked for me and my setup.  It is supposed to support TV services (guide and VOD) if you have FiOS TV, but since I do not have the TV service I cannot verify it.  Also, the bridge configuration is NOT supported by Verizon, so do not expect any help from them, if you have issues.  I am very comfortable configuring my Actiontec, since I have configured and re-configured it multiple times trying to resolve the Xbox party/play issue.  So, if I messed up somewhere or if the bridging didn't work, I knew I could reset the router and re-configure for my WiFi, if I had to.

Bridging my Actiontec took all of about 15 minutes.  I had pre-configured my router to match my network security and WiFi settings before starting the bridging of the Actontec.  That way once the Actiontec was configured as a bridge all I needed to do was power it down, connect it to my router and power them both up.  

I would advise anyone thinking of bridging their Actiontec to do some research to see what problems they may encounter.  For examle, if you have FiOS TV, does it support a DVR?  I am not sure it does, though I did not look into it since I did not have one anyway.  Also, are there any performance issues?  I have not noticed any so far, but time will tell.

I could have run Ethernet from the ONT right to my router and taken the Actiontec out of the picture.  However, I need to drill through concrete in order to run the cable from the ONT, outside the house, to my router.  And, I do not have time for that now.  Configuring my old router and bridging the Actiontec took a total of 30 minutes.

For those that dare, below is the link to the bridging instructions for the Actiontec MI424WR Rev E, that I used.  As the title implies, the instructions are for the Rev E version of the router.  It is in the post that starts with "How I successfully bridged my Actiontec-GEN2 Rev E with VOD, widgets, guide.".  Since I do not have FiOS TV at the moment, I only completed through step 13.  
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r22339301-MI424WR-GEN2-Rev-E-Configuration-Thread~start=80
 
Again, if you are thinking of bridging your Actiontec MI424WR Rev E, do your homework.  If you have FiOS TV service look into what might not be supported by bridging.  If you do decide to bridge, make sure you know how to setup your own router to service your network (network security, WiFi, etc.) and configure it before bridging the Actiontec.  That way your network will be down for the shortest time possible.


Good luck to all. And many thanks to dlr and smith for their assistance in trying to resolve the Xbox party/play issue!


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Re: Unable to consistently keep XBOX Live party with multiple consoles from same location.
dslr595148
Community Leader
Community Leader

I wonder it is because the router has a small/tiny NAT table.

Points you to

http://www.dslreports.com/faq/16233

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Re: Unable to consistently keep XBOX Live party with multiple consoles from same location.
JayTee2
Enthusiast - Level 3

dslr, 

Thanks for the response and the information. 

It may very well be the size fo the NAT table, but I don't know how to confirm whether or not we are hitting that limit.  From what I read in the information you sent, they no longer write the NAT connection pool errors to the log.

Somehow, I need to be able to get upto 3 xbox 360s, on XBL at the same time and in the same party and game.  

I would love to go with another router.  In fact I still have my old gaming router from the DSL days which worked without issue.  However, I have read that it is no easy task to replace the MI424WR and keep FIOS TV functionality that I am paying for (i.e. VOD, etc).  And let me be clear, I am a NOOB when it comes to this.

I am hoping folks with the MI424WR Rev E and multiple 360 consoles will respond.  If they too are unable to get OPEN NAT on all of the consoles, then I think that it is a strong indication that the size of the NAT table is the cause of the problem.  And if folks with the REV F and multiple consoles respond indicating that they have no issue (all OPEN NAT), I think that too would indicate the NAT table size, since the Rev F's is more then twice that of the Rev E.  In fact, it might be worth the effort to try to get VZ to send a REV F replacement anyway.  

To be clear, I have removed all PORT FORWARDING settings for Xbox Live that were pre-configured on the router.  I enabled UPNP and I have not configured any PORT TRIGGERING.

If anyone has any ideas on how to get this to work, I would be glad to hear from them.

Thanks.

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Re: Unable to consistently keep XBOX Live party with multiple consoles from same location.
smith6612
Community Leader
Community Leader

You have already done the task of setting up UPnP, which is needed in this kind of situation since you cannot port forward for two Xboxes at the same time. In this case, what you should try doing is connecting at least one of the Xbox 360s to the router directly through Ethernet to see if perhaps the Wireless is the source of your lagging and connection problems.

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Re: Unable to consistently keep XBOX Live party with multiple consoles from same location.
JayTee2
Enthusiast - Level 3

UPDATE:  Now have OPEN NAT on both Xbox consoles, but still unable to play in the same multilayer match...

As it turns out I had a left over PORT TRIGGERING rule for 3074.  Sorry, I should have caught this.  I initially set this up because UPNP alone did not work.  Anyway, I removed it, shutdown all consoles and cycled the power on the router.  After the router fully powered up (internet light was green) we powered up the consoles, but still had one Open and the other Moderate.  So, we powered everything down again, but this time when powering up the consoles we ran the network test on each (this was suggested in other posts).  This time both consoles reported Open NAT.

However, while we can form a party, we cannot play in the same match in the game (COD Black OPS).  As soon as we enter a match, it will drop one of us into a completely different match.  And, if one tries to join the other's session, it kicks the that person out of their match, before putting the requester in that match.

I did not trust the "Open NAT" reported on the consoles so we shut them both down and started them up, without running the network test this time.  To my surprise, they still reported OPEN NAT.  Unfortunately, we could form a party, but could not play in the same match.  I am completely confused.  I thought if both reported Open NAT there would be no problem playing in the same match while in the same party.

Assuming it truly is an OPEN NAT as both consoles indicate, it leads me to believe I may have a configuration/setting problem.  I will spend this evening going through the router's configuration to see if I can find anything.

BTW - Smith, thanks for the response.  I will try as you suggest and plug one of the consoles into the router.

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Re: Unable to consistently keep XBOX Live party with multiple consoles from same location.
JayTee2
Enthusiast - Level 3

Well, I spent the weekend going over the router settings, but was not able to find the problem.   I still have to try wiring the consoles directly to the router, but since the router is no where near a TV, it will take some doing. 

I was able to turn on additional logging by having it report all outbound connections.  I was able to see both consoles were connecting to the 3074 port.  I turned the reporting off, once I was done, as it generates a great deal of log messages.

We did have an interesting set of circumstances one night...

Any time we tried to play in the same match, XBL would always split us up into separate matches.  Even if we were not in the same party.  However, at one point after playing in separate matches (and not in a party), XBL dropped us into the same match and we were able to play together. Before we quit for the night, we tried to form a party.  And XBL kicked one of us all the way out to the Xbox Live screen of COD Black Ops (prior to the Find a Match screen).

Will update once I've tried to wire directly to the router.  

In the meantime, has anyone with the MI424WR Rev E with firmware 20.10.8 and with more than one XBOX console been able to play in a party in the same match????   If so, I would really like to hear from you.

Thanks.

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Re: Unable to consistently keep XBOX Live party with multiple consoles from same location.
JayTee2
Enthusiast - Level 3

I found a couple of postings of users with the MI424WR Rev E (firmware not specified) who simply turned on UpNp and were able to get multiple xbox 360s online at the same time via the same router.

That got me to thinking...  I have an older Xbox 360 (circa 2007) that does not have WiFi built in.  So, I am using a gaming adapter that has been assigned a static IP.  My understanding is that UpNp requires DHCP and not static IPs.  So, I am wondering if the  game adapter with its static IP is causing the problem, even though the Xbox it is connected to does NOT have a static IP.

Will be testing this theory tonight when I connect the Xbox directly into the router (no WiFi).  If that works than I will put the Xbox back where it normally sits and re-configure the game adapter to DHCP and give it a go.

Re: Unable to consistently keep XBOX Live party with multiple consoles from same location.
JayTee2
Enthusiast - Level 3

I went ahead and reconfigured my game adapter to get its IP via DHCP and removed its static IP reservation from the router. Once the router rebooted we both logged onto our xboxes.  Both Xboxes reported and OPEN NAT.  However, we still could not form a party.  We sent several invites to each other, but they never made it to the other person.  Not sure where they went.

However, we were able to join each other's session and play in the same game.  We could not communicate via a party, but this is a good start. 

Will be barrowing a small TV so that I can wire the xbox directly to the router.

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Re: Unable to consistently keep XBOX Live party with multiple consoles from same location.
dslr595148
Community Leader
Community Leader

#1 In the router go to the Firewall controls.

#2 What is OR are they set to?

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Re: Unable to consistently keep XBOX Live party with multiple consoles from same location.
JayTee2
Enthusiast - Level 3

Not sure what all you are looking for, so here is everything under Firewall Settings...

To the left of the equals sign is a selectable link, under Firewall Settings and to the right are the settings for it:


General = Typical (Medium)
Access Control = None defined.
DMZ = Disabled.

Port Triggering = None defined.

Static IP = None defined.
Port Forwarding = There were a few entries for something like IHA CLIENT (ports 54000 to 54002). There was also one for my Xbox for 3074.  I again deleted this, but as soon as I join a game it comes back.
Also, without making any changes, we are back to not being able to play in the same game.  We can now form a party, but as soon as we go into a game, one of use is pushed into a different match.  This is getting old!
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