nat port problem

ktj

Hi,
Help needed please .

3 days ago my son lost his xbox live connection :eek::eek::eek:.

I have been trying to sort it out ever since, but I haven't got a clue as I don't really understand 'tinternet :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:.

We've done everything that the xbox suggests without success and when I phoned xbox (free phone thank goodness) the people there were great and spent ages trying to help. Infact they were so good that I almost understood what they were on about.
Anyway they eventually deduced that the NAT ports which apparently allow the xbox to communicate with the internet had been closed and needed to be reopened by my internet service provider. So I was told to contact my provider - Tiscali :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek: to get this done.

I have repeatedly tried to phone Tiscali, but have never managed to get to the front of the queue and as their phone charges are exorbitant, I'm reluctant to keep trying, so I wondered if anyone else has had the same NAT port problem and had been able to solve it without using their service provider. A friend has suggeted that there are web sites that can help, but couldn't give specifices, so I was hoping that there's some techie out there that could help. I really hope so - my son is desperate to get back on xbox live!!!!! Thanks in advance for any advice that you can give. ktj.

gaming_guy

find your router on this site, select xbox live and follow the guide

pcombo

NAT isn't a port its a service on the router thats either enabled or disabled. So i imagine the problem would relate around your xbox, wireless or ethernet try entering the ip, subnet mask and dns server manual if you dont know this info just do

start>run>cmd> ipconfig

copy the subnet mask and dns server.

but change the last digit on the ip so you dont get a conflict.

DCFC79

OP you havent said how the xbox connecting to the router, wired or wireless

ktj

Hi again,
Many thanks for all of the advice :T:T:T:T:T.
I'm sure that will sort us out. I'll try it this evening.
Thanks again :beer:
Incidentally our system is wireless. ktj.

esuhl

NAT is to do with how your Tiscali IP address (like a phone number, but for Internet instead of phone) relates to the private IP addresses (like phone extension numbers) on your home network.

So, your router will have the IP address 123.45.67.89 (or whatever), but on your network 192.168.0.2 (or whatever) will be your PC and 192.168.0.3 will be your X Box.

My desk phone at work has extension 4567, which cannot be dialled directly from outside the company - you would need to call reception and ask for extension 4567. Even so, I can pick up the phone an dial an external number.

In the same way, your X Box can "dial out", but if another X Box wants to contact yours, it has to call "reception" (i.e. your router) via your Tiscali IP address and ask to be put through to your X Box on 192.168.0.3. The only problem is that the other X Box won't actually know the "extension" number that your X Box is currently using.

The way round this is to say that any communication on a particular port should be forwarded to your X Box. This is known as port forwarding and should be documented in the manual for your router. (A port is just a number that is associated with a particular use of the Internet - so, your web browser might use port 80, a game on your X Box might use port 45678.)

But Tiscali themselves could simply block all communication via a particular port. The only way round this would be to change the port you use (if you can) or speak to Tiscali themselves. A quick web search suggests that Tiscali may block some ports in certain circumstances: http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=tiscali+port+blocking

I hope this helps make things a bit clearer...

P.S. This all applies to both wired and wireless connections.