FAQs

Xbox Live wont connect until I run a connection test

Details

Written by Administrator

This problem usually occurs when you have set a static ip address on the Xbox when using port forwarding or a DMZ.

It seems the Xbox gets upset in certain set-ups:-

• IP Address = Auto & DNS = Auto = GOOD
• IP Address = manual/static & DNS = Auto = BAD (and won't connect until you run a connection test)
• IP Address = manual/static & DNS = manual/static = GOOD

Solution One - DHCP Reservation

Most decent routers these days have an option called "DHCP Reservation" this feature will allow you to reserve an ip address for your Xbox (or any device) based on the mac address of the device. So once you know the mac address of your Xbox look here you can enter it into your router in the DHCP reservation area and reserve it an ip address. Then simply set your Xbox ip address back to auto and forward the Xbox live ports to the ip address you have reserved. Its like a static ip address but easier to do, it is my preferred method.

Solution Two - Static DNS

If DHCP reservation is not an option or you just want to use a static ip address then to resolve the problem you must also statically set your DNS entry in your Xbox, you can do this a few ways:-

• Enter the ip address on your router in the DNS section of your Xbox (your default gateway)
• Enter the real DNS ip addresses your ISP uses (you can find this by accessing your router menu and looking in the router status or WAN status section)
• Enter a public DNS service like Google DNS 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4