FAQs

Direct Connection to Cable Modem

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Details: Parent Category: Frequently Asked Xbox Live Questions; Created on Monday, 10 May 2010 11:36; Last Updated on Tuesday, 30 April 2013 09:51; Written by Administrator

Please Note: The information in this section is relevant to other Cable ISP's around the world, not just NTL/Telewest/Virgin Media

Originally, when you wanted to connect any new device to your cable service, you had to register its MAC Address with your provider. NTL/Telewest stopped asking you to do this some years ago.

But recently I've noticed a lot of people are having trouble connecting their Xboxes direct to the cable modem or set top box. Even when they turn the power off and on on the modem/Set Top Box when switching between the PC and Xbox.

Most Cable modems remember the mac address of the single device they are connected to (i.e. your PC or your Xbox or your router). If you simply move the Ethernet cable to another device the modem won't understand, to get around this problem please ensure that before moving the Ethernet cable to another device you power off the modem first so:-

Power off Cable Modem
Move cable to new device
Power on Cable Modem
Wait 2 mins
Try to connect with new device

The information above should work for you but powering on and off can get tedious, if you are constantly swapping between connecting your PC and Xbox to the modem you can work around this by "spoofing" the MAC Address of your PC, instructions are below. After you do this, you do not have to power cycle your modem when switching between Xbox and PC anymore.

Whilst your PC is connected to the modem - Click the "Start" button on your desktop
Click "Run"
Type "cmd"
Type "ipconfig /all" (there's a space between the g and the /)
Make a note of the "Physical Address" from your local area connection, it will look something like this 00-E0-98-C1-88-C2

Start up the 360
Choose Settings/System/Network Settings
Choose Wired or Wireless
Configure Network
Additional Settings
Advanced Settings
Select "Alternate MAC Address"
Enter the "Physical Address" you copied from your computer (Do not enter the dashes)
Select "Done"
Select "Done"
Connect the Xbox to the modem/set top box
Choose the option to "Test Xbox Live", you should connect fine.

If you get the error message "IP Address Failed" after doing the above check our IP Address Failed FAQ

IMPORTANT If your modem has a USB and Ethernet connection do not use both at the same time. If you are already connecting your PC via USB disconnect that connection (and leave disconnected), connect the Xbox via Ethernet and reboot the modem