Xbox One is on, and during this period if you are encountering connectivity issues, Network Address Translation (NAT) type is the first place to look. NAT establishes how easily we connect to other players, potentially limiting who we can enjoy games with. While various solutions can alter NAT type, enabling Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) is usually accepted as the first step.
For Xbox One consoles, Xbox Live is down on May 22, 2020, which may cause NAT issues to be displayed.
The latest updates are as follows.
Why there is a need for Open NAT on Xbox One
We may have seen terms indicating the leniency of NAT types when connected to Xbox Live and playing online games. This somewhat represents compatibility with other players, with stricter NAT types often experiencing multiplayer connectivity issues.
Users with Open NAT will generally see the best experience on Xbox Live. While getting NAT open is ultimately the end goal for the best connectivity, this has proven to be difficult for many users. One of the standard solutions is port forwarding, helping to route gaming traffic directly to the console.
Understanding UPnP in gaming
- Ports are digital channels for the router, used for sorting incoming and outgoing internet traffic.
- UPnP essentially allows applications automatically to forward ports, to avoid the hassle of manual “port forwarding.”
- Although they achieve the same output, UPnP enables the console to request a port seamlessly rather than requiring specific port numbers to be entered manually. And for many, it’s a simple flick of a switch.
- We must note that UPnP has seen heavy criticism in the past, due to a long list of security flaws associated with the technology.
- Malicious programs can leverage UPnP vulnerabilities, only as a result of its open nature. So there may be some related security risks here.
- The technology is far from standardized, meaning implementations can vary between routers, especially on older or less reputable models.
- It is a case of slightly relaxing security for convenience, though usually, the risk isn’t high for home consumers.
Port forwarding only creates specific port maps to maintain higher security levels, but it requires a bit of manual work.
How to enable UPnP for Xbox One
If we want to enable UPnP on our router, the setup process is simple. Steps may vary between router models, though we’ve provided a general guideline of what to expect. Do not use a combination of port forwarding, UPnP, or DMZ when configuring Xbox One’s connectivity. Make sure all are disabled before moving forward.
Follow the steps:
- Navigate to the router login page.
- Log in to the router using the required credentials.
- Navigate to the UPnP menu on the router.
- The given action once again varies between models, so please be specific on the router.
- If UPnP is not available, we must recommend port forwarding.
- Enable the UPnP.
- Save changes.
- Open the Settings app on Xbox One.
- Select the Network tab.
- Select Test NAT type tile. It would be best if you had Open NAT on Xbox One.
If the above steps didn’t work, we recommend trying port forwarding with Xbox One.
