XBox Live to Airport question. . . (hairy!)

[Foobar Jones]

On 25 Jun 2003 18:06:33 -0700, shavetail0000@yahoo.com (Dr. Shavers)
wrote:
Hi folks. I'm in desperate need of advice from people who are muchwiser than I when it comes to computers. I have a flat panel iMac with a wireless connection to my AirportBasestation - not the new 11g, but the model right behind it. I havemy XBox directly connected to my Airport via the LAN port with a 50foot ethernet cable (Belkin male/male FastCAT5e Networking cable). MyAirport is connected to my DSL modem (512K connection) etc, etc. I can get onto XBox Live without a hitch, but I'll be darned if Irandomly, yet regularly loose my connection after a few minutes ofotherwise perfect, lag-free play. There's no set time limit, but it*seems like* the more players in a round of MechAssault or TetrisOnline, the better the chances of loosing my connection. When I say"more players" I mean 6 or so in Mech and three or four in Tetris.These are my only two games. This is extremley frustrating. I'm just now discovering the joysof online gaming and am left a bit impotent. Should I run a crossover cable between my 'Box and Airport? Couldthis be a port problem? XBox Live says the following ports must beopen: * UDP 88 * UDP 3074 *TCP 3074 Does this apply to the Mac, or is this a PC thing? If it could be myproblem, how do I open them?

It's a router thing - your XBOX doesn't know a thing about PC or Mac
anything - it just knows it needs access to those ports. However,
since it works for a while, I don't have a lot of confidence that it's
a port issue.

Simple solution to see if it's a fault with the Airport or the DSL
speed - plug the XBOX directly into your DSL modem and try it to see
how it works. If it works fine, there's a problem (well, not really a
problem, but setup work required) for the Airport device. XBOX.COM
should have info on XBOX-certified routers, including wireless routers
- you may want to look at that for a replacement or ideas.
If anyone has any bright ideas, please share with me here - notthrough e-mail. I'm very ignorant when it come to computers, so feelfree to talk to me as though I were 5. I won't be offended. A free 6 pack of your favorite adult beverage to anyone who canfigure out this nasty little puzzle! Thanks very much.

[Dr. Shavers]

foo <foo@bar.com> wrote in message news:<vsemfvoj3crak8qsramcnhe0r5ob1g51e7@4ax.com>... On 25 Jun 2003 18:06:33 -0700, shavetail0000@yahoo.com (Dr. Shavers) wrote:Hi folks. I'm in desperate need of advice from people who are muchwiser than I when it comes to computers. I have a flat panel iMac with a wireless connection to my AirportBasestation - not the new 11g, but the model right behind it. I havemy XBox directly connected to my Airport via the LAN port with a 50foot ethernet cable (Belkin male/male FastCAT5e Networking cable). MyAirport is connected to my DSL modem (512K connection) etc, etc. I can get onto XBox Live without a hitch, but I'll be darned if Irandomly, yet regularly loose my connection after a few minutes ofotherwise perfect, lag-free play. There's no set time limit, but it*seems like* the more players in a round of MechAssault or TetrisOnline, the better the chances of loosing my connection. When I say"more players" I mean 6 or so in Mech and three or four in Tetris.These are my only two games. This is extremley frustrating. I'm just now discovering the joysof online gaming and am left a bit impotent. Should I run a crossover cable between my 'Box and Airport? Couldthis be a port problem? XBox Live says the following ports must beopen: * UDP 88 * UDP 3074 *TCP 3074 Does this apply to the Mac, or is this a PC thing? If it could be myproblem, how do I open them? It's a router thing - your XBOX doesn't know a thing about PC or Mac anything - it just knows it needs access to those ports. However, since it works for a while, I don't have a lot of confidence that it's a port issue. Simple solution to see if it's a fault with the Airport or the DSL speed - plug the XBOX directly into your DSL modem and try it to see how it works. If it works fine, there's a problem (well, not really a problem, but setup work required) for the Airport device. XBOX.COM should have info on XBOX-certified routers, including wireless routers - you may want to look at that for a replacement or ideas. If anyone has any bright ideas, please share with me here - notthrough e-mail. I'm very ignorant when it come to computers, so feelfree to talk to me as though I were 5. I won't be offended. A free 6 pack of your favorite adult beverage to anyone who canfigure out this nasty little puzzle! Thanks very much.

Interesting Foo. Now, if you don't mind - stay with me here. I've
done that - plugged the 'Box's ethernet cable directly into the DSL
modem.
I get nothing. Absolutely nothing. No connection.
What does that tell you?

[Foobar Jones]

On 26 Jun 2003 18:45:42 -0700, shavetail0000@yahoo.com (Dr. Shavers)
wrote:
foo <foo@bar.com> wrote in message news:<vsemfvoj3crak8qsramcnhe0r5ob1g51e7@4ax.com>... On 25 Jun 2003 18:06:33 -0700, shavetail0000@yahoo.com (Dr. Shavers) wrote:Hi folks. I'm in desperate need of advice from people who are muchwiser than I when it comes to computers. I have a flat panel iMac with a wireless connection to my AirportBasestation - not the new 11g, but the model right behind it. I havemy XBox directly connected to my Airport via the LAN port with a 50foot ethernet cable (Belkin male/male FastCAT5e Networking cable). MyAirport is connected to my DSL modem (512K connection) etc, etc. I can get onto XBox Live without a hitch, but I'll be darned if Irandomly, yet regularly loose my connection after a few minutes ofotherwise perfect, lag-free play. There's no set time limit, but it*seems like* the more players in a round of MechAssault or TetrisOnline, the better the chances of loosing my connection. When I say"more players" I mean 6 or so in Mech and three or four in Tetris.These are my only two games. This is extremley frustrating. I'm just now discovering the joysof online gaming and am left a bit impotent. Should I run a crossover cable between my 'Box and Airport? Couldthis be a port problem? XBox Live says the following ports must beopen: * UDP 88 * UDP 3074 *TCP 3074 Does this apply to the Mac, or is this a PC thing? If it could be myproblem, how do I open them? It's a router thing - your XBOX doesn't know a thing about PC or Mac anything - it just knows it needs access to those ports. However, since it works for a while, I don't have a lot of confidence that it's a port issue. Simple solution to see if it's a fault with the Airport or the DSL speed - plug the XBOX directly into your DSL modem and try it to see how it works. If it works fine, there's a problem (well, not really a problem, but setup work required) for the Airport device. XBOX.COM should have info on XBOX-certified routers, including wireless routers - you may want to look at that for a replacement or ideas. If anyone has any bright ideas, please share with me here - notthrough e-mail. I'm very ignorant when it come to computers, so feelfree to talk to me as though I were 5. I won't be offended. A free 6 pack of your favorite adult beverage to anyone who canfigure out this nasty little puzzle! Thanks very much. Interesting Foo. Now, if you don't mind - stay with me here. I'vedone that - plugged the 'Box's ethernet cable directly into the DSLmodem. I get nothing. Absolutely nothing. No connection. What does that tell you?

That tells me your DSL modem might use PPPoE, and the XBOX doesn't
know how that works, since it expects DHCP (without name/password
hassles) for its' connection. Did you need to set up your DSL modem
with PPPoE when you got it?

[Dr. Shavers]

f That tells me your DSL modem might use PPPoE, and the XBOX doesn't know how that works, since it expects DHCP (without name/password hassles) for its' connection. Did you need to set up your DSL modem with PPPoE when you got it?

Nope. just checked. I'm using DHCP, but not DHCP with manual IP
address - for what's it's worth.
Obviously Airport is not an approved router for XBox Live. I may
have to buy an approved router, like a D-Link , but I'm not sure if
that will be compatible with a Mac.

[Foobar Jones]

On 27 Jun 2003 17:51:04 -0700, shavetail0000@yahoo.com (Dr. Shavers)
wrote:
foo <foo@bar.com> wrote in message news:<hhrofvcdpp0jnujm007gg5k15dthpsv7ik@4ax.com>... On 26 Jun 2003 18:45:42 -0700, shavetail0000@yahoo.com (Dr. Shavers) wrote: That tells me your DSL modem might use PPPoE, and the XBOX doesn't know how that works, since it expects DHCP (without name/password hassles) for its' connection. Did you need to set up your DSL modem with PPPoE when you got it? No, it was pretty much plug-n-play, but I did have someone inhelping me tighten up my household security recently. I'll look intothis. Would this PPPoE thing let me get *any* connection with XBoxLive or could I get on, but have a shakey connection?

If you had PPPoE you wouldn't have any connection at all without
proper setup, so if you didn't set up your router with name/password
information, you don't have PPPoE. In that case, I have no idea why
your xbox doesn't work. Once you hooked it up did you reboot
everything?
What does PPPoEstand for? Is it part of my Airport's firewall, cause I'm starting towonder if this has something to do with it

If you didn't set up PPPoE on your airport, you don't have PPPoE.
It's PPP over Ethernet, and allows for the DSL providers to control
who and when for security purposes.

[Foobar Jones]

On 27 Jun 2003 18:19:02 -0700, shavetail0000@yahoo.com (Dr. Shavers)
wrote:
f That tells me your DSL modem might use PPPoE, and the XBOX doesn't know how that works, since it expects DHCP (without name/password hassles) for its' connection. Did you need to set up your DSL modem with PPPoE when you got it? Nope. just checked. I'm using DHCP, but not DHCP with manual IPaddress - for what's it's worth.

The two are mutually exclusive.
Obviously Airport is not an approved router for XBox Live. I mayhave to buy an approved router, like a D-Link , but I'm not sure ifthat will be compatible with a Mac.

It will work fine. CompUSA has a wireless router for $30 this week;
stop by and grab one.