TechInfoDepot:DD-WRT/Configuring for Xbox 360

Since it seems there are so many people trying to configure their Xbox 360s without success, here's how to configure your DD-WRT based router to properly allow Xbox 360 connections.

Option 1: UPnP (Universal Plug and Play)
Since the 360 is a UPnP compliant device, we can take advantage of the UPnP functionality offered by DD-WRT to automatically open our ports for us:

(these instructions are for DD-WRT v24 pre-SP2)


 * 1) Go to your router setup page (generally 192.168.1.1)
 * 2) Open the NAT/QoS tab
 * 3) Click on the UPnP sub-tab
 * 4) Enable both the "Enable UPnP" option and the "Clear port forwards at startup" option.
 * 5) Save and apply settings.

Option 2: Manually port-forwarding
You can also set up manual port-forwarding, which is more difficult to do but is considered safer than using UPnP, since you control what ports are being opened.

(these instructions are for DD-WRT v24 pre-SP2)


 * 1) Go to your router setup page (generally 192.168.1.1)
 * 2) Set up Static DHCP for your Xbox 360
 * 3) Open the NAT/QoS tab
 * 4) Click on the "Add" button
 * 5) Set the values to the following:
 * 6) * Application - name it whatever you want, Xbox 360 makes the most sense
 * 7) * Port from - 3074
 * 8) * Protocol - Both
 * 9) * IP Address - the static IP you set up for your Xbox 360 in step 2
 * 10) * Port to - 3074
 * 11) * Enable - check this box
 * 12) Save and apply settings.
 * 13) Perform a network test with your Xbox 360. If it still shows a moderate/closed NAT, you may have to repeat these steps with the following ports:
 * 14) * 88
 * 15) * 53
 * 16) * 80 TCP only - in rare cases, most likely not needed

Using QoS to solve latency issues
If you're using your 360 and you start having latency issues, especially when others are using the same connection as you at the same time, then you should look into using Quality of Service (QoS) to prioritize your 360's traffic above other traffic.


 * 1) Go to your router setup page (generally 192.168.1.1)
 * 2) Open the NAT/QoS tab
 * 3) Click on the QoS sub-tab
 * 4) Enable the "Start QoS" option
 * 5) Check off the "Optimize for Gaming" option
 * 6) Set the uplink by using the value of 95% of your maximum uplink. If you don't know your uplink, use a service such as Speedtest, which will quickly and easily test your speed and show you your result.
 * 7) Set the downlink by using the value of 100% of your maximum downlink. If you don't know your downlink, see the above step.
 * 8) Save your settings, but don't apply just yet.
 * 9) In the drop down box under "Service Name", scroll down until you reach "xboxlive". Select it and click the "Add" button. When it adds, set the Priority to anything higher than Standard. You generally should start with Express, and if you continue having latency issues, move up to Premium. You should generally not need to use the "Exempt" option.
 * 10) Save and apply settings.

Issues with Media Sharing (Windows Media Player/Media Center)
If you cannot share media over your local network but can connect to Xbox Live, here are some steps to help diagnose and solve the problem.


 * 1) Ensure your Xbox 360 is allowed to connect and retrieve media on your PC. This can be done in Windows 7 by opening Windows Media Player, clicking on Stream, and ensuring that:
 * 2) * Media Streaming is turned on
 * 3) * If you trust all of the devices in your network, that "Automatically allow devices to play my media..." is checked, or, under "More streaming options...", your Xbox 360 is allowed to connect
 * 4) Your PCs firewall is off. This is important; even if properly configured, some firewalls will still block traffic to your Xbox 360. (Notably ESET Smart Security and McAfee Personal Firewall tend to always block traffic). Windows Firewall does not suffer from this - and will auto-configure itself properly.
 * 5) If Media Center does not work, ensure that it is set up correctly (you should have created a new Extender configuration. Instructions and required downloads can be found on the Xbox.com Website
 * 6) If all of these fails, and either the Xbox 360 or the PC is connected via wireless, ensure that in your DD-WRT setup page, under Wireless -> Advanced Settings, that AP Isolation is disabled.