HOW TO CHANGE YOUR NAT TYPE ON XBOX ONE

If you're a gamer, the term NAT-type can be something you've seen before - probably not for fun reasons. Those who want to change the NAT type of their console can do it with the methods mentioned here, but before we go into the details, let's first explain what NAT is.

Oh, and it's worth noting that NAT will only affect peer-to-peer gaming, so if the game you're playing uses dedicated servers, NAT shouldn't be the source of the problem for your connectivity issues.

If you suffer from another Xbox problem, you can consult our guide to repair the 'black screen of death' of the Xbox One and update Xbox One.

What is NAT?

The term NAT stands for Network Address Translation. This is essentially the process that your router uses to connect devices to the Internet. It is a necessary process because of IP addresses, especially IPv4 addresses.

Every device within a local network is assigned a unique IP address. They are combinations of 4 groups of up to 3 numbers.


There are around 4.3 billion different IP address combinations, but even that is not enough to ensure that each device has its own unique address.

To combat this, your internet provider will take the IPv4 addresses of all individual devices in your household and use an IP address for all of these devices.

This is where the confusion occurs in your router and from the outside all connected devices will use the same IP address.

Here NAT comes to offer the rescue of the router. NAT is used to keep a log of every request made to the router from each individual device.

Once that request has reached the web and it responds to your router, NAT ensures that it is sent back to the correct device.


 It is useful to note that there may be problems with your connection if your internet provider is strict with internet traffic or if there are restrictions on specific types of content being sent / received.

Your Xbox usually uses UPnP to process an open NAT type. With UPnP or Universal Plug 'n' Play you can in principle have your Xbox forwarded automatically.

This is great because it allows your console to communicate effectively with your router, allowing you to play Xbox Live on an Open NAT type without having to configure it yourself.

However, we know that the implementation of UPnP on the Xbox One is poor and therefore may not always provide the NAT type that you need to connect to others online.

The different types of NAT

NAT types are a way to categorize NAT. There are three types and each dictates how good an online experience you will have.

You can often see what NAT type you have in the pre-game lobby of an online match, but if that's not an option, you can find out by opening the network settings on your console. We will elaborate on this below.

Below is a table where you can find compatibility issues with different NAT types and possibly explain why you are having trouble connecting with other players.

OPEN NAT: This is the optimum type that is available. With an Open NAT you should have no problems connecting with other players, but also to be able to chat and party with players without problems. You are also able to host multiplayer games with people of all NAT types.

AVERAGE NAT: Although acceptable under most circumstances, it is by no means an ideal NAT type. With an average NAT type, your connection to games may be slower, the game delay may increase, and in most cases you are not a host.

STRICT NAT: This is the worst NAT type available. You can only connect to players with an open NAT, and even then you may experience problems with the chat and game connection. The game delay will be worse and you will often find that you are disconnected while playing.

Check your NAT type on Xbox One

It is fairly easy to check your NAT type on your Xbox One. Some games such as Call of Duty and FIFA will show you what NAT type you have in the pre-game lobby, but if the information is not available, it can be easily found in the network's Xbox settings menu. Simply navigate to Start> Settings> Network Settings and your NAT type can be viewed under "Current Network Status."

Change your NAT type on Xbox One

Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to NAT-type issues, and you may need to log in to your ISP hub manager to resolve your current issue.

Keep in mind that your Xbox One can be very temperamental, so even if you can change your NAT type to open, there is no guarantee that this will stay open forever.


However, there are a few solutions that Xbox One owners can try. As we mentioned earlier, your console uses UPnP to port forward.

The problem is that the UPnP reservations that your Xbox makes with the router expire after a period of inactivity because other devices request that ports be opened and held for them.

This is all done for compatibility and security reasons, which is great. Why? When a device needs access to the router again, it renegotiates the leases and retakes the reservations.

The problem is that your Xbox One requires a full restart for this to happen. If you have enabled the 'Direct on' option for your console, this will bypass any reset of your Xbox when it is turned on. What should you do?

Switch off 'Instant On' and switch on 'Energy Saver'

By disabling 'Instant On' and enabling 'Energy Saver', your console restarts with every start-up and therefore extends its UPnP leases. Unfortunately, this also means that you have to deal with much longer start-up times.

Harde reset method

If that doesn't work, try restarting your Xbox One console. If you want to reset your Xbox One hard, press and hold the power button. After restarting, go back to the network settings and test your multiplayer connection again.

Hopefully your UPnP lease contracts have been renewed and your NAT type now says 'Open' or at least 'Moderate'.

LT + RT + LB + RB-method

If you have tried the above methods in vain, test your multiplayer connection again in network settings and hold LT + RT + LB + RB to access an 'Advanced' screen.

Here your Xbox tries to renew its UPnP leases. Keep in mind that this process can take a few minutes, so be patient and hopefully your Xbox works together.

Assign a static IP address manually

If you are still dealing with a strict NAT type after trying these solutions, you may need to manually assign your static IP address to your Xbox and use your ISP hub manager to show your router where you can get your console find.

First you need to take note of the IP address of your Xbox, which you can find in Settings> Network settings> Advanced settings.

After you have noted the IP address of your consoles, you must log in to your hub manager.

There are of course many different managers available for all different routers, so for help with your hub manager, consult your ISP's website or use portforward.com.

This website has a very large list of ISPs and has a guide for opening ports with the respective hub managers.

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