Port Forwarding Help - Xbox + PC with SMC

[stevo909]

Hey everyone

So im having some lag issues with gaming on my laptop, and with gaming on my XBOX 360. I was hoping someone could Shed some Light on whats happening and maybe some ideas on how to fix.

I have Shaw Cable internet (From BC, Canada), an SMC Wireless Router, an XBOX 360, and a toshiba Laptop. The big problem is that my xbox always only gets low connection strength, whether it be wireless, or hooked straight into the router. I just always lag in games, to the point i get kicked off of XBL completely. Like i said, i have tryed both Wired, and wireless with the router and i have no luck. My PC has the same problem, trying to play Battlefield 2, wirelessly, is just a pain in the butt!!

My connection is rated for 5mbps. I have super fast downloads off the internet adn what not, just cant get good gaming. I heard that ISPs throttle down your service once in a while to stop you from using torrents, could that be the problem? As well, i read you can use port forwarding on the router to help increase connectivity so i will try that soon. From what i read you need to create a static IP for the XBOX and PC in question, so im asking you all for help with doing that, and then on the side if you have any ideas as to how i can increase my gaming performance!!

Any comments would be much appreciated. Thanks

Steven

[jdrom17]

To me that sounds more like your ISP is throttling the connection. It's probably categorized as P2P, thus gets throttled.

Port forwarding wouldn't really help I'd think. No harm in trying though, look here: http://portforward.com/

I'd phone up Shaw and ask if they throttle XBOX Live.

[stevo909]

thanks, i called they said we are not being throttled, and that when he checked he could see my xbox receiving and sending faster than either of our computers?? He did say that the TX (?? no idea what that is) levels on the modem were in red which was bad. If someone could put that into english haha. I asked for the DNS address in order to manually input the adresses into my xbox and port forward it, but he gave me some random thing which didnt work? maybe my modem is old or going defective?? thanks for the help again, keep throwin ideas at me

[jdrom17]

TX is for transmitting I believe. RX for receiving. Did he give you any help to improve the TX?

That link should tell you how to setup port forwarding for XBOX Live with step-by-step instructions for your specific router.
http://www.portforward.com/english/routers/port_forwarding/routerindex.htm

[yahooadam]

Hmm weird problem

Well to start with, i don't see how Port Forwarding would help at all, if your getting as far as connecting to something, the ports are probably already open

The big problem is that my xbox always only gets low connection strength, whether it be wireless, or hooked straight into the router.
I'm sorry, how do you get a "Low Connection Strength" using a cable? something sounds wrong there
Did you actually tell the 360 to use the wired connection instead of the wireless when the cable was plugged in

I think its probably a problem with your wireless tbh, but as you get the issues on your laptop too that's odd, have you tried gaming closer to your router (a few meters away with direct LOS)

[stevo909]

i mean when its connected, it still lags, and shows my connection to XBL in the red. I dont mean wirelessly i get low signal strength, i mean wired i have a crap connection with XBL. For example, on Halo3, when your playing MP, and when you respawn a screen comes up, on the right side showing everyones connection strengths, mines always red, even when the box is plugged in. Wirelessly within 3 meters, with a direct LOS it does the same.

My next question is, Shaw gives us 5mbps rating...i did a speed test and my laptop did come up with close to that number, is that to slow for online gaming? Should i up it to extreme and get the 10 mbps?

[yahooadam]

You should easily be able to game on 512kb let alone 5mbit

From what you've said, it could well be some sort of port forwarding issue, those indicators usually mean you are having trouble making a good connection with the server (and you may be going through some kind of proxy to make it work)

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/908874