We're aware that some people may be experiencing problems joining into and maintaining a connection for multiplayer games of Killzone: Mercenary.
If you are having problems then the details below may help you set up your internet connection to be more stable for this game.
IMPORTANT: Contact your Internet Service Provider or router manufacturer for proper instructions on how to make a configuration change on your router, input port information for your network or to set up a DMZ device.
Please note that there are some technical aspects to the information below and you should feel comfortable with carrying them out, and have permission to do so, before you make any alterations.
Connections and network ports used by Killzone Mercenary.
Killzone: Mercenary uses certain network ports in order to connect to the PlayStation Network (see
http://manuals.playstation.net/document/gb/psvita/psn/firewall.html).
Killzone: Mercenary also connects to game servers providing community features.
Killzone: Mercenary makes connections to other players running Killzone: Mercenary when playing multiplayer games.
For each connection to another player, Killzone: Mercenary makes a connection to them using a port in the following range:
Port 49167-65535 UDP
The PS Vita connection settings application's network test does not test that these ports are open. So, even if you are being reported as NAT Type 2 or 1, you may find these ports are not open on your router.
Unopened ports may lead to failed connection to other players, and the guidelines below may be able to resolve that issue.
Note: If your NAT Type is 3, making these changes may not be enough to get you connecting. If difficulties prevail, you should contact your system administrator or ISP provider for assistance.
Troubleshooting
If you have problems getting into multiplayer games with other people (for example, youre regularly seeing a failed to connect to host error message from the game), you might need to make a configuration change on your router in order for Killzone: Mercenary to improve the connection with other players.
You may be able to resolve issues by setting up one of the following, in order of preference :-
Port Triggering.
Port Forwarding.
Making your Vita the DMZ device on your router.
Note: It is advised to avoid making your Vita the DMZ device if possible, as only 1 device in your home network can be the DMZ device, and you may need another device to have that role. However, if you have NAT Type 3 connection then this may be your only option as Port Triggering and Port Forwarding will not work.
Setting up Port Triggering
A guide to setting up port triggering can be found here -
http://portforward.com/help/porttriggering.htm.
Routers which support Port Triggering generally have their Port Triggering configuration sections near to that for Port Forwarding. The main difference is you have to say which port sending out data should result in ports being opened for traffic back inbound.
In the case of Killzone: Mercenary, if possible you should set ports 49167-65535 UDP outbound to open the same ports inbound.
Otherwise, if your router requires a specific outbound port to trigger opening inbound, then set port 3478 UDP to open ports 49167-65535 UDP inbound.
If you need help setting up port triggers, contact whoever provides support for your router such as your ISP or router manufacturer for details. If this is not possible, the Port Forward website (
http://portforward.com/) may have information on how to find the port triggering section on your router.
Setting up Port Forwarding
If you can, then you should setup port triggering, as port forwarding requires you to give your Vita a static IP address.
A guide to setting up a static IP for your PS Vita can be found here:
http://community.killzone.com/t5/Killzone-Mercenary-PS-Vita/Setting-up-your-Router-with-Port-Forward...
Once this has been done, information on opening ports on your router may be found at the Port Forward website (
http://portforward.com/). Look for an entry with specific instructions for Killzone: Mercenary.
This is in addition to the ports required by PlayStation Network (
http://portforward.com/english/applications/port_forwarding/PlayStation_Network_PSVita/default.htm).
Note: If the portforward.com details cannot be located, you can use the guide for PlayStation Network, but instead of opening the PlayStation Network ports, open UDP ports 49167-65535 to your Vita's static IP.
Making your PS Vita the DMZ device on your router
This is not the preferred approach, but with some routers it's just not possible to easily set up triggering or forwarding of the game ports. The 'DMZ' device is the device on your network where any traffic that the router doesn't have a destination for will be sent - this makes your PS Vita the bucket for any data being sent to the router, and will often work where other versions don't.
Firstly you have to assign your PS Vita a static IP address as above for port forwarding - once again, the guide here can help:
http://community.killzone.com/t5/Killzone-Mercenary-PS-Vita/Setting-up-your-Router-with-Port-Forward...
Then in your router, you will need to find the option for setting a DMZ device, and enter in the details of the static IP address you've assigned to your Vita. This is usually to be found in the firewall or advanced settings router option.
In Summary
If you are unable to make a stable connection to join or play Killzone: Mercenary multiplayer games, then you may be able to gain a better connection by trying one of the above options.
In order of preference they are Port Triggering, Port Forwarding and Making your Vita the DMZ device for your router.
However, you should only do this if you are comfortable with the technical details involved, and have the permission of the router owner to make the changes.
