As promised I will just start (because I do not research the intricate details of routers and router firmware) a thread with some helpful tips to improve your wireless network setting. If you have any tips feel free to include them. This thread is being made on a computer that has pretty much everything locked, so forgive me if there are tons of missing info. Post some and i will be sure to add them.
Not everyone has their console right next to their internet connection, so there are many times when a wireless network may be needed. Here are some tips to at least "try" to get it working better.
Before any of these steps you will need to know how to adjust the settings of your router, and that will change for each brand. The easiest way to do this is (Windows XP) going into network connections, right clicking your connection, selecting properties, and then advanced. You should see the IP address of your Gateway, and your private IP address. If you type in the gateway IP address into a computer browser will bring up settings to configure your router. I am sure most people know this, but like i said feel free to post your tips too. You should know your Private IP address, and it usually ranges from 192.168.0.100 to 192.168.0.199. The gateway address for most routers is 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.2.1. If you know the password then simply type it in, if not then here is a site that has a bunch of default passwords (i do not know how accurate that site is).
*I have limited knoweldge of issues the 360 and PS3 may have, so i will be focusing solely on the Wii for now, as it also seems to be the pickiest with Wireless settings.*
Each brand of router has different setups, so I suggest to go to every screen (do go playing with settings) just to get an idea of where things are.
If you got a good idea of where different settings are you should try some of the below tips to try to improve your wireless connection.
---------------------------Upgrade to latest firmware---------------------------
This should be a no-brainer, but it is a good idea to upgrade to the latest firmware as some manufacturers fix commonly known problems in subsequent firmware updates. Download them from the website of your router manufacturer, select your model number (and proper revision), and download and update it.
*Note* Do NOT upgrade your firmware from a wireless connection, always use a wired connection to upgrade your firmware.
---------------------------Try Custom Firmware---------------------------
(Paging Tech-Heads) Custom firmware can basically allow your router to use features seen in more expensive routers, and allow better functionality than a common manufacturer firmware. It is up to you if installing custom firmware is worth it, but it does have definite benefits. Basically you have two common options here, Tomato or DD-WRT.
People are saying Tomato is the more user-friendly of the two, but give either a shot you are willing
TOMATO CUSTOM FIRMWARE
http://www.polarcloud.com/tomato
DD-WRT CUSTOM FIRMWARE
http://www.dd-wrt.com/
*edit* Now having experience with both under my belt I would recommend Tomato
out of the two, unless you do need the additional functionality that DD-WRT offers. I believe the "if it ain't broke, don't try to fix it" phrase applies here, as if you don't really need any additional functionality and have a fully functional router than you can just use it as it is.
---------------------------Change your Wireless Channel---------------------------
Usually something people overlook, changing the wireless channel can sometimes marginally improve a wireless connection by reducing interference from other wireless devices. The channels range from 1 to 11, the default being 6. Many routers have an option to automatically select the best channel for a given situation (you will know on a d-link router if the channel select tab is greyed out) but i recommend you put the router on 1,6, or 11.
Apparently the Wii is picky about this, and will only give a stable connection if on channel 1 or 11, so this can be a "set it and forget it" option for most users. Just put on 1 or 11 and continue on.
---------------------------WEP/WPA/WPA2 - SSID Naming---------------------------
If you don't want anyone randomly connecting to your router and using your internet, then you may want to put on some sort of security. (Disclaimer - Text Ahead MAY be innacurate, i am just summarizing what i know) WEP uses an encrypted passcode of your choosing, with an encryption length of your choosing, is more compatible with various devices, but is easier to crack. WPA and WPA2 use passcodes that have random encryption changes over a set period of time, so they are a bit harder to crack, but less compatible for wireless devices. PS3, PSP, and Wii support WPA2. XBOX 360 Supports WPA. When creating/changing a network password keep in mind that all wireless devices connected to the network need to have a password inputted before being able to connect to the network.
When naming your network (which you already probably have), try not to use a name that stands out (like MYNETWORKCAPS), as that may invite possible hackers.
---------------------------Try Turning on MAC filtering/Turning OFF SSID Broadcasting---------------------------
Another alternative to using passcodes is to turn off SSID broadcasting, esentially "hiding" your network from a regular SSID search. You will have to manually type in the name of your network for every wireless device using it, but it may have some benefits (Wii owners take note). Some devices will not work as well with WEP/WPA on, so this is an alternative. Keep in mind certain devices may not function properly when SSID Broadcasting is turned off as well, so this solution may not be for everyone.
You can also try using MAC filtering, which basically screens out all computers except ones with MAC addresses you want. Each wireless device has a unique MAC address, so to save yourself time have all the wireless devices you want already connected to your router, and copy the MAC addresses seen into the ones you want included for MAC filtering.
---------------------------DHCP Reservations---------------------------
To make port forwarding easier (explained later) it is a good idea to have some DHCP reservations. This makes it so that when a certain device connects, it will always have the same private IP address. What it is called depends on the router (as usual), but try looking for "DHCP reservations". Make sure you have the device connected beforehand as well so you will save some hassle assigning the reservation.
For the above three topics refer to post 5 for additional information.
---------------------------Open some Ports---------------------------
No doubt if someone has asked for help on online gaming you will see at least one person type "oh go open some ports mang". Well i will not be any different from them, opening ports are very important if you want to game online without sacrificing security. It goes under many, many names, but for each router the telltale sign is:
- A dropdown tab or some sort of choice to choose between TCP and UDP
- The boxes conveniently are big enough to type numbers from 0-65535
- You will see boxes beside/on top of each other with the word "to" separating them
- You will see a box to input your private IP address
- You will see a box to name the port you want to open (sometimes)
Routers usually have two separate pages with stuff like this, but one is actually "application triggering". You are not looking for that one.
Here are some ports you should have open for each system:
Xbox 360:
The following ports must be available for Xbox Live to operate correctly:
UDP 88
UDP 3074
TCP 3074
Sony PS3:
All games published by SCEA may use the following ports for communication with game servers:
TCP Ports: 80, 443, 5223, and 10070 - 10080
UDP Ports: 3478, 3479, 3658, and 10070
For the PLAYSTATION®Network:
TCP Ports: 80, 443, 5223
UDP Ports: 3478, 3479, 3658
PLAYSTATION®3 Remote Play (via the Internet) requires:
If the router in use supports UPnP, enable the routers UPnP function.
If the router does not support UPnP, you must set the routers port forwarding to allow communications to the PLAYSTATION 3 from the Internet.
The port number that is used by remote play is TCP Port: 9293
Nintendo Wii:
TCP:
Allow traffic to all destinations on ports: 28910, 29900, 29901, 29920, 80, and 443
UDP: Allow all ports to be open (i kinda don't really get this, but that is what Nintendo says)
---------------------------The controversial "DMZ" option---------------------------
If the above still doesn't work, then you can try DMZ'ing your console. DMZ stands for Demilitarized Zone, and it essentially takes off any restrictions in connecting the device to the internet. Keep in mind that this may cancel out all port forwarding you may have for another device, and that this will make your console COMPLETELY vulnerable to any attacks. However, consoles do not have as much important information as a PC, so if nothing else works this can be tried.
*Note* I do NOT recommend doing this for a PC, ever.
---------------------------Known Router/Device problems---------------------------
Sometimes none of these tips will help at all, and its just your device and router just hate eachother. In that case you are pretty much screwed.
If you are looking to purchase a router for a device i suggest doing a quick google search to make sure there are not any significant problems between them.
Here are some examples of Devices that don't mesh too well (any additions here will be greatly appreciated):
- One GAFfer has had a problem with his Wii + a Linksys router, but there have not been any additional reports.
- Shins has said in this thread that the Xbox 360 has issues with the Actiontec router that comes standard for Verizon FIOS.
- D-Link DWL-G820 - Mixed reports in this forum, there are people who recommend it, however Colonel Nelson says it runs hot and is a tad unreliable.
---------------------------Other Solutions to try---------------------------
Sometimes common solutions aren't the trick, and getting wireless devices to work require thinking outside of the box. If none of the above work for you, and you want to try some alternate solutions, then here are some suggestions for you
*thanks to GAF users for posting these*
Nintendo DS owners + Wireless security: Refer to this post
Nintendo Wii dongle owners + Windows Vista: Refer to this post
Xbox 360 owners: The overpriced wireless adapter is NOT required to get your console connected wirelessly. Keep in mind that any wireless bridge will work, as it will connect to the 360's ethernet port and make the console think that it is on a wired network. The MN740 wireless adapter that was released for the original XBOX can be used with the 360.
---------------------------Recommended Routers---------------------------
ASUS
WL-520GU
D-Link
DGL-4300
DIR-655
DWL-G820 - 360 Owners can use this instead of the wireless adapter Microsoft offers. *See Known Router/Device problems*
Linksys
WRT-54G
WRT-54GS
WRT-54GL
BEFSR41 v3
Netgear
WGR614
TrendNET
Belkin
Wireless G gaming Adapter - 360 Owners can use this instead of the wireless adapter Microsoft offers.
Speedstream
6250
Misc. Wireless Items
Wireless Indoor Booster NP562
*SPECIAL NOTE TO XBOX 360 USERS*
A useful alternative is to buy a cheap flashable router, flash it with DD-WRT/Tomato firmware, and use it as a wireless bridge.
---------------------------Additional Web Sites---------------------------
If you want more info you can check out these web sites
http://www.portforward.com/
http://www.coconut-flavour.com/coconutwifi/index.html - For Mac OSX users - See what channels other routers in the neighborhood are using.
http://www.netstumbler.com/downloads- For Windows XP users - See what channels other routers in the neighborhood are using.
http://www.techidiots.net/project-pages/vistumbler- For Windows Vista users - See what channels other routers in the neighborhood are using.
http://www.grc.com/default.htm - Scroll down a bit for Steve Gibson's "Shields Up!" program, which can scan your IP and tell you what ports are open.
http://www.broadbandreports.com- Has some testing tools to help you see what your upstream and downstream bandwidth from your ISP is.
http://www.speedtest.net- For testing the download and upload speed of your internet connection
Most likely this hasn't helped you much, but you never know one of the tips posted may help someone out there, and that is what counts.
*special thanks to all GAF members who contributed info to this post*
Not everyone has their console right next to their internet connection, so there are many times when a wireless network may be needed. Here are some tips to at least "try" to get it working better.
Before any of these steps you will need to know how to adjust the settings of your router, and that will change for each brand. The easiest way to do this is (Windows XP) going into network connections, right clicking your connection, selecting properties, and then advanced. You should see the IP address of your Gateway, and your private IP address. If you type in the gateway IP address into a computer browser will bring up settings to configure your router. I am sure most people know this, but like i said feel free to post your tips too. You should know your Private IP address, and it usually ranges from 192.168.0.100 to 192.168.0.199. The gateway address for most routers is 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.2.1. If you know the password then simply type it in, if not then here is a site that has a bunch of default passwords (i do not know how accurate that site is).
*I have limited knoweldge of issues the 360 and PS3 may have, so i will be focusing solely on the Wii for now, as it also seems to be the pickiest with Wireless settings.*
Each brand of router has different setups, so I suggest to go to every screen (do go playing with settings) just to get an idea of where things are.
If you got a good idea of where different settings are you should try some of the below tips to try to improve your wireless connection.
---------------------------Upgrade to latest firmware---------------------------
This should be a no-brainer, but it is a good idea to upgrade to the latest firmware as some manufacturers fix commonly known problems in subsequent firmware updates. Download them from the website of your router manufacturer, select your model number (and proper revision), and download and update it.
*Note* Do NOT upgrade your firmware from a wireless connection, always use a wired connection to upgrade your firmware.
---------------------------Try Custom Firmware---------------------------
(Paging Tech-Heads) Custom firmware can basically allow your router to use features seen in more expensive routers, and allow better functionality than a common manufacturer firmware. It is up to you if installing custom firmware is worth it, but it does have definite benefits. Basically you have two common options here, Tomato or DD-WRT.
People are saying Tomato is the more user-friendly of the two, but give either a shot you are willing
TOMATO CUSTOM FIRMWARE
http://www.polarcloud.com/tomato
DD-WRT CUSTOM FIRMWARE
http://www.dd-wrt.com/
*edit* Now having experience with both under my belt I would recommend Tomato
out of the two, unless you do need the additional functionality that DD-WRT offers. I believe the "if it ain't broke, don't try to fix it" phrase applies here, as if you don't really need any additional functionality and have a fully functional router than you can just use it as it is.
---------------------------Change your Wireless Channel---------------------------
Usually something people overlook, changing the wireless channel can sometimes marginally improve a wireless connection by reducing interference from other wireless devices. The channels range from 1 to 11, the default being 6. Many routers have an option to automatically select the best channel for a given situation (you will know on a d-link router if the channel select tab is greyed out) but i recommend you put the router on 1,6, or 11.
Apparently the Wii is picky about this, and will only give a stable connection if on channel 1 or 11, so this can be a "set it and forget it" option for most users. Just put on 1 or 11 and continue on.
---------------------------WEP/WPA/WPA2 - SSID Naming---------------------------
If you don't want anyone randomly connecting to your router and using your internet, then you may want to put on some sort of security. (Disclaimer - Text Ahead MAY be innacurate, i am just summarizing what i know) WEP uses an encrypted passcode of your choosing, with an encryption length of your choosing, is more compatible with various devices, but is easier to crack. WPA and WPA2 use passcodes that have random encryption changes over a set period of time, so they are a bit harder to crack, but less compatible for wireless devices. PS3, PSP, and Wii support WPA2. XBOX 360 Supports WPA. When creating/changing a network password keep in mind that all wireless devices connected to the network need to have a password inputted before being able to connect to the network.
When naming your network (which you already probably have), try not to use a name that stands out (like MYNETWORKCAPS), as that may invite possible hackers.
---------------------------Try Turning on MAC filtering/Turning OFF SSID Broadcasting---------------------------
Another alternative to using passcodes is to turn off SSID broadcasting, esentially "hiding" your network from a regular SSID search. You will have to manually type in the name of your network for every wireless device using it, but it may have some benefits (Wii owners take note). Some devices will not work as well with WEP/WPA on, so this is an alternative. Keep in mind certain devices may not function properly when SSID Broadcasting is turned off as well, so this solution may not be for everyone.
You can also try using MAC filtering, which basically screens out all computers except ones with MAC addresses you want. Each wireless device has a unique MAC address, so to save yourself time have all the wireless devices you want already connected to your router, and copy the MAC addresses seen into the ones you want included for MAC filtering.
---------------------------DHCP Reservations---------------------------
To make port forwarding easier (explained later) it is a good idea to have some DHCP reservations. This makes it so that when a certain device connects, it will always have the same private IP address. What it is called depends on the router (as usual), but try looking for "DHCP reservations". Make sure you have the device connected beforehand as well so you will save some hassle assigning the reservation.
For the above three topics refer to post 5 for additional information.
---------------------------Open some Ports---------------------------
No doubt if someone has asked for help on online gaming you will see at least one person type "oh go open some ports mang". Well i will not be any different from them, opening ports are very important if you want to game online without sacrificing security. It goes under many, many names, but for each router the telltale sign is:
- A dropdown tab or some sort of choice to choose between TCP and UDP
- The boxes conveniently are big enough to type numbers from 0-65535
- You will see boxes beside/on top of each other with the word "to" separating them
- You will see a box to input your private IP address
- You will see a box to name the port you want to open (sometimes)
Routers usually have two separate pages with stuff like this, but one is actually "application triggering". You are not looking for that one.
Here are some ports you should have open for each system:
Xbox 360:
The following ports must be available for Xbox Live to operate correctly:
UDP 88
UDP 3074
TCP 3074
Sony PS3:
All games published by SCEA may use the following ports for communication with game servers:
TCP Ports: 80, 443, 5223, and 10070 - 10080
UDP Ports: 3478, 3479, 3658, and 10070
For the PLAYSTATION®Network:
TCP Ports: 80, 443, 5223
UDP Ports: 3478, 3479, 3658
PLAYSTATION®3 Remote Play (via the Internet) requires:
If the router in use supports UPnP, enable the routers UPnP function.
If the router does not support UPnP, you must set the routers port forwarding to allow communications to the PLAYSTATION 3 from the Internet.
The port number that is used by remote play is TCP Port: 9293
Nintendo Wii:
TCP:
Allow traffic to all destinations on ports: 28910, 29900, 29901, 29920, 80, and 443
UDP: Allow all ports to be open (i kinda don't really get this, but that is what Nintendo says)
---------------------------The controversial "DMZ" option---------------------------
If the above still doesn't work, then you can try DMZ'ing your console. DMZ stands for Demilitarized Zone, and it essentially takes off any restrictions in connecting the device to the internet. Keep in mind that this may cancel out all port forwarding you may have for another device, and that this will make your console COMPLETELY vulnerable to any attacks. However, consoles do not have as much important information as a PC, so if nothing else works this can be tried.
*Note* I do NOT recommend doing this for a PC, ever.
---------------------------Known Router/Device problems---------------------------
Sometimes none of these tips will help at all, and its just your device and router just hate eachother. In that case you are pretty much screwed.
If you are looking to purchase a router for a device i suggest doing a quick google search to make sure there are not any significant problems between them.
Here are some examples of Devices that don't mesh too well (any additions here will be greatly appreciated):
- One GAFfer has had a problem with his Wii + a Linksys router, but there have not been any additional reports.
- Shins has said in this thread that the Xbox 360 has issues with the Actiontec router that comes standard for Verizon FIOS.
- D-Link DWL-G820 - Mixed reports in this forum, there are people who recommend it, however Colonel Nelson says it runs hot and is a tad unreliable.
---------------------------Other Solutions to try---------------------------
Sometimes common solutions aren't the trick, and getting wireless devices to work require thinking outside of the box. If none of the above work for you, and you want to try some alternate solutions, then here are some suggestions for you
*thanks to GAF users for posting these*
Nintendo DS owners + Wireless security: Refer to this post
Nintendo Wii dongle owners + Windows Vista: Refer to this post
Xbox 360 owners: The overpriced wireless adapter is NOT required to get your console connected wirelessly. Keep in mind that any wireless bridge will work, as it will connect to the 360's ethernet port and make the console think that it is on a wired network. The MN740 wireless adapter that was released for the original XBOX can be used with the 360.
---------------------------Recommended Routers---------------------------
ASUS
WL-520GU
D-Link
DGL-4300
DIR-655
DWL-G820 - 360 Owners can use this instead of the wireless adapter Microsoft offers. *See Known Router/Device problems*
Linksys
WRT-54G
WRT-54GS
WRT-54GL
BEFSR41 v3
Netgear
WGR614
TrendNET
Belkin
Wireless G gaming Adapter - 360 Owners can use this instead of the wireless adapter Microsoft offers.
Speedstream
6250
Misc. Wireless Items
Wireless Indoor Booster NP562
*SPECIAL NOTE TO XBOX 360 USERS*
A useful alternative is to buy a cheap flashable router, flash it with DD-WRT/Tomato firmware, and use it as a wireless bridge.
---------------------------Additional Web Sites---------------------------
If you want more info you can check out these web sites
http://www.portforward.com/
http://www.coconut-flavour.com/coconutwifi/index.html - For Mac OSX users - See what channels other routers in the neighborhood are using.
http://www.netstumbler.com/downloads- For Windows XP users - See what channels other routers in the neighborhood are using.
http://www.techidiots.net/project-pages/vistumbler- For Windows Vista users - See what channels other routers in the neighborhood are using.
http://www.grc.com/default.htm - Scroll down a bit for Steve Gibson's "Shields Up!" program, which can scan your IP and tell you what ports are open.
http://www.broadbandreports.com- Has some testing tools to help you see what your upstream and downstream bandwidth from your ISP is.
http://www.speedtest.net- For testing the download and upload speed of your internet connection
Most likely this hasn't helped you much, but you never know one of the tips posted may help someone out there, and that is what counts.
*special thanks to all GAF members who contributed info to this post*