Why do I need a Credit Card to signup? You need to use a valid credit card (Visa, Eurocard/MasterCard, or American Express) to sign up for XboxLive. The credit card information is used as a security measure in several places to verify that you are the owner of the account. Many web sites use credits cards as a means of identifying customers. Yes, you already paid for the first 12 months of service when you bought your Starter Kit, but your account must be linked to a valid credit card. Your card will not be charged for any additional charges without your explicit consent until your subscription expires. At that point, you will be notified that your subscription will soon expire and you will be given the option to renew. If you do not cancel your subscription at that time, your subscription will automatically be renewed for another 12 months.
Does Xbox Live only work across Xbox Compatible plans? No. Xbox Live works well with most broadband services. "Xbox Compatible" plans make it easy for consumers to select a broadband plan that works well when playing Xbox Live. While we've already announced many Xbox Compatible providers, we will be adding more providers to the program in the coming months.
Will AOL Broadband work with XboxLive? It is currently not possible to connect to Xbox Live using AOL Broadband service provided over DSL. Although we have been working with AOL, we have not come up with a mutually agreeable workaround at this time. We are continuing to actively work with AOL Broadband to develop a solution to this issue. We apologise for any inconvenience and please check back here for updated information.
Do I need a PC to get broadband Internet access? A PC may be required to activate broadband Internet service. Contact your Internet service provider for information about service requirements.
Can I use Satellite Broadband? XboxLIVE will not work with satellite offers.
Can I use my existing wireless network to connect to Xbox Live? Wireless LANs are not officially supported for Xbox. Depending on the distances involved, the construction of your home, sources of interference, you may not get good performance from a wireless solution. The setup is also not for the faint of heart.
If you know what an SSID is, then you might be ok, but if you don't, you should probably stay away from using wireless for your Xbox. To put it another way, it's possible to get wireless to work for Xbox Live, but our support staff can't help you do it.
On the other hand, a nice long CAT5 Ethernet cable from a wired router to your Xbox is very reliable. The only problem is that it may not fit in with your decor very well. If you're not sure where to start with wireless, we recommend you stick to a wired solution.
Note that many "wireless" routers are really "wired and wireless" routers. They have multiple Ethernet ports and a wireless access point. If you get one of these, you can plug the Xbox into one of the Ethernet ports, and still use wireless for your PC. (This is really nice for laptops, so you can carry it around the house and stay connected.)
Why do I receive the "Xbox Live Not Found" error message? You can receive this message for many reasons. The first thing to do is to check the status of the XboxLive services on the Xbox Live Support page. If the service is up and running and you receive this error, you are likely having a different problem. Here are a couple things you can try:
First, make sure that your Xbox is connected directly to your modem. Next, power your modem down for 2-3 minutes, and then power it back up again. This power-cycling of the modem is sometimes necessary when changing from one device to another (in this case, changing from your PC and connecting your Xbox).
If you continue to receive this error message, you may need to manually configure the MAC address on the Xbox to match the MAC address on your PC. You can find this setting in the Advanced section of the Network Settings menu in the Dashboard.Find your PC's MAC address.
If you receive a different error message, or cannot connect to XboxLive for other reasons, see the Troubleshooting FAQs page.
Do cheque/debit cards work with the Xbox Livesignup or not? I keep hearing different answers. Currently, the Xbox Live billing system accepts standard Visa, MasterCard, Eurocard and American Express cards, and most debit cards that are branded with a Visa or MasterCard logo.
Note: The following requirements must be met in order to use a debit card to sign up for the Xbox Liveservice: Your debit card must have either a Visa or MasterCard logo.
Your debit card cannot have restrictions on subscription-based or Internet purchases.
You must have more than £1 available in your debit card account.
The expiration date on your debit card cannot be the same month and year as the date you set up your account.
If you do not know if your debit card has restrictions on subscription-based or Internet purchases, contact the financial institution that issued the card for more information.
Why do I get the "Important billing message in the dash?" error message? You have a problem with your method of payment (credit or debit card). Before calling Xbox Support, check the following scenarios.
Did you use a Debit card? Most debit cards are valid, as long as they have a Visa or MasterCard logo. Your debit card cannot have restrictions on subscription-based or Internet purchases. Check with your financial institution if you are unsure. MasterCard, Eurocard, Visa or American Express credit cards are all valid methods of payment.
Have you gone over your credit/debit card limit? If your card is maxed or under £1, the billing server will not authorize it and you will not be able to get onto XboxLive.
If you do have funds on the credit/debit on the card, what is the expiration date of the card? If the expiration date of the card is the same as the month and year that you are trying to sign up, you won't be able to use that card. For example, if the card expires on 12/03 and you are trying to sign up for Xbox Live on Christmas day, we won't accept it.
Was your card lost or stolen? We won't accept your card if it has been reported lost or stolen.
How do I save my Xbox Live account to my memory unit? In the Xbox Live section of the Xbox Dashboard:
i) Go to Account Management and select your XboxLive account. ii)Go to Copy/Delete. iii)Select Copy. iv)Select Memory Unit.
What can I do about people swearing and being obnoxious while they're playing? The most effective way to deal with another player who is using vulgar or offensive language is simply to mute them by selecting their Gamertag from the Players list, and then selecting the "Mute" option. You can also submit negative feedback for that player by selecting their Gamertag from the Players list and using the "Feedback" option.
My system stops responding when I access my Friends list. How do I fix it? If you're experiencing odd Friends list behaviour in the Xbox Dashboard or in a game (for example, if your system stops responding), try the following troubleshooting steps. Have a friend who:
Already has you on their Friends list delete you from their list and then re-add you.
Doesn't have you on their Friends list add you. This might mean you need to find your friend during a game session and explain the problem using Voice with your Xbox Communicator.
To resolve the behaviour, your Xbox console must be turned off whether your friend deletes and re-adds you or adds you for the first time to their Friends list. Try something like this online:
You: "Hey, I need you to add me to your Friends list." Your friend: "Okay." You: "Wait 10 seconds while I turn off my Xbox console. Then add me to your Friends list in the Dashboard. Thanks!" Your friend: "Okay."
Turn off your Xbox console and give the other player time to follow through with the request. Once your friend has added you to their Friends list, turn your Xbox console back on and accept their Friend Request.
Now try accessing your own Friends list. If your Friends list is fixed, excellent.
