• Guide to Home Networking
  How to set up your own home network quickly and painlessly.
• Routers and Xbox Live
  Everything you need to know about routers on Xbox Live.
• Diagnosing Xbox Live Connections
  Use the Xbox Dashboard to solveICMP, MTU, and NAT issues.
• Lose the Lag
  We've got a few pointers to help you avoid laggy games and host lag-free ones

Router Connection

A router connection is usually the best way to share your Internet service with your PC while you play on Xbox Live. See Choose a connection type to determine if a router connection will work with your modem. If you're not sure which router to choose, or you want to check compatibility of your current router with Xbox Live, check our compatibility list.

Steps

1. Turn off your devices (Xbox console, cable/DSL router, cable/DSL modem, and PC) before connecting any cables. You should disconnect your modem from its power source to turn it off.
2. Connect the Ethernet out port on the cable/DSL modem to the Ethernet in port on the DSL/cable router using an Ethernet cable.
3. Connect one of the Ethernet out ports on the cable/DSL router to the Ethernet in port on the PC NIC using an Ethernet cable.
4. Connect another Ethernet out port on the cable/DSL router to the Ethernet port on the back of the Xbox console using an Ethernet cable.
5. Turn on your cable/DSL modem, then your cable/DSL router, then your PC.
6. Verify that the PC can access the Internet. If not, the cable/DSL router may require a specific configuration to access the Internet through your PC. See your router documentation for further help configuring the router using your PC.
7. Turn on your Xbox console, with no disk in the disc tray.
8. From the Xbox Dashboard, choose Live.

   If the Xbox Live screen is displayed ("Account Management, New Account, Network Setup") congratulations! You are connected to Xbox Live. Next, sign up for Xbox Live.

   If your Xbox console cannot automatically connect to Xbox Live, you will receive the following message: "Could not connect to Xbox Live. Do you want to troubleshoot your network connection?" See Troubleshooting Your Router Connection for more detailed information about the problem and steps you can take to fix it.

   Note: With a router connection, you do not need to turn on your PC to access Xbox Live from your Xbox.