Experiencing “Strict NAT” on your Xbox One can be frustrating, limiting your ability to play with others and host games. This guide provides a detailed walkthrough on how to configure your pfSense firewall to achieve “Open NAT” on your Xbox One, allowing for seamless online gaming.
This guide builds upon existing methods and incorporates key steps for a smoother experience. We’ll cover everything from setting up static DHCP leases to configuring UPnP and NAT-PMP, ensuring that your Xbox One has the best possible connection.
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DHCP Static Lease: Assign a static IP address to your Xbox One. This ensures that the console always receives the same IP address, simplifying network configuration. In pfSense, navigate to Services > DHCP Server > [Your LAN Interface] and create a new static mapping for your Xbox One’s MAC address.
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Firewall Aliases: Create an alias for your Xbox One(s) IP address(es). This makes managing firewall rules easier, especially if you have multiple consoles. Go to Firewall > Aliases and create a new alias, adding the static IP address of your Xbox One.
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NAT Reflection and Outbound NAT: Configure NAT reflection and enable automatic outbound NAT rules. This allows multiple consoles to join the same server. Navigate to System > Advanced > Firewall and NAT. Change “NAT Reflection mode for port forwards” to “Pure NAT” and check “Automatic create outbound NAT rules that direct traffic back out to the same subnet it originated from.”
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Outbound NAT Rules: Create a manual outbound NAT rule for your Xbox One. This specifies how traffic from your Xbox One is translated as it leaves your network. Go to Firewall > NAT > Outbound. Create a new rule with the following settings:
- Interface: WAN
- Source: [Your Xbox One Alias]/32
- Translation / Target: WAN address
- Check “Static Port”
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Hybrid Outbound NAT: Enable Hybrid Outbound NAT rule generation. In Firewall > NAT > Outbound, tick “Hybrid Outbound NAT rule generation. (Automatic Outbound NAT + rules below.).”
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UPnP and NAT-PMP Configuration: Configure UPnP and NAT-PMP settings. This allows the Xbox One to automatically open ports as needed. Navigate to Services > UPnP and NAT-PMP. Tick the first three boxes, highlight only your gaming VLAN, then tick the “Deny access to UPnP & NAT-PMP by default” box.
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UPnP ACL Entries: Create Access Control List (ACL) entries to manage UPnP access. These rules control which devices can use UPnP. At the bottom of the same page, create rules similar to these:
- First Rule: Block port 3074 for the entire subnet (your gaming VLAN /24). This forces the Xbox One to use different ports for Xbox Live, allowing multiple consoles to have Open NAT. Source: Your Gaming VLAN subnet (/24), Destination: any, Ports: 3074, Action: Deny
- Second Rule: Allow your Xbox One to access UPnP. Source: Your Xbox One IP Address (/32), Destination: any, Ports: any, Action: Allow
- Third Rule: Allow another Xbox One to access UPnP. Source: Second Xbox One IP Address (/32), Destination: any, Ports: any, Action: Allow
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Reset Firewall States: Clear the firewall state table to apply the changes. This forces the firewall to re-establish connections using the new rules. Go to Diagnostics > States > Reset States. Tick the “Reset the firewall state table” box, then click “Reset.” You’ll need to reconnect to pfSense after this.
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Reboot Xbox One: Completely shut down your Xbox One (unplug it if necessary) and then turn it back on.
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Verify UPnP Status: Check the UPnP & NAT-PMP status page to confirm that the Xbox One has successfully opened ports. Go to Status > UPnP & NAT-PMP. You should see entries similar to this:
Now you should enjoy “Open NAT” on your Xbox One and the ability to play on the same server with multiple consoles.
Additional Ports: Some games may require additional port forwarding. Consult the game’s documentation or online resources for specific port requirements. For example, Call of Duty games might require port 3076. A comprehensive list of ports used by various Call of Duty games can be found here: Ports Used for Call of Duty Games
This guide provides a comprehensive solution for achieving Open NAT on your Xbox One using pfSense. By following these steps, you can optimize your gaming experience and enjoy seamless online gameplay.
