Moderate NAT on an Xbox Series X or Series S does not block all online multiplayer: a Moderate console can connect with players whose NAT is Moderate or Open, but it has less peer-to-peer reach than Open NAT. Check the console’s selected multiplayer port, the router’s UPnP setting, and whether another router or your ISP is applying NAT. Retest after each change so you can identify where the restriction remains.
What Moderate NAT means for Xbox multiplayer
NAT describes how your network handles connections between your console and other players. Microsoft’s Xbox networking references describe these peer-connection limits:
| NAT type | Peer connectivity described by Microsoft |
|---|---|
| Open | Can connect regardless of the other console’s NAT classification. |
| Moderate | Can connect to consoles using Open or Moderate NAT. |
| Strict | Can connect only to consoles using Open NAT. |
These classifications describe peer networking; they do not establish that every game or party feature has identical requirements. If one game or feature fails while others work, check that game’s current support guidance as well. Microsoft defines the classifications in its Xbox networking NAT reference and describes their peer-to-peer implications in the XboxLiveNetworkAccessKind documentation.
Check the Xbox result before changing router settings
- On the console, open Settings > General > Network settings and run the available network test. Record the NAT type and any multiplayer or service warning shown.
- Restart the Xbox and your home router, then run the test again. If the NAT result changes, note the result before making further changes.
- If a particular game or party function is still failing, check its support instructions separately; the general NAT label alone does not identify that feature’s exact cause.
Enable UPnP on the router
Microsoft documents UPnP as the mechanism by which the home router configures the Xbox’s preferred local UDP multiplayer port. Sign in to the router or gateway’s administration interface and look for its UPnP setting. Confirm that UPnP is enabled, save any change, and retest the Xbox. Menu names and locations differ by manufacturer, so use the device’s own documentation rather than assuming a particular interface path.
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Microsoft’s preferred local UDP multiplayer port documentation explains the relationship between UPnP and the console’s selected port.
Check for more than one router doing NAT
If your setup has an ISP gateway plus a separate router, both devices may be routing traffic. That can complicate the console’s path through the network. Check the device documentation and configuration to determine whether both are acting as routers; do not change bridging or routing settings based on a guessed menu name. If you are unsure, ask the device manufacturer or ISP how the two devices are configured. Retest after a confirmed topology change.
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Use the port currently selected by the Xbox
UDP 3074 is Microsoft’s documented default preferred local UDP multiplayer port, but it is not necessarily the port your console is using. Microsoft says the Xbox can fall back automatically when the preferred port is unsuitable, and the port can also be changed through the Xbox network settings troubleshooter.
If you choose manual port forwarding, first check the port currently selected by the Xbox, then configure the router for that port using its manufacturer’s instructions. Do not assume that forwarding UDP 3074 is correct in every setup. Microsoft’s port documentation describes the default, fallback behavior, and manual override. For Xbox Live’s consumer-facing port list, consult Xbox Support’s network ports page; its complete current contents are not reproduced here.
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When to contact your ISP
If UPnP and the router configuration appear correct, the Xbox still reports Moderate, and you have checked for multiple routing devices, ask your ISP whether the connection uses upstream NAT and whether a public IPv4 option is available. Availability and terminology vary by provider, and a public IPv4 address is not guaranteed to be offered. A local Xbox or router setting cannot be assumed to remove a restriction applied upstream.
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Consider another router only if the current device cannot enable UPnP or configure the port the Xbox is using. A replacement can address a limitation in your local router, but it cannot be assumed to change NAT imposed farther upstream by the ISP.
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