Member Avatar for mustang53

hey i've been looking through multiple forums and i've been trying to hook my xbox live up to the internet using the wireless access on my laptop but no matter what i've tried it never works. i have a crossover cable, and xbox 360, a linksys and a 2wire wireless network and a atheros wireless network adapter. can anyone please help me?

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This thread documents the classic laptop-as-gateway attempt: wireless on the laptop, Ethernet from laptop to an Xbox 360, and a mix of ICS/bridging tests. Key contributions: pushed bridging and a console-side fixed-address approach, and raised ICS concerns, suggested checking local IPs, and reported DNS failures while later reported bridging working under Vista. The most likely root causes behind the errors reported here are DHCP/address collisions, DNS not being supplied to the console, firewall/ICS service interference, or an accidental double‑NAT when the laptop and router both try to do NAT.

Practical, non‑redundant checklist (actions that generally resolve the symptoms described):

  • Prefer a true bridge (both adapters joined into a Windows Network Bridge) so the router’s DHCP hands the console an address; when bridged, set the console to obtain IP/DNS automatically.
  • If a static console address is required, choose one outside the router’s DHCP pool (check the router’s lease table) to avoid conflicts.
  • If using ICS (laptop doing NAT), confirm the Windows ICS service is running and that the laptop is actually offering DHCP on the wired port; in ICS setups it’s common to need manual DNS on the console — try public DNS servers (for example, 8.8.8.8 / 8.8.4.4) as a quick test.
  • Temporarily disable Windows Firewall/third‑party security on the laptop while testing; those can block DHCP or DNS to the console.
  • Try both cable types if in doubt; many NICs auto‑detect crossover, but older hardware may require a true crossover.

Quick diagnostics to collect if problems persist:

ipconfig /all
arp -a
route print

Also inspect the router’s DHCP lease table and the laptop’s Network Bridge properties. If laptop bridging remains unreliable, consider alternatives (ethernet run, powerline/EoP, or a cheap wireless-bridge device) so the console talks directly to the home router and avoids ICS/NAT complexity.

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All 23 Replies

Member Avatar for Member #244294

Need some more info to help you there m8y.

Can you provide the make and model of your wireless router, also you will need to login to the router and find the ip settings for the internal ip, normally something like (router) and the ip your laptop is using to connect too.

Also do you want to connect the 360 to the laptop or the router directly?

if you can post that, then give me a ping via private message i should be able to help you connect the 360.

Speak soon

Member Avatar for Member #244294

What i meant was lemme know when you have the info requested and i will post it here ;) not via pm.

Member Avatar for mustang53

ok my wireless router is a linksys broadband router. model WRT54G. The internal isp is 192.168.1.1. My laptop is connected to it through 192.168.1.100. I am going to be hooking it up to my laptop and trying to use the internet through that. thank you so much for helping me :D im so incredibly confused and it is so frustrating to know that it can be done im just not smart enough to do it X_X

Member Avatar for TheNNS

are you using internet sharing in windows?

Member Avatar for mustang53

yes i am

Member Avatar for Member #244294

Okie here goes ;)

Firstly Goto your xbox live networking configuration page.

We are going to configure a static ip for your xbox.

XBOX IP :
Subnet :
Gateway :

Enable Wireless detection, and find your router, and enter the wep passphrase.
(if you havent set a passphrase, login to from your laptops browser and set a wep key).

Test the connection to see if live will connect via the router.

I have looked on xbox.com and you may need to change the firmware of your router, Xbox.com says:

Linksys WRT54G : Version 2.02.7 : This firmware version is Xbox Live Compatible.

Note The UPnP implementation on the Linksys WRT54g with firmware 2.02.7 has been discovered to prevent users from being able to connect to Xbox Live. If a user is unable to connect to Xbox Live with this specific router model/firmware, they may get connected by turning off UPnP in the router's settings. Microsoft is working hard with Linksys to repair this issue as soon as possible.

The other way is to connect to your laptop via wireless, try these settings if the above failed(or you cannot share your media with your xbox).

XBOX IP :
Subnet :
Gateway :

and in network connections, right click the wireless connection and enable ICS (internet connection sharing) and again you will need to enter the wep key and test this connection from the xbox.

I hope this is of some use to you. With Method 1, you should just be able to share folders on the network and the 360 should be able to pick it up and be able to access your mp3's and media from the router method but this is untested and may need some further fiddling.

Take care

Member Avatar for mustang53

ok well this blows. i can hook it up just fine to my router with a wired connection via crossover cable but no matter what i do my laptop is completely set against me using it to go live. Everytime i connect the cord to my laptop i lose the ability to access to the internet on my computer and then it fails on the ip or dns step on the xbox live setup. i dont know what to do X_X any more ideas anyone???????

Member Avatar for Member #119018

IF you are connecting the XBOX directly to your router you should not be using a crossover cable.

Member Avatar for mustang53

ya my bad i said that wrong what i was trying to say was that i hooked up my laptop to the the xbox via crossover cable not the router. the only problem with that is that my xbox is downstairs and the router is upstairs in my office so to hook it up to the router directly would take like a 100 ft ethernet cord so im trying to do it through my laptop

Member Avatar for Member #244294

Hi Mustang, If you do want to hook it up to the laptop, once its cabled in place, goto network connections in the control panel and 1st disable internet connection sharing, then bridge the 2 connections, by selecting them both and right click "add to bridge" make sure though the xbox ip is the same range as your home network.

And it should work ok, once bridged the 2 connections will function as one (on a new ip for the bridge) and you should be able to get both xbox and laptop online.

Member Avatar for mustang53

ok i tried that :/ i am able to still get internet on my laptop but for some reason everytime i try to connect the xbox it tells me that "There is an IP address conflict with another system on the network" and my xbox always fails at the IP stage of the Xbox live test.

how should i fix this?

i tried everything i know how to do and for some reason the bridge was the only thing showing up with an IP address when i looked at through status on network connections and the wireless network nor the wired lan to the xbox showed an IP address or anything, it all came up blank.

Member Avatar for trocks89

I AM HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM WITH MY XBOX LIVE IF YOU FIGURE IT OUT AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO FIX IT PLEASE LET ME KNOW. i HAVE THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AND THE EXACT SAME HARDWARE EVERYTHING PLEASE HELP ME!

Member Avatar for bobbyraw

do an ipconfig on all pc connecting to the router, make a note, now that you have a bridge, the ip will change, the ip address from the router are usually 192.XXX.X.100-4. ensure non of the other pc connecting to the router are using the same ip as the XBox.

Member Avatar for trocks89

i dont know what you mean. But I actually got the xbox 360 to pass the IP test on the test thing. But it fails the DNS server test. That's where it stops. The way I got it to do this was by sharing my Local Network Connection not the wireless. When I did this (right click click properties click share tab then click allow others to connect through this connection) it disables my wireless one. The wireless one can't identify itself? It gives this massage that says...identifying...and it dissables my internet connection on the laptop but says it is connected because the green signal strenght thing says i have a good connection??

O i forgot to mention the only way I can the xbox to pass this IP test is by using my old DSL Westell Versa Link 327W wireless router. Basically im using it so that I can plug a crossover cable to the back of my laptop into the versalink ethernet port than run a straight through cable from the other port on the back of the westell straight to the xbox.

there is no telephone line hooked up to it basically its just a "jumper" type thing. I guess im getting closer because I passed the IP test?

This thing is pissin me off because it has taken me all day to try and figure out. I am also running windows vista

if it is easier, I also have a PC running vista downstairs but only a 7 ft crossover cable. the pc and tv are about 20 ft apart. But I also have a straight through cable that will reach if I can use that. it has a wireless G card thing. It has an ethernet port on the back too.


I just need someones help I'm not gonna spend $100 for a wireless 360 adapter when all i need is right here. feel free to call me at 5023871683 as well. I need someones help.

Member Avatar for dylan8190

Hello, I was looking around and discovered this thread, im actually stuck too. I think im really close to getting it to work the xbox connects to the network adapter, and ip address but the DNS fails everytime. And im set up using a rogers portable modem which is connected to a router for the house then that router is connected to a wireless router and my laptop is connected to a router then my xbox 360 is connected to that router. Any suggestions on what to do?? ( yes i know, alot of routers lol)
and if you want to email me its
Thanks :)

Member Avatar for jbennet

is it vista?

xbox live does not work with vista ICS.

Member Avatar for dylan8190

no im not using vista, its xp

Member Avatar for dylan8190

do you have msn
if so can you give me your email to make things faster lol

Member Avatar for dylan8190

do you have msn
if so can you give me your email to make things faster lol

Member Avatar for dylan8190

does it matter that im using a dynex 5 port ethernet switch????

Member Avatar for Ironaulie

This site has instructions on how to connect your xbox 360 wirelessly via a latop or modified router to xbox live. More importantly these are cheaper options compared to the standard xbox 360 wireless adaptor:)

How to connect to xbox live wirelessly

Member Avatar for Alan1030

if you bridge the connections on vista it works that way, got mine working on it just recently. in network and sharing centre click manage network connections, highlight the local area connection and the one your computer is using and click bridge connections. worked first time for me, need to invest in a new wireless adapter for my computer tho

Member Avatar for shadesb

Totally agree with DaitoTsu....follow those steps and a suggestion ..forward the xbox port no on the router...or open the NAT..

your WRT54G router might need firmware upgrade..dont forget to put static for xbox live

tc

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