Are Vodafone providing a solution to NAT issues on games consoles? xbox, ps4, switch

[highlandsports]

Since joining Vodafone and attempting to play my consoles through my 4G LTE device I've come across the various NAT issues everyone is experiencing and have tried various methods to get my devices online with my Vodafone sim (including borrowing kit from my networks team in work for port forwarding and static IP addresses, tethered VPN's, and other wonderful solutions.). Seems that theres no way to address the NAT issues that everyone experiences trying to game over the Vodafone network.

With the introduction of these 4G/5G home broadband solutions (Gigacube) is this something that Vodafone will be addressing? From looking into this issue there appears to be a large amount of people joining Vodafone, realising that they won't support games devices over 4G/5G and then cancel thier contract. I am currently in this exact situation with a new 30day contract. I'm happy with everything else on Vodafone, great signal+plan etc, but not being able to play consoles over a tethered connection is a massive drawback for me where this is required when I'm working away and if I can't get a solution I'll no doubt be leaving Vodafone for another provider.

Surely Vodafone can't just turn a blind eye to this any time someone brings it up? Especially with the Home broadband they are offering (Which if this issue was ironed out I would absolutely be signing up for!)

Cheers

[vegtable]

Oh, one more thing, unless you are lucky enough to be in a 5G area, 4G latency is probably not great for 1st person shooter type games. I don't play games but my son used to do his nut if the latency went over 30ms - and on 4G that will be a common problem. Personally, for what it is worth I am happy enough Vfe for my needs. Speed isn't great as I am a long way from the mast (I use a relatively expensive directional antenna) which helps but it is fast enough. Latency in the realms of 50ms isn't an issue for my needs, stuff like VOIP works fine. I can port forwards using a tunnel for the few things like PLEX and my FTP server that need to accept incomming connections. Where I live there are limited options and a phone SIM is very cheap if you shop about.  

[Ash194]

I'm on a full 5G signal in Manchester. My latency is around 22 ms which isn't great for 5G i used to get 9 ms on a DOCSIS connection. Bandwidth is also poor for 5G I get around 50 mbps which is 100 less than what Vodafone advertise as the minimum. This backs up a review carried out of their network and published on CNET which claims 4G is faster. I hope when there is more spectrum released next year this improves where we can enjoy a full 100 hertz FDD 

>> CNET review. 
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.cnet.com/google-amp/news/vodafone-5g-in-the-uk-is-off-to-a-rough-...

[vegtable]

I am on 4G and a long way from the mast without direct line of sight. I just tested, going through tunnel to Andrews and Annolds: Ping 20ms, download 29Mbps, upload 11Mbps. It does vary quite a bit but that is typical.

• I use a phone SIM with unlimited data - ~£20 a month.
• Andrews and Annolds L2TP ~£8 a month
• Second hand branded huewaei 4G router.
• PFSense based router sate behind the 4G router - mine is a PC Engines based router - this establishes the tunel.

If you need to create a tunel for a games console you will need a router that can do that. I think the main options are an OpenWRT based router of PFSense or anything commecial grade. Most domestic routers probably don't have the smarts to set up a tunel. Not sure about DDWRT routers? Ubiquiti routers might be able to as well?  You can get really cheap Open WRT routers made by GL.iNet which are not too bad.

Personally though, I would cough up the money and go down the PFSense route - there is a learning curve but the software is very versatile. Setting up the L2TP tunel is simple though and there are instructions on the A&A website. Open WRT requires some command line shinanigans I think to set up L2TP. 

[BrodyStag]

@Vegtable what L2tp service are you utilising? AAISP or a premium VPN service like ExpressVpn? I am looking at signing up asap so would like to know what works.

[vegtable]

Hi,

I no longer use Vodafone cellular broadband - except as an emergency backup should my FTTP service go down. When I was using vfe I used the Andrews and Arnold's L2TP service and it worked really well. You need a device that can set up the tunnel - I used a router running PFSense but there are other options.

I believe there are a few VPN providers offering dedicated IP addresses and I guess most of these will support port forwarding. Some services (including some games don't allow VPNs but not sure they will be able to detect the VPN if you have a dedicated IP? You probably have more router options if you go down this route - dedicated IP VPNs were not a big thing when I was looking for a solution.

The A&A service has a limited data cap so that might be an issue for some? I used it for about 1 year with no issues.

I can vouch for the A&A service and when I needed it there were very few options. It was also rolling month by month contract so not a big risk. 

I use PIA VPN and they were going to offer a cheap dedicated IP service. I have not tried dedicated IP from them though.

I now have a nice symmetrical FTTP service with no CGNAT so I have moved on.

C

[vegtable]

I should add that your device that sets up the tunnel can be behind your cellular router (plugged into a LAN port). I used a cheap Huawei router I bought used for the cellular connection. The router behind was PC Engines mini PC. I still run PFSense but now on a SFF desktop with a quad network card. 

[Jon-H]

You need to leave Vodafone is the answer, you won't have theses problems with 3mobile. Look into the issue with Vodafone, they have known about it since the release of the Switch & yet continue to trot out the line that they are aware & will resolve it. If that's the case why have they started up Voxi with exactly the same issues & trot out the same response! You can cancel your contract as they have not done what they stated.

[KIMWW]

Perhaps switching to TP-Link Archer MR600 could help you guys.

There is a setting which allow users to turn off something called "NAT boost" which apparently help with Port Forwarding.

It's just a suggestion. I don't do online gaming so I'm not sure if it can help.