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

[TJ]

We really appreciate your feedback @highlandsports and understand your frustration, nothing should hold you back from a full gaming experience. 

I've passed along your comments and raised this for further investigation, as I agree this would be a great benefit 👍

[3monkey]

I’ve also literally signed up and received my gigacube today and found the strict NAT issues (all troubleshooting steps have been attempted such as DMZ, port forwarding, virtual server etc etc), I know the NAT is nothing to do with 4G in general as I can tether to my iPad (Sky/o2 network) and get an open NAT type and being on the unlimited day plan the fact that gaming uses less data than streaming movies I cannot see how data usage can be the reason either.

Please tell me this is going to be resolved ASAP or there is a resolution in place so I don’t have to send it bAck.

[vegtable]

I believe that the IP address you are being allocated is a CGNAT private IP address. I suspect Vfe don't have enough IPv4 IP addresses. Sorry but if this is indeed the case port forwearding will not work. The only option is to tunnel over the IP connection with a service like Andrews & Arnold l2TP.

[Ash194]

And nearly three months later this is still very much an issue and naturally never mentioned to the public buying into these device. Could you imagine if virgin media did this then told their customers once it's installed that they can forget gaming it's just a Netflix and website device? It simply wouldn't be tolerated. I would totally ditch mine and jump over to three that don't have this issue if they were already in Manchester.

[andrew-mac]

Hi,

Can you provide an update on this please?

I have strict nat issues on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X and also now Facebook Portal TV. For certain features on each of these platforms I have to tether to my mobile phone (Giff Gaff) and then switch back to my 4g/5g home broadband using Gigacube for all other uses.

Thanks

[BrodyStag]

This whole situation with the strict NAT on the Gigacube is a joke. There are so many ways around it yet you have to pay for them. Why can't Vodafone just sort their admin out and give there customers what they want. Vodafone have stated that they use CGNAT for the security of the customers, but I can almost guarantee that the majority of customers have applications on their devices to secure themselves either way. 

[vegtable]

@BrodyStag

This is not an admin issue nor is it a security issue nor is it a gigacube issue. The issue is that there are not enough IP 4 addresses to go around in the world. The whole point of CGNAT is so a single public IP address can be shared by multiple users - the trade off is that incoming connections can't be supported. For most users this isn't an issue but for some people (who play certain games, run ftp severs, Plex severs, web servers, VoIP phones) it will be. In the generic sense, this won't be properly fixed until IP V6 is widely used. Most mobile operators use CGNAT as well as increasing numbers of fixed line operators. I think it is very poor of operators to not be more open about their use of CGNAT so customers can make an informed decision. If I have a complaint it is the lack of transparency, misleading info etc.

No amount of complaining to Vodafone will change the technical constraint and there is very little they can actually do - they can't magic up new IP v4 numbers. This situation is unlikely to change in the near future so you have 3 options.

1) put up with it

2) find an alternative internet provider who does not use CGNAT

3) use a tunnel over the top

[Mark]

Hi all, I'm sorry for the inconvenience this is causing. Rest assured, we're looking into this and we'll let you all know when we've an update.

[CallumWott]

It is now 2021 and there are still issues with NAT type on consoles and it has not been fixed, this has caused a not so fun experience for me as I cannot play multiplayer with friends and family. Please fix this issue