Issues with Connection Speed or Disconnects

If Xbox LIVE performance seems slow, try restarting your network hardware. Here’s how:

1. Turn off your Xbox 360 console and any network hardware (for example, your modem and router).
2. Wait 30 seconds.
3. Turn on your modem, and wait one minute.
4. Turn on the next piece of hardware (for example, your router), and wait another minute.
5. Turn on your Xbox 360 console.
6. Sign in to Xbox LIVE, and see if the performance is better.

If Xbox LIVE performance is still slow, try the next solution.

A weak wireless signal can cause poor Xbox LIVE performance. Check your wireless signal strength. Here’s how:

1. Press the Guide button on your controller, go to Settings, and select System Settings.
2. Select Network Settings.
3. Select your wireless network name if you are prompted to do so.
4. Select Test Xbox LIVE Connection.
5. Do one of the following:
   • If your wireless signal strength is one or two bars, try improving your signal strength using the tips below.
   • If your wireless signal is three or four bars, try the next solution.

How to improve your wireless signal

• Move your router or gateway off the floor and away from walls and metal objects (such as metal file cabinets).
• Minimize obstructions along a straight-line path between your console and your wireless router or gateway.
• Shorten the distance between your console and your wireless router or gateway. Ideally, your network hardware should be near the center of your home.
• Change the position of the antenna on your Xbox 360 Wireless Networking Adapter (external adapter only).
• Turn off wireless devices. If your router uses the 2.4 GHz band, try turning off wireless devices, such as 2.4 GHz cordless telephones, Bluetooth devices, and baby monitors. If you are using a wireless headset with a base station such as the Turtle Beach wireless headset, try moving the transmitter away from your Xbox 360 console, or temporarily turn it off to see if your wireless network signal improves.
• Try changing your wireless channel. Wireless routers and gateways can broadcast on different channels, and one channel might be clearer than another. See your hardware documentation for help with changing wireless channels.
• Add a wireless repeater to extend your wireless network range. You can boost your signal strength by placing a wireless repeater halfway between your router or gateway and your console.
• Add an Xbox 360 Wireless N Networking Adapter. If your wireless router is not near the console, an Xbox 360 Wireless N Networking Adapter might improve the signal strength. When you connect a wireless networking adapter to an Xbox 360 S console, the console will automatically use the wireless adapter instead of the internal Wi-Fi. Learn how to connect a wireless adapter.
• Switch wireless signal bands. If you have a dual-band router and an external wireless adapter, try switching the router to a wireless protocol that transmits on the 5 GHz band (wireless protocol A or N). See your hardware documentation for help with changing the wireless protocol.
• Do not use satellite, 3G, or 4G phone type connections. These types of connections are not supported, and you are likely to experience slow game performance or have problems downloading or streaming content. For the best Xbox LIVE experience, an Internet service provider (ISP) with a high-speed cable or DSL connection is recommended.

If these tips did not improve your Xbox LIVE performance, try the next solution.

When you play games or videos on Xbox LIVE, make sure that other computers in your home are not downloading or transferring files. When someone in your house browses the Internet, they use bandwidth that could be going to your Xbox 360 console.

Note Bandwidth is the amount of information transferred over your Internet connection. If your bandwidth is limited or fluctuates dramatically, it can affect the performance of Xbox LIVE.

If no one else is accessing the Internet and Xbox LIVE performance is still slow, try the next solution.

Your Internet connection speed might not support a large number of players. Try reducing the number of players that can join your Xbox LIVE game. For example, reduce the number of players who can join your game from 16 to 8. If you notice an improvement, contact your Internet service provider to see if you can upgrade your broadband connection speed.

Note Your connection upload speed determines how efficiently you can host games. The faster the upload speed, the more players you can host. There are several online connection tests that you can use to check your Internet connection speed.

If your Xbox LIVE performance is still slow, try the next solution.

Xbox LIVE game performance can fluctuate with the speed of your Internet connection. Residential Internet networks are often busiest in the evenings when people are at home. You may get the best Internet connection speed during the day.

If your Xbox LIVE performance is still slow, try the next solution.

A wired connection is the fastest and most reliable connection type. If you're using a wireless connection, try switching to a wired connection to see if your Xbox LIVE performance improves. Here’s how:

1. Plug one end of a network cable into the back of your Xbox 360 console and the other end into a port on your router or gateway.
2. Test your Xbox LIVE Connection:
   1. Press the Guide button on your controller, go to Settings, and then select System Settings.
   2. Select Network Settings.
   3. Select Wired Connection (if you’re prompted to do so).
   4. Select Test Xbox LIVE Connection.
3. Check your Xbox LIVE performance.

If your Xbox LIVE performance is still slow, try the next solution.

Contact your Internet service provider (ISP) to see if there are performance problems in your area. Your ISP may have a service status webpage that you can visit.

If your Xbox LIVE performance is still slow, try the next solution.

When you play games on Xbox LIVE with friends, performance is determined by both your bandwidth and your friends’ bandwidths. Have a friend try the solutions in this article on their console to see if performance improves.