If you are having issues with connecting to multiplayer games in Borderlands 2, check out these steps to get back into the action!
Basic Troubleshooting:
1. Check all the physical devices on your network to ensure they are plugged in and powered on.
2. Perform a connection test on each device connected to the network.
- For Xbox, refer to the following:
- For Playstation, check out their connection troubleshooting guide here.
- For PC, refer to the following:
We have some additional tips that have helped many players improve their connectivity as well:
- Make sure your router's firmware is upgraded the latest version (very important).
- Unplug your router for 10 minutes and plug it back in. Some older routers degrade in performance over time until it is rebooted, similar to a PC.
- Disable any firewall or other network filtering for the game.
- Enable uPnP (universal plug and play) on your router.
- If you don't care about security, enable DMZ (de-militarized zone) on your router for your PC's address. This turns off all of your router's firewall features for that specific PC.
- Get a router that has the "Xbox LIVE compatible" or "Certified for Windows Vista" logo.
- Contact your ISP and ask them what your DNS setting should be.
Understanding NAT Types:
If the connection is solid but you're still having issues getting in, it may be worth checking out the NAT type of your connection.
NAT Types:
- Open
- Open NATs can connect to any of the three types. This is the least common NAT type.
- Moderate
- Moderate can only connect to open and moderate. This is the most common NAT type.
- Strict
- Strict can ONLY connect to open.
Strict NATs are a difficult problem with peer-to-peer games. Since most people don't have open NATs, the player with a strict NAT won't be able to find many joinable games.
Also, if the player with a strict NAT does manage to join a game, if another player with a moderate NAT joins later, the player with the strict NAT gets kicked out.
The problem is even worse since it is sometimes difficult for software such as Games for Windows Live to detect which NAT type it is running behind, and can often report that the player has a moderate NAT when they actually have a strict NAT.
Another problem is that sometimes the ISP (Internet Service Provider) is also behind a NAT, which often means even if you have a direct connection to the internet (without a router/firewall), the ISP still acts as a strict NAT.
Port Forwarding:
Port forwarding is another option to consider if you often host the game!
For PC:
Online games should not require port forwarding with the latest update. However, some security or firewall software may block access to required ports or certain types of traffic. Check your security software settings to ensure traffic on the following ports is allowed.
For LAN games, the host must have the following ports forwarded:
- Port 7777 (UDP and TCP)
- Port 28900 (TCP)
- Port 27900 (UDP)
- Port 28910 (TCP)
For PlayStation:
You will need to forward port 7777 (UDP and TCP) in addition to the ports for PSN. You can find the port settings for PSN below:
- Port 80 (TCP)
- Port 443 (TCP)
- Port 5223 (TCP)
- Port 3478 (UDP)
- Port 3479 (UDP)
- Port 3658 (UDP)
- Port 7777 (UDP and TCP)
For Xbox:
You will need to forward port 7777 (UDP and TCP) in addition to the ports for Xbox LIVE. You can find the port settings for Xbox LIVE here:
- Port 88 (UDP)
- Port 3074 (UDP and TCP)
- Port 53 (UDP and TCP)
- Port 80 (TCP)
- Port 7777 (UDP and TCP)
If you need assistance with opening these ports, check out the following webpage on Port Forwarding.
Direct Connection:
If you are still having issues connecting to the online servers after trying the above steps, try connecting your broadband modem directly to the console or PC you are playing the game on. This can help determine if the issue is related directly to the router or another source.