Configuring a NAT Type 2 (for Destiny on PS4)?

[Madmick]

Okay, so I'm experiencing massive connection issues with Destiny where I am routinely booted from the game. My network is Type 3, and of course all games warn that this may negatively affect game networking. Before I begin, I should note that there is another WiFi network I have also tried, with a NAT Type 2, and so far it has actually been less reliable. I did this because the issue is so widespread that Bungie has actually issued a statement at their help website, so maybe it's just a server-side imbroglio:
BUNGIE IS ACTIVELY INVESTIGATING NETWORKING ISSUES THAT PLAYERS CAN'T SOLVE ALONE
http://www.**************/Help/Article/12207

We hear you. We truly appreciate the work some of you have put into troubleshooting so you can enjoy Destiny. For those of you that still can’t play, or are getting frequently disconnected, we are working very hard to investigate why that might be happening.

We will be providing regular updates on our investigations; these are found directly in the error code help articles below. If you have read these articles before, you may want to check them out again as there is a good amount of new info, including up-to-date progress notes.

While we can’t provide an ETA for the resolution of your specific situation, we can tell you that we continue to make great strides toward improving player experience. Again, that isn't a guarantee that your particular situation has improved, but it is a promise that we are hard at work trying to make things better for players.

List of Errors:
CENTIPEDE - CATERPILLAR/CATTLE - BEE/FLY/LION - BEAVER/FLATWORM/LEOPARD - ZEBRA

Nevertheless, I figured I might as well do everything I can concerning what I can control, so I went about trying to open my NAT for the game. It seemed like a rudimentary task, but I've hit some roadblocks:

Connection Type: Wireless
Router: Motorola 3347-02-Netopia
Port Forward provides this step-by-step guide:
http://portforward.com/english/rout...a/3347-02-Netopia/Destiny_-_PlayStation_4.htm
I've forwarded ports before, so all of this is familiar. When it didn't work the first time, I actually did a hard reset of my router and started over in case that was the issue.
As Port Forward states, "To setup port forwarding on the Motorola 3347-02-Netopia router your computer needs to have a static IP address." So I gave it one. Windows validated the settings for this static IP upon exit with no issues detected. So I headed to my router configuration panel, and this has been my process:

1. I checked that my Firewall is set to "Clear Sailing" (this was already default).
2. I enabled UPnP (it was disabled by default).
3. I enabled Wireless, and set a WPA-PSK Passphrase (i.e. Password) to use instead of the default 32-digits-long WEP encryption key that the router uses by default. This is just for convenience, btw. I tested this wireless network with a smartphone and tablet, and both connect and operate.
4. Finally, I went about forwarding the ports. I was careful to use the correct Static IP address that I set, and also to check that TCP/UDP were correctly chosen for each port.

It's all routine except for one pinhole, the first, that requires a TCP opening of the "80" port. I get this error code from the router configuration panel:

ERROR:
Pinhole element PS4 Destiny #1 has conflict with internal
Web-TCP service 80,
Either change pinhole port or redirect Web Port.
Validation did not pass!

So I googled how I might resolve this, and I was directed to the "Internal Servers" section in the router configuration panel. My Googling informed me that I should change the port setting here from "80" to anything else. Here's a screenshot via Port Forward:

If you enlarge you can see what it says: "Enter a value from 1 to 65534, 0 to disable the server." I assumed that I didn't want to disable the web server, so I just picked a random number inside those parameters, and entered. Having done that, the router's validation passed, allowing the TCP port forward for Destiny on the 80 port, and so I thought I had achieved a NAT Type 2. The WiFi still functioned for my smartphone & tablet. However, I tried connecting under these new settings over WiFi via the PS4, and I encountered two problems. First, sometimes it will pass the "Test Connection" phase, and sometimes it won't (usually it would time out on the test of the upload bandwidth if it connects to the network at all). Second, when tested, it was still reporting the NAT as Type 3.

Bizarrely, when I returned to try a different calibration of the network, I wasn't able to access the router configuration panel at all. I did a hard reset, and replicated my steps, and the same thing happened again. As soon as I change the internal server web port from "80" to anything else, then close the browser, after I re-open the browser I can no longer access the router using my default gateway IP address. I have to perform a hard reset of the router to get back in and change any router settings.

What am I doing wrong? How can I achieve a NAT Type 2 for the PS4 with the appropriate ports- including port 80- forwarded? Should I disable that Web-TCP service by entering "0"?

 

[Madmick]

Okay, about the last part with the conflicting web server port which uses the "80" port I need to forward for the PS4, some more Googling turned up this thread:
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2201577?start=0&tstart=0

This post ran into the same conflict on this same router when he wanted to forward Port 80. He asked:

I'm pretty sure I don't want to change Web Port but if I did, I wouldn't even where to go to change it.

Also, I redirected the domain name to the static IP address but the only access I have is to the router config page. I know in the end that, like audio, it will be something very simple but again, I really appreciate the help.

To which there was this reply (the final post in that thread):

I think you need to set up some network address translation here if the server is using a local network address. In the router, assign a static network address to the server's MAC address, then create a NAT assignment for the routable IP address to the server's local network IP address.

I don't know how to implement the troubleshoot that Capaho is suggesting.

 

[imagoon]

I highly doubt forwarding port 80 will have an effect. Mostly because most ISPs block it in bound anyway. Also the PS4 would need to be static, not the computer. I also consider uPNP a serious security risk.

 

[Madmick]

I highly doubt forwarding port 80 will have an effect. Mostly because most ISPs block it in bound anyway.

Good to know. Thank you. This answers my question. I opened every other nec necessary port for both TCP & UDP directions. For any other with old, crappy, stubborn routers who are trying to game, not only should you visit Port Forward for specific step-by-step instructions and specific additional port forwards used for a given game, but you should also open all these ports:
http://www.playstationing.com/ps4/how-to-change-your-nat-type-on-ps4-and-ps3/839

You need to open up the following ports in both directions TCP & UDP:
80
443
465
983
3478-3480
3658
5223
6000-7000
9293
10070-10080

The above included all the specific ports required by Destiny except for the inbound "1935" port I forwarded. I'm still getting a "NAT Type 3" in the PS4's network test, but I'm not getting booted from the game every 5 minutes anymore. I can actually play it. Since I still haven't successfully achieved a NAT Type 2, I don't consider this issue fully resolved, but effectively I'm done handling with it unless my DC issues return/persist on this or other games.

Also the PS4 would need to be static, not the computer.

Yes, the static IP and forwarded ports were configured for the PS4, not the PC handling the network configurations.

I also consider uPNP a serious security risk.

Oh well. I want to play the game, and virtually every guide/thread I've found online called for UPnP to be enabled. After all, I didn't solicit opinions on network security here since that isn't my issue. I'll return if it becomes one.

 

[imagoon]

So I read that blog. If you have uPNP configured, you do not need a static or forwards. If that is failing to give you NAT-2 forwards may work but 80,443,465 is commonly blocked for inbound and from what I am reading the PS4 doesn't actually use them for inbound anyway so forwarding them will have no effect. The blog posting is simply telling you that you need to have them "open" as in not firewalled.

I get "type-2" without uPNP on both my PS4 and PS3 with no configuration at all though so I am not sure what is blocking you.

So my question is... is your external IP address on the public internet? Look at your WAN ip address, if it starts with 10. 172.31 or 192.168. your ISP might be double NAT. Your ISP could also be filtering you and not matter what you do, you will never get NAT-2 without calling them and changing service etc.

 

[Madmick]

So I read that blog. If you have uPNP configured, you do not need a static or forwards.

Yeah, I tried that first, hoping a single checked box would spare me the work of configuring all those open ports, but it didn't work, so then I opened all the ports that I could specified at Port Forward for Destiny...which brought me here when I presumed that my inability to forward the inbound 80 port was perhaps my final hurdle to achieving a NAT Type 2. No dice, so then I went about opening all the additional ports cited at the Sony blog.

If that is failing to give you NAT-2 forwards may work but 80,443,465 is commonly blocked for inbound and from what I am reading the PS4 doesn't actually use them for inbound anyway so forwarding them will have no effect. The blog posting is simply telling you that you need to have them "open" as in not firewalled.

I suppose I could re-close the TCP for those ports and simply forward them for UDP, but I figured maybe that blog was citing the most commonly used TCP ports used by the spectrum of the Playstation library. I figured I'd rather cover all my bases for future gaming.

So my question is... is your external IP address on the public internet? Look at your WAN ip address, if it starts with 10. 172.31 or 192.168. your ISP might be double NAT. Your ISP could also be filtering you and not matter what you do, you will never get NAT-2 without calling them and changing service etc.

I went to check the WAN, and it was set to PPPoE (vcc1). There was a drop-down menu with "IP Address" as the other option, but when I chose this, it showed 0.0.0.0. I'm not sure what that means, but it appears that there is no current IP configuration on the WAN.

I get "type-2" without uPNP on both my PS4 and PS3 with no configuration at all though so I am not sure what is blocking you.

Yeah, so does the other router I've used; although that one is still giving me constant DC issues...I'm beginning to think that this is a Sony server issue. Their farm has always been inferior to Microsoft's, and I never experienced any issues on the Xbox or Xbox 360. Who knows? Maybe the whole "The Interview" movie hacker scandal is exacerbating the issue. For example, this second NAT Type 2 router constantly DC's with the error "Baboon". This isn't one of those listed above. At Bungie help it says this about the "Baboon" error:

This error commonly happens when players are connecting to the world of Destiny via cell phone tethering or mobile hotspots. While we appreciate your moxie and verve for playing Destiny over your mobile connection, we can’t promise a smooth experience while using this type of network setup.

It's a WiFi connection via an 802.11n router. There are no mobile hotspots anywhere in the house, ever. Yeesh.

Next troubleshoot is just to move the PS4 upstairs away from my big screen. Not what I want, but nothing like a good old fashioned hardwired connection.

 

[riahc3]

Honestly, your best option is to get a DD-WRT router.

Shitty routers, like the Motorola 3347-02-Netopia you mentioned, cant handle high loads like gaming. Their cache gets filled and they become highly unstable.

Make a investment in a DD-WRT router. Trust me, you will thank me in the long run.