Connectify Hotspot Gaming Mode
With Connectify Hotspot, you get support for game consoles in Routed mode. Connectify Hotspot detects PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo consoles and automatically forwards the ports their online networks need through its NAT. Gaming mode works on every edition, including Hotspot Lite. With Hotspot MAX you can also use Bridged network access, which removes the extra NAT and could yield even better results.
Gaming mode on the Clients screen
Click Clients and select your console. Its Device details panel has a Gaming mode list with these choices:
- Detect automatically: the default. If Connectify Hotspot recognizes the device as a PlayStation, Xbox or Nintendo console, it forwards the ports for that console's online network.
- PlayStation Network, Xbox Live or Nintendo: choose one if your console isn't recognized automatically.
- Off: no port forwarding for this device.
Only 1 device of each network type can use Gaming mode at a time. The device that gets it first keeps it until it disconnects, or until you set its Gaming mode to Off or to another network. A device you set to a network yourself, for example PlayStation Network, takes it over from one that was only detected automatically. So if you have 2 consoles of the same kind connected at once, choose which one gets port forwarding by setting its Gaming mode to its network, or by setting the other device's Gaming mode to Off. The other device will still have Internet access, but may only obtain NAT Type 3/C/Strict.
UPnP
Many games and apps can also open the ports they need themselves, with UPnP. Make sure Settings > Network > Let apps open ports automatically (UPnP) is on. It is on by default.
Bridged network access
With Hotspot MAX, you can set Network access to Bridged on the Hotspot screen. Your console then joins the network you're sharing directly, with no extra NAT from Connectify Hotspot. Gaming mode and UPnP aren't needed then: the Gaming mode list is hidden, and the UPnP setting says "Not available in bridged mode." Learn more about bridging mode.
Getting Type 3 | C | Strict NAT on your console? Most games only require a Type 2 | B | Moderate NAT to work properly. Check out this guide on how to get a Moderate NAT type.