Article ID: 932161 - Last Review: October 4, 2011 - Revision: 5.0

While attempting to use your Xbox 360 console as a Media Center Extender, you experience connection issues

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SYMPTOMS

You may experience connection issues when you connect a Windows Vista-based Media Center computer and your Xbox 360 console.

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This behavior is usually caused by factors such as faulty network equipment or an incorrect network switch or router configuration. Follow the steps in the "What To Try" section to help determine the cause and to find a resolution.

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THINGS TO TRY

Reconfigure the network setup. To do this, follow these steps:
1. Connect the Windows Vista-based Media Center computer to the Xbox 360 console by using an Ethernet cable.
  
  Note In this setup, the console and the computer use "autonet" addresses, such as 169.254.x.x.
2. On the computer, change the location type from Public to Private. To do this, follow these steps:
  1. Click Start
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    , type sharing in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.
  2. In the Network area, click Customize.
  3. Click Private.
  4. Select Next.
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    If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password, or click Allow.
  5. Click Close.
3. In the Media section, select Media Center to start the setup process or to try to connect again. The Xbox 360 console will perform a network test, and you will receive a report that is similar to the following message:
  Limited Network Connection:
  Your console didn’t obtain an IP address from your DHCP server. An IP address is usually required for your console to contact your PC with Windows Media center. Check your network connection in Network Settings.
4. Select Continue.
If you can establish a connection between the console and the computer in this network configuration, try the original network configuration again.

If the original network configuration still does not work, troubleshoot the network equipment and the firewall settings.

For more information about the network equipment, contact the manufacturer of the equipment.

For more information about how to set up a firewall to work with a Windows Media Center-based computer, visit the following Microsoft Web site:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/mediacenter/default.mspx (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/mediacenter/default.mspx)