Most modern day game consoles, and some console and PC games, have a Network Test feature that runs various tests against the network it is connected to. The output is usually things like average upload/download speed and NAT Type.
The Office of Information Systems at Arkansas Tech University has put considerable time into researching and implementing a solution that will improve the NAT Type reported by most games and game consoles. Most consoles should now report "Open" NAT Type while connected to ResNet although some games that have their own test may report "Moderate". Below are the steps, if any, necessary to obtain the better NAT Type for each current console type:
Gaming PC:
PCs can get improved NAT Type by downloading and running the "ATU ResNet Gaming IP Setup" utility. This can be found attached to this article. To run it, download the zip file and extract the EXE contained within. Run the EXE and follow the instructions it provides. You will likely need to restart your computer or disconnect/reconnect to the network afterwards. This utility can also act as an uninstaller to remove the settings from your system.
The utility should request updated settings automatically, however, we have seen instances where this didn't work properly. In these cases we recommend disconnecting completely from the network and then reconnecting. A device restart should work as well.
Playstation:
No action should be necessary. Our system is able to identify Playstation 3, Playstation 4, and Playstation 5 consoles and apply the correct settings.
XBox:
XBox 360 or XBox One users must make sure their system is set to defaults, including the system name (the name should begin with "XBox" or some variation of that), for the system to properly identify it and apply the settings.
Nintendo:
Nintendo Switch users may need to make multiple connection attempts to the wireless before the settings get applied. Occasionally these devices get the wrong settings the first time but seem to get the correct settings after disconnecting and connecting again.
If you are getting results other than what is described for a particular console type above, please contact the Campus Support Center and submit a ticket.