Gaming · Checked September 2026
WiFiXpert Compatibility Score — Xbox Series X|S
Great Wi-Fi radio, but party chat and multiplayer depend on router settings people never touch.
Usually fine, with a couple of catches
Eight checks, same for every device. The eight numbers below add up to 74.
The eight checks
| What we check | Rating | Points |
|---|---|---|
Works on 2.4 GHz Works, though you would rarely want to use it for gaming. | Supported | 11/14 |
Works on 5 GHz Fast and stable on the 5 GHz band. | Excellent | 14/14 |
Modern Wi-Fi security Handles modern router security. | Good | 11/12 |
Happy on mesh Wi-Fi Stays put in one room, so roaming is rarely the issue. | Very good | 14/16 |
Works on a guest network Multiplayer and party chat break on guest networks. | Poor | 2/8 |
Survives a plug-in extender Extenders add delay, which shows up as lag. | Not recommended | 3/8 |
Doesn't depend on chatty discovery Doesn't rely on chatty local discovery. | Low dependency | 13/16 |
Easy to fix when it goes wrong "Strict NAT" messages are clear about the symptom but not about the cure. | Medium | 6/12 |
| WiFiXpert Compatibility Score | 74/100 | |
What usually goes wrong
"Your NAT type is strict" — friends can't join, or party chat cuts out.
Free things to try, in this order
- 1
Turn UPnP on in your router settings; it fixes most strict NAT messages.
- 2
Only one device should be doing the routing — if you have your own router behind the provider's hub, put one in modem mode.
- 3
Use a network cable to the console where you can; it removes half the variables.
Before you buy anything
A £10 long network cable beats any Wi-Fi upgrade for a console in a fixed spot.
Answers about this gadget
What it needs from your network
Wi-Fi 5 or Wi-Fi 6 client where steadiness matters far more than raw speed.
- Bands it uses
- Both bands. Use 5 GHz if you can reach it.
- How it's found
- Low, but online play depends on how your router handles incoming connections (what gamers call NAT type).
- Background discovery traffic
- Low.
- On a guest network
- Online play often fails on guest networks.
- On a separate gadget network
- Keep the console on the main network so incoming connections work.
Getting it set up
- • Cable it if the router is in the same room. Nothing else comes close.
- • Otherwise use 5 GHz and keep line of sight.
- • Stand next to your router while you set it up, then move the gadget to where it lives.
- • Put your phone on the 2.4 GHz network name for the setup, or use one name for both bands so the phone can follow.
- • If your router splits bands into two names, turn the 5 GHz one off for five minutes rather than fighting it.
- • Turn mobile data off on your phone during setup — some apps quietly use it and never find the gadget.
With mesh Wi-Fi
- • Wired backhaul helps a lot. Two routers both doing address translation cause strict NAT — that's usually the real fault.
With particular broadband providers
- Virgin Media: A Virgin hub left in router mode behind another router is the most common cause of strict NAT we see.
What to do: Put the Virgin hub into modem mode so only one device is doing address translation.
- BT: BT hubs support UPnP, which is normally enough for an open NAT.
What to do: Check UPnP is switched on before opening ports manually.
If it simply won't play nicely
- A powerline adapter or cable to the console — Fixes both delay and NAT problems more reliably than any Wi-Fi change.
Network notes checked September 2026.
Problem guides for this gadget
Where these ratings come from
- Xbox Support — NAT type explained
- WiFiXpert cases and community reports for this device, checked September 2026.
What we haven't confirmed yet
- Our sources for this one aren't from the maker's own site yet.
Nobody pays to appear in this index, and no shopping link changes a score. If a manufacturer changes something that affects a rating, tell us and we'll recheck it.