evergod

I was quite appauled with a conversation I had with a Linksys representative on chat today. I posted a thread a couple days ago about configuration problems with 2 xbox 360s and two ps3s... That got no answers. So, I decided to start talking to people. I first called my ISP, who sold me on getting more bandwidth and said I should call xbox. I called xbox live support which had a representative who of course BARELY understood english and UNDOUBTEDLY was reading off a screen... THEN I called Linksys. Now, given the nature of the technology they sell, I figured they would be far more knowledgable with technology than I actually found. IIIII knew more about the linksys routers than the guy supporting me did! So, I have to post this conversation. Of course, for security reasons I have ommitted the guy's name, but you gotta read this:

Representative: Hi, my name is Representative. How may I help you?
Me: hello
Me: can you give me direction on setting my router up to properly work with two xbox 360s and two playstation 3s at all times
Me: I have had many problems getting all four to connect online at the same time
Representative: I apologize for the wasted time and the inconvenience this has caused you, Sean. However, I'm here and I will do my best to help you out and hopefully we'll be able to resolve this concern together.
Me: thank you
Me: my goal is to have all 4 consoles connected to the internet with Open NAT
Me: I've seen many references on the internet to opening dmz to one of the consoles, but that only works for ONE console
Representative: Certain applications may require to open specific ports in order for it to function correctly. Examples of these applications include servers and certain online games. When a request for a certain port comes in from the Internet, the router will route the data to the computer you specify. Due to security concerns, you may want to limit port forwarding to only those ports you are using, and uncheck the Enable checkbox after you are finished.
Me: makes sense
Me: but if four consoles are using the same port
Me: how do you forward to all consoles?
Representative: Unfortunately, for game consoles in a certain network, only one XBox or Playstation can connect to a certain online server since it will be using the Internet or WAN IP address of your router.
Representative: However, we can still forward those port numbers but we will be needding the static IP address of the XBox and Playstation.
Me: Xbox(es) and playstation(s)
Me: and yes, I have them all setup with static ip addresses
Representative: Great.
Representative: Are you chatting with me on a computer that is connected to your router?
Me: yes
Representative: Your user information window shows that you have a WRT54G v8. Please confirm.
Me: yes
Me: I do
Representative: I apologize for the delayed response.
Me: *shrug*
Me: no prob
Me: I may be doing the same here in a sec
Representative: (smiles)
Me: but I'm still here
Representative: What we're going to do now is access the router's web-based setup page to open some port numbers in there.
Me: yes I know how to do that
Representative: Great.
Representative: Please let me know once you have it open.
Me: I do
Representative: May I know the static IP on one of your XBox please?
Me: keep in mind that's plural
Me: two xboxes AND two playstation 3s
Me: xbox 1: 192.168.1.180
Representative: Thank you for that.
Me: xbox 2: 192.168.1.181
Me: playstation 3 1: 192.168.1.190
Me: playstation 3 2: 192.168.1.191
Representative: Thank you.
Me: np
Representative: In the router's web-based setup page, please click on the Applications and Gaming tab.
Representative: Then below it, click on the Port Forward Range sub tab.
Me: yes
Me: I have tried MANY settings in there.. right now I have two enabled for my vonage VOIP phone
Representative: Great.
Me: I've tried a lot of different configurations
Me: I can whipe out them all except those two if you'de like though
Representative: For the XBox, we need to open the port number 88 and 3074.
Me: k
Me: which xbox?
Representative: If you have applications in there that are no longer in use, perhaps we can delete some of them.
Me: k
Me: deleted
Representative: I mean just for us to enter the port number for XBox.
Me: ok
Me: removed all that are unused
Me: added start and end ranges for 88 and 3074
Me: what IP do I point them to though?
Representative: I have to remind you that we can only use one XBox to connect to an online server for example the XBox Live.
Representative: That means, we have to choose between your two XBox's.
Me: that can't be the case
Me: I must have them both online at once
Me: both my wife and I play together on the two xboxes
Me: which is why we have the two xboxes
Representative: I see.
Me: I see stuff all over indicating that it can be done
Me: I'm just not sure what the right way to do it is at this point
Me: there are too many conflicting "stories" about what the "right" way to configure it is
Me: do I need to buy a different router?
Representative: Let's open some port numbers to prove something.
Representative: Please open the port numbers 88 and 3074 then use the static IP address of your first XBox.
Me: ok
Me: done
Representative: Once done, open the same port numbers for your XBox 2 and save the settings.
Me: port overlap
Me: yes
Me: I understand that issue
Representative: Still, your two XBox will work in your network but in connecting to XBox Live, unfortunately only one can connect to it.
Me: so how how is it done elsewhere?
Me: you're seriously telling me I cannot get two xboxes to connect to xbox live from this router?
Me: at the same time?
Representative: I'm afraid we can only allow one XBox.
Me: hm
Me: why do other websites say that it CAN be done then?
Me: I seem to be missing something fundamental here
Me: I had these two xboxes working just fine last week. then I plugged in my two playstations and it stopped working
Me: if it can't be done then why was it working last week?
Representative: XBox Live uses your Internet or WAN IP address of your network.
Representative: And only one Internet or WAN IP can be use to connect to it.
Me: ok
Me: then what equipment do I need to buy to make this work
Representative: I'm thinking of adding another router in your network and open the port numbers of your other XBox in there.
Representative: But this network set up may or may not work.
Me: why is that?
Representative: Perhaps we can trick the XBox Live by having two different WAN or Internet IP address.

Now... Since nobody knows the answer to my issues, I suppose I will have to figure it out on my own (SOMEHOW). But, wanted flame on the ass-hole support-desk people that don't really know WTF they are talking about.