If you receive an error or experience problems connecting when attempting to sign into Games for Windows – LIVE, try these steps to resolve the issue.
Check the Status of Windows Live ID (sign in) and LIVE services
A service may be down, which will prevent you from accessing the LIVE services or sign in. To check status of the servers, click the links below:
If you cannot connect to any of these sites, please contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP) for assistance.
Port listings for Games for Windows - LIVE
The following ports are required to be opened to use Games for Windows – LIVE games
| Source |
Destination |
| UDP 1024-5000 |
UDP 88 |
| UDP 3074 |
UDP 3074 |
To make sure that these ports are open, or to open these ports, contact the network administrator or the Internet service provider (ISP). If you are the administrator of the network, check the documentation that is provided with your networking software to determine how to open these ports.
Check your network adapter
When a game installs, Games for Windows – LIVE automatically chooses the best network adapter on your system using specific criteria. However, the software may not have detected your computer's preferred network adapter. To learn how to check or change these settings, please view the following article:
If you're connected to the Internet using PPPoE (Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet) and are still having trouble connecting to Games for Windows – LIVE, please call customer support.
Open your connection before launching the game
If you are asked to connect to the Internet after you start the game (for example, you sign in to LIVE and then the Dial-up Connection box appears), close and restart the game. Your Internet connection must be established before you start the game.
Valid account
Make sure you did not mistype your e-mail address or password. If you are entering the correct information, this Windows Live ID may not be setup for LIVE. To create a LIVE account, please view Join Games for Windows – LIVE.
You may have originally set up a LIVE account using a different e-mail address and password. Sign out of the Guide, uncheck the automatic sign in option, and sign in with your original account information.
Verify Sign-in
Make sure you can successfully sign into Windows Live by signing into http://www.live.com with your current e-mail address and password. If you are unable to sign in, please contact Windows Live ID support for assistance.
Cannot be signed into multiple machines simultaneously
Your profile can only be signed into LIVE on one PC or console at a time. If you are connected to LIVE on one system and then try to sign into another with the same profile, the profile on the first system will automatically sign out.
Corrupt Profile
You may have a corrupt profile. Try deleting your current profile and logging in again.
Banned accounts
If you have been banned, you will need to wait for the ban to end before accessing the LIVE service again. For more information, please view:
DNS Entry error
“Games for Windows - LIVE cannot perform a DNS lookup with your current configuration. Check your Windows Vista DNS configuration.” This error may occur if your network requires you to run a firewall proxy client to establish connections to the Internet.
For information about changing your DNS settings, see the following Windows help articles:
Beta version
If you installed a pre-release version of the game, you will need to uninstall and reinstall the final version in order to play.
Update drivers
Check your computer manufacturer's Web site to ensure you have installed all the latest updates for your network card or modem.
If you are attempting to connect to LIVE using the Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG network card, the wireless connection on your computer may be dropped. Please install the latest driver available from Intel to fix this problem.
Port override
A network adapter error may also occur if your network is blocking the port Games for Windows – LIVE needs to connect. Contact your network administrator to make sure the port is open.
To check the port used by Games for Windows – LIVE
- On your PC, start your game. Press the Home key on your keyboard to open the Guide.
- After signing in, click Settings, Network Information.
- Look at the entry for Internet IP Address. The number after the colon is your port. Request that your network administrator open this port.
- If you can't open the port on your network, you can override it.
To override the port used by Games for Windows – LIVE
Warning: improperly editing your registry can cause problems with your system. Make sure you back up the Windows registry before editing it. For information about working with the registry, see the Knowledge Base article Windows registry information for advanced users.
- Open your registry in the Windows registry editor.
- Navigate to the following registry key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Software\Microsoft\XLive
- Add a new DWORD value. Enter LivePortOverride as the name and the new port number as the value. This value must be greater than 5000 and less than 65535.
Troubleshooting connection errors and disconnect problems
Sign-in issues can also be caused by network connectivity problems. To resolve these issues, view the following articles:
