Hey guys, just wondering about something. I use to plug in my ethernet cable from my xbox to my cable modem and then would have to reboot my modem so it established a new connection with xbox. However, I found that annoying so more recently I have been just manually entering all of my network information directly into my xbox so when I turn it on it connects right away. However, sometimes, my IP address, gateway and subnet mask all change and then I have to reenter them. Is there a way to just plug in the ethernet cable and have it automatically connect without even needing a restart of the modem or having to manually enter the network information? Thank you!

I'm not all that familiar with the ol' Xbox, but whenever I plugged in directly it would pick it up without the need for a reboot. I'm sure you already have, but after plugging in, do you go to the middle button menu (because I'm so excellent with terminology) and hit the Connect to Xbox Live option? It must be something with your router, does it do the same for your computers? It may be worth looking into configuring your modem. Usually you just have to type the IP in your browser and enter the necessary username/password.

Certainly no expert here! We have some serious networking dudes on these forums, though, so maybe one of them can give you less newbish info. Good luck, bro!

I would strongly recommend that you place a Router in between your modem and the XBOX (and any other devices). The whole point of such a device is to allow automatic configuration of a network.

Agreed about getting a router. It will make your network more secure and it simplifies setup.

I'd assume your ISP is giving you a dynamic IP, probably through DHCP (I hope not through PPPoE), as mentioned, a router will simplify things by properly handling the changes and giving internal IPs to your devices (allowing multiple to connect) and also putting a firewall between you and the Internet.