Experiencing difficulty when trying to join friends’ games or inviting them to your own games on PlayStation 5 can be frustrating. In this guide, we will explore some common causes of these issues and provide helpful tips to improve your multiplayer gaming experience.
Causes of Difficulty Connecting to Friends’ Games
- NAT Type Issues: NAT (Network Address Translation) type plays a significant role in how your PlayStation 5 communicates with other devices over the internet. NAT types are generally categorized into three types: Open (Type 1), Moderate (Type 2), and Strict (Type 3). Compatibility issues between different NAT types can lead to problems when trying to connect to friends’ games.
- Game Server Problems: Sometimes, the issue may be related to the game’s servers. If the servers are experiencing high traffic or technical issues, it can cause difficulties in connecting to friends’ games or inviting them to your own games.
- Network Configuration Settings: Incorrect or suboptimal network configuration settings on your PlayStation 5, router, or modem can also cause issues when trying to connect to friends’ games.
Tips to Improve Connectivity with Friends’ Games
- Check Your NAT Type: From the PlayStation 5 home screen, go to Settings > Network > Connection Status to check your NAT type. Ideally, you and your friends should have NAT Type 2 (Moderate) for optimal connectivity. If you or your friends have a Strict NAT type, it may cause issues when trying to connect to each other’s games.
- Enable UPnP on Your Router: Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) allows devices on your network to automatically configure port forwarding, which can help improve your NAT type. Log in to your router’s settings and enable UPnP if it’s not already activated.
- Manually Configure Port Forwarding: If enabling UPnP does not resolve the issue, you may need to manually configure port forwarding on your router. Refer to your game’s documentation for the specific ports required, and consult your router’s manual for instructions on setting up port forwarding.
- Use a Wired Connection: If possible, connect your PlayStation 5 to your router using an Ethernet cable. A wired connection provides a more stable and faster connection compared to Wi-Fi, which can help improve connectivity with friends’ games.
- Check for Updates: Make sure your PlayStation 5 firmware, games, and router firmware are up-to-date. Updates may include performance improvements and bug fixes that can help improve connectivity with friends’ games.
- Restart Your Devices: Power cycling your PlayStation 5, router, and modem can resolve temporary issues that may be affecting your ability to connect with friends’ games. Turn off each device, unplug them from the power source, wait for 30 seconds, then plug them back in and turn them on.
- Test Your Internet Connection: Run a speed test on your internet connection to check for any issues. If you find that your connection is slow or unstable, contact your internet service provider for assistance.
By following these tips, you can help improve your ability to connect to friends’ games on your PlayStation 5 and enjoy a smoother multiplayer gaming experience.
