PS3 Internet Connection Problems

The day you have been awaiting for more than a year, has finally arrived. You are the proud possessor of your very own brand new PS3 gaming console. Having promised your friends to connect with them online for multiplayer gaming, you try connecting the PS3 with your Internet connection. However, no matter what you do, the device keeps showing you errors when connecting with the Internet! That's what brought you online searching for ways in which you could deal with PS3 problems. If you find yourself in a similar situation, this Buzzle article is bound to be an insightful read ahead.

To be able to understand what could have gone wrong while connecting your PS3 with the Internet, you need to have a rough idea of how the PS3 wireless or wired ethernet connection works. To be able to connect your PS3 to the Internet, it needs to be recognized by your wireless router and modem as part of your internal network. In case of wireless connection, the PS3 MAC address needs to be added in the MAC filter list for the router to recognize it as part of the network.

Dealing With PS3 Internet Connection Problems

Let me outline the procedure to connect your PS3 with the Internet, before providing you with suggestions on PS3 wireless Internet connectivity problems. Check out the PS3 manual for Internet setup procedure. Open the 'Network Settings' of the PS3 console. Go to Settings → Internet Connection Settings → Wireless / Wired Ethernet' and then click on 'Scan' to let PS3 locate the Internet connection. (For Wired connection, you will have to connect the PS3 with the modem, with an ethernet cable). Once the connection is found, you may need to enter the wireless encryption key to gain access and connect with the router. Once connected, run a test to check if Internet is actually accessible. This is the standard procedure for connecting with a wired or wireless Internet connection. If this doesn't work, here are some things that you need to check out to fix the problem.

Enabling UPnP For PS3 & Router
It is essential that you set UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) to be enabled in the network settings of the router, as well as the PS3 console. Once these set of protocols are enabled, your PS3 will be automatically connected with the router easily. To change the router settings to enable UPnP, you will have to connect it with a laptop computer for configuration.

Enter WEP/WPA2 Encryption Key Correctly
Sometimes the reason for connectivity problems of a PS3 might be a wrong entry of the WEP key or WPA2 key to gain access to the connection. That's why, you need to ensure that you're connecting the right key.

Update Router & PS3 Firmware
Most of the time, a slow PS3 Internet connection may be due to outdated PS3 or router firmware. Update both from the PS3 or router manufacturer website to improve connection speed.

Buy More Internet Bandwidth
If you have too many devices connected in your network, your PS3 connection speed may be low. The only way out there is to buy more bandwidth, which will ensure faster downloads and uploads on the PS3.

Hope these tips help you out in solving the Internet connectivity problems of your PS3 console. In most cases, a router firmware update, along with a PS3 firmware update should solve your problems. In case of a slow wireless connection, it is best to directly connect your PS3 with the modem or router to boost the overall speed. In case of problems with the PS3 console itself, it is best to contact Sony and let professionals handle the problem.