Setting up an Xbox Series X on Stanford's network

I got an Xbox Series X (wild cheers)! I had to set it up on Stanford’s network (loud boos). Since the top result for when you search “stanford xbox set up” is a Reddit post from almost four years ago (with no definitive answer), I thought I’d write up my experience.

To get the Xbox on the network, you need to register it with Stanford. Go here and click on “Browserless Devices”.

  • Plug in the Xbox to a display and a power source.
  • Set up a hotspot on your phone.
  • Take out the controller, put the batteries in, and turn it on.
  • Press the menu button on the controller (the button with the three lines).
  • Walk through the setup process, and connect to the hotspot.
  • It will probably ask you to download an update. Godspeed. Mine was 1.6GB and on my iphone hotspot took a while (started at 6:45pm, finished at 7pm).
  • Follow the instructions on the screen to turn on the console using the controller.
  • Sign into your Xbox account.
  • Go to Settings > Network > Network Settings > Advanced Settings. Find the wireless MAC address.
  • On a laptop, go to Stanford’s network registration page and click on “Browserless Devices”. At some point you’ll be asked to enter the MAC address. You might then get a message about how long you need to wait.
  • On the Xbox, change the network to Stanford, and you should be all good to go!
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