Topic: Switch Mario Kart Online Issue

Hi guys, hoping someone could maybe help me sort out an issue on my Switch with Mario Kart please?
I'm using a switch lite and my friend a switch console. We can play Minecraft together online with no issues, but with Mario Kart as soon as I click join, I get stuck on the 'searching for players' screen then says can't connect to other console.
Both of our Internet signals are fine and as I say work on Minecraft fine.
We did manage to connect once and have a few races but since then no joy at all

Something wrong with the game.👎👎👎👎👎

@dwren

someone please correct me if I’m wrong But I think you do have to have a Nintendo switch online account in order to play online.

Hi, yes we both have a nintendo online account. We are both showing as 'online' in Mario Kart, me or my friend create a room and wait for the other to join. All it says is searching for players, then can't connect to other console

@SmashBall35 When did they say they didn't have NSO? 🤔

@dwren

Ok. Here’s this; hopefully it will answer your question.

https://www.imore.com/how-set-multiplayer-races-mario-kart-8-...

If not, I’d make sure you’ve updated Mario kart and your switch to the latest update (same with your friend). I looked it up and it said that you can play a lite with an OLED or regular switch so that shouldn’t be the problem.

@TowaHerschel7 I mean, I probably should’ve assumed from Minecraft that they had an account but I wasn’t sure. They didn’t mention it in their beginning post- and I actually didn’t see the bottom part about how they were able to connect once. I just wanted to make sure that wasn’t the problem.

These are the messages I get after searching for players has failed.

Error Code : 2618-0516
Unable to connect to the other console.
Please try again later.

NAT traversal process has failed.
If problem persists, your network conditions may not be suited to stable online play.

@dwren

Here’s this. I think it should answer your question: https://en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/detail/a...

Basically it’s your internet that’s the issue. Does the same message pop up on your friend’s?

@SmashBall35 Thank you. My friend is using wireless broadband Internet through a router, I'm using my EE mobile hotspot. I can use this to stream Netflix, watch live TV etc and download large files pretty quickly on my Mac with no issues at all. Obviously if this is the cause I'll arrange to have broadband installed but as I say I've used my mobile data for everything for over a year with no problems.
(I do make sure nothing else is using/connected to my hotspot whilst using the switch)

@dwren

Yup. I think it’s that mobile hotspot. For me, whenever I use my hotspot things load really slow and it’s not always the fastest. I think that getting internet or stealing your neighbors WiFi (jk. Don’t do that without their permission😆) would help. Some games might not need too strong of a connection but others like Mario kart or probably smash bros would need a stronger connection than a hotspot.

@SmashBall35 I've contacted the local WiFi place today so hopefully sorted soon. Thanks for your help really appreciate it 👍👍👍

@dwren

I’m glad I could help!! Tell me if you are able to get it fixed. 🤞

You can't play Nintendo games with a mobile hotspot. It's lame, but it is what it is.

@dwren I’m having the exact same issue except I’m using a regular wifi router. I have it set up right next to my switch. I can play other online games like Smash, super mega baseball, switch sports, and Pokémon violet, but when I try to play mariokart 8 online I get the same error code. And I have a switch online membership.

Did you ever end up resolving your issue?

Thanks