How to Change Your NAT Type: What It Means and What Affects It

If you've ever run into lag, failed party invites, or connection errors in online games, there's a good chance someone told you to "fix your NAT type." But what does that actually mean — and what's involved in changing it? The answer depends heavily on your router, your internet setup, and what you're trying to do.

What Is NAT Type, and Why Does It Matter?

NAT stands for Network Address Translation. It's the process your router uses to manage traffic between your private home network and the public internet. Every device in your home shares a single public IP address assigned by your ISP — NAT is how your router keeps track of which traffic belongs to which device.

Your NAT type describes how open or restrictive that translation process is, specifically around how easily outside connections can reach your device. Gaming consoles, PCs, and online multiplayer games are the contexts where this comes up most often, because real-time online play requires devices to communicate directly with each other — not just with a central server.

The Three NAT Types Explained

PlayStation and Xbox use slightly different naming conventions, but the underlying concepts are the same. PC platforms like Steam generally report "Open," "Moderate," or "Strict" as well.

A Strict NAT type doesn't mean your internet is broken — it means your router is doing its job of blocking unsolicited incoming connections, which is good for security but frustrating for peer-to-peer gaming.

The Main Methods for Changing NAT Type

There's no single universal fix. Different approaches work depending on your hardware, ISP, and technical comfort level.

1. Enable UPnP (Universal Plug and Play)

UPnP is a feature built into most modern routers that allows applications and devices to automatically open the ports they need. When it's enabled, your console or PC can request the router to open specific ports without you doing it manually.

This is the lowest-effort option and works well in many home setups. You'll find the UPnP toggle in your router's admin panel, usually under "Advanced Settings" or "NAT/Gaming." The downside: UPnP has known security vulnerabilities, so some network administrators disable it deliberately.

2. Set Up Port Forwarding

Port forwarding manually tells your router to direct specific incoming traffic to a specific device on your network. Gaming platforms publish the exact port numbers they use — PlayStation Network, Xbox Live, and Steam all have documented port requirements.

To do this, you'll need:

• A static local IP address assigned to your console or PC (so the forwarding rule always points to the right device)
• Access to your router's admin panel
• The specific TCP/UDP port numbers for your platform or game

This approach is more work upfront but gives you precise control without enabling UPnP broadly.

3. Use a DMZ (Demilitarized Zone)

A DMZ setting routes all incoming traffic to one specific device, bypassing the router's NAT restrictions entirely. It's the most effective way to achieve an Open NAT type — but it also means that device loses the router's firewall protection.

This is generally only appropriate if the device in question has its own firewall (as most modern consoles do), and if you're comfortable with the security trade-off.

4. Check for Double NAT 🔁

Double NAT occurs when two devices are both performing NAT on your connection — most commonly when an ISP-provided modem has routing enabled, and you also have your own separate router. Traffic passes through two layers of translation, which almost always results in a Strict NAT type regardless of what settings you apply.

Diagnosing double NAT usually involves checking the WAN IP address on your router. If it starts with 10.x.x.x, 192.168.x.x, or 172.16.x.x to 172.31.x.x, you're likely behind double NAT. Solutions include putting the ISP modem into bridge mode (disabling its routing function) or configuring it to pass traffic through cleanly to your router.

5. Request a Public IP from Your ISP

Some ISPs — particularly those using CGNAT (Carrier-Grade NAT) — assign customers a shared public IP address rather than a dedicated one. No amount of router configuration will fix NAT type in this case, because the restriction exists upstream at the ISP level. 🌐

Contacting your ISP and requesting a dedicated public IP address is sometimes an option, though it may come with an additional fee or require a plan change.

Factors That Determine Which Method Will Work for You

What actually moves the needle for your NAT type depends on several variables:

• Router model and firmware — Not all routers expose the same settings, and some budget routers have limited UPnP or DMZ options
• ISP infrastructure — CGNAT or business-class restrictions can override anything you do at home
• Whether you have a modem/router combo or separate devices — Combo units can complicate port forwarding and DMZ setup
• Your platform — PlayStation, Xbox, PC, and Nintendo Switch each have different port requirements and report NAT type differently
• How many devices are gaming simultaneously — Multiple consoles on the same network competing for the same ports creates its own complications

An Open NAT type on one platform doesn't guarantee the same result on another, even on the same network. And a setting that works perfectly with one ISP may be irrelevant with a different one.

Understanding the method is straightforward — the trickier part is mapping it accurately to your specific combination of hardware, ISP, and network layout. 🛜