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What is network address translation?
NAT maps IP addresses from one address realm to another so packets can be routed between them. The translating device—often a router or firewall—sits between the networks and updates addressing information as traffic crosses the boundary.
The IETF’s RFC 2663 defines NAT as “a method by which IP addresses are mapped from one address realm to another, providing transparent routing to end hosts.” In practical terms, devices can communicate across networks even though the addresses used on one side differ from those used on the other.
How does NAT work?
- A device sends a packet toward a destination outside its local network, using its local IP address.
- The NAT gateway applies a mapping and updates the packet’s addressing as it forwards it. The mapping may be static or created dynamically when a session begins.
- When a reply arrives, the gateway uses the mapping to translate the destination information and forward the packet to the originating internal device.
For a dynamic mapping, RFC 2663 describes the gateway establishing an address binding at session start, looking it up for later packets in that session, and removing it when it is no longer needed.
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Basic NAT and NAPT: what is the difference?
Basic NAT translates IP addresses. NAPT—network address and port translation—translates an IP address along with a transport identifier such as a TCP or UDP port. That extra information lets multiple internal endpoints use the same external address at the same time, with separate mappings for their traffic.
| Type | What is translated | Typical effect |
|---|---|---|
| Basic NAT | IP addresses | Maps addresses between realms; it does not, by definition, provide the port-based sharing described for NAPT. |
| NAPT | IP addresses and transport identifiers such as TCP or UDP ports | Can let multiple internal endpoints share one external IP address through distinct translated mappings. |
RFC 3022 describes NAPT as translating many network addresses and their TCP/UDP ports into a single network address and its TCP/UDP ports. This is the common arrangement behind multiple devices sharing one externally assigned IPv4 address.
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Can outside devices initiate connections through NAT?
In traditional NAT arrangements, an internal host can generally initiate a session to an external host, and the gateway can use the resulting mapping to handle return traffic. An unsolicited inbound connection typically needs a static mapping or another explicit configuration that tells the gateway which internal endpoint should receive it. Exact behavior varies with the NAT type and deployment, so not every NAT setup handles sessions in the same way.
Is NAT a firewall or a security feature?
NAT and firewalling are different functions. NAT translates addresses and may keep session state; a firewall applies traffic rules. Routers and firewalls are both common places for NAT, but address translation alone is not a complete security guarantee.
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What limitations can NAT cause?
Some application protocols include IP addresses in their own data. Translating the IP header does not automatically rewrite an address embedded in an application payload, so those applications can need special handling. RFC 2663 discusses application-layer gateways as one way to support some such protocols; this is a possible compatibility issue, not a claim that NAT always breaks them.
RFC 2663 specifically describes NAT in an IPv4 environment. It should not, by itself, be treated as a general explanation of IPv6 translation.
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