What NAT type means and why yours might be restricted

NAT stands for Network Address Translation. It is the system your router uses to manage which devices on your home network can receive incoming connections from the internet. When your NAT type is "Strict" or "Moderate", your router is blocking most incoming connection attempts. When it is "Open", your router accepts them.

You will see NAT type matter most in online gaming, video calls, and peer-to-peer applications. A Strict NAT type can cause lag, dropped connections, or the inability to join certain game sessions. An Open NAT type removes those barriers. However, Open NAT also means your devices are more exposed to unsolicited incoming traffic, which is why the find network guide you came from recommends keeping NAT restricted unless you have a specific reason to change it.

Your NAT type is determined by your router's settings, not your internet provider. You control it entirely from your router's configuration page.

Key Takeaways

  • Open NAT type requires port forwarding or UPnP enabled on your router, both of which you configure through your router's admin page, not through your device.
  • Port forwarding sends traffic arriving on a specific port directly to one device on your network, and requires you to know your device's local IP address.
  • UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) allows applications to request port forwarding automatically, but only works if your router has it enabled and your process supports it.
  • Changing NAT type to Open increases the risk that unsolicited traffic reaches your devices, so only do this if a specific process requires it.
  • After making changes, restart your router and the device running the process before testing whether NAT type has changed.

Finding your router's admin page and login

All router configuration happens through a web page you access from any device on your network. Open a web browser on a computer, phone, or tablet connected to your home WiFi. In the address bar, type 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1 — one of these is the default address for most home routers.

If neither address works, look at the back or bottom of your router itself. There is usually a sticker with the router model and the admin address printed on it. You can also search online for "[your router model] admin page" if the sticker is missing or unclear.

When the login page appears, enter the username and password. The defaults are often "admin" for both, but check your router's manual or the sticker on the device. If you changed the password when you first set up the router and cannot remember it, you will need to reset the router to factory settings by holding the reset button for 10 seconds — this erases all your custom settings and returns everything to default.

Enabling UPnP if your process supports it

UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) is the simpler route if your process supports it. When UPnP is on, applications can ask your router to open ports automatically without you having to configure anything manually. Most gaming consoles, streaming apps, and modern video call software support UPnP.

Once you are logged into your router's admin page, look for a section called "UPnP", "Universal Plug and Play", or sometimes "NAT-PMP". The exact location varies by router brand — it might be under "Advanced", "Network Settings", or "Port Forwarding". Enable it by checking the box or toggling the switch, then save your changes.

After you enable UPnP, restart your router by unplugging it for 10 seconds, then plug it back in. Wait two minutes for it to fully boot. Then restart the device running your process. The process should now be able to request port forwarding on its own, and your NAT type should shift toward Open within a few minutes of the app running.

Setting up port forwarding manually

If your process does not support UPnP, or if UPnP is not working, you will need to set up port forwarding manually. This tells your router to send traffic arriving on a specific port number directly to a specific device on your network.

First, find the port number your process needs. Check the process's documentation, settings menu, or support page — it will list a port or a range of ports. Write this down. You will also need your device's local IP address, which is different from your public IP address. On Windows, open Command Prompt and type ipconfig, then look for "IPv4 Address" — it will look like 192.168.x.x. On Mac or Linux, open Terminal and type ifconfig and find the "inet" address. On a gaming console, go to Settings and look for Network or Connection Info.

Log back into your router's admin page and find the Port Forwarding section — it is usually under "Advanced", "NAT", or "Port Forwarding". Create a new rule. You will enter the port number, select the protocol (usually TCP, UDP, or both — check your process's documentation), and enter your device's local IP address. Save the rule and restart your router.

Restart the device running your process as well. The change takes effect when ready, but the process may need to restart to detect it.

Testing whether your NAT type has changed

The way you test NAT type depends on what you are using it for. On a PlayStation, Xbox, or Nintendo Switch, go to Settings, find Network or Connection, and run a connection test — the results will show your NAT type. On a PC, many games have a network diagnostics tool in their settings menu. For general testing, websites like canyouseeme.org can check whether a specific port is reachable from outside your network.

If your NAT type is still Moderate or Strict after enabling UPnP or setting up port forwarding, check that you entered the correct port number and that your device's local IP address has not changed. Devices sometimes get assigned a new local IP address when they reconnect to the network, which breaks port forwarding rules. If this keeps happening, log into your router and set a static local IP address for that device — this reserves a specific address so it never changes. The option is usually in the DHCP or Reserved IP section of your router's admin page.

When to leave NAT type restricted instead

Open NAT type means your router is accepting unsolicited incoming connections. This is necessary for some applications to work smoothly, but it also increases your exposure to port scanning, brute-force login attempts, and other network reconnaissance. The find network setup you read about recommends keeping NAT restricted as a baseline.

Only change your NAT type if a specific process genuinely needs it — you will usually see an error message or warning in the process itself telling you NAT type is the problem. If you are not seeing that message, your NAT type is probably fine as is. When you no longer need Open NAT, disable UPnP or delete the port forwarding rule to return to a restricted state.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing NAT type to Open make my WiFi faster?

No. NAT type affects connection stability and the ability to establish peer-to-peer links, not bandwidth or speed. If you are experiencing slow internet, the problem is elsewhere — check your internet provider's speed, restart your modem, or move closer to your router.

Can I have different NAT types for different devices?

Yes. You can set up port forwarding for one device while leaving others restricted. UPnP, however, applies to your entire router — when it is on, any process on any device can request port forwarding. If you want fine-grained control, use port forwarding rules instead of UPnP.

What if I do not know which port my process uses?

Check the process's documentation, FAQ, or support forum first — the port is almost always listed there. If it is not, contact the process's support team directly. Do not guess, because forwarding the wrong port will not solve the problem and may interfere with other services.

Does Open NAT type mean hackers can access my computer?

Open NAT type means your router will accept incoming connections on the ports you have forwarded. Whether a hacker can actually access your computer depends on what is listening on those ports and whether it has security vulnerabilities. This is why you should only forward ports for applications you trust and only when you need to.

Why does my local IP address keep changing?

Your router assigns local IP addresses automatically using DHCP. Devices usually keep the same address, but if a device is offline for a while or reconnects to the network, it may get a new one. If this breaks your port forwarding, set a static IP address for that device in your router's DHCP settings so it never changes.