How to Change the NAT Type on Your PS4

If you’re experiencing unusual lag and disconnections while playing PS4 online with your friends, the problem may not be with your internet provider, especially if your other internet activities seem unaffected. Also see our article How to Change PS4 Remote Play Resolution & Frame Rate on the Mac Instead, this is usually a problem with a NAT type that’s wrongly set. Since a NAT type is a security measure, it can sometimes become overprotective of your network and dismiss all connections coming from the outside. This article will explain what a NAT type is, how it affects your PS4 connection, and how to change it using your router. WHAT IS A NAT TYPE? Network Address Translation (NAT) is a method where a network device (firewall mostly) sets a public IP address for all the devices on the same network. A NAT type reduces the number of IP addresses in one private network. One of the main advantages of the NAT type is its ability to hide your private IP address, thus keeping your network secure. This is convenient for the connections that are made internally, such as browsing the internet, checking your inbox, or joining a game. Since the connection was initiated from inside the network, the data will flow in and out of your network seamlessly. However, this is not the case when the connections are initiated externally. The router sometimes isn’t able to recognize which internal IP address the connection is intended for. The external connections include joining multiplayer game lobbies, in-game group chats, and other multiplayer activities. TYPES OF NAT There are three different types of NAT that you can set for your network. Type 1 – Open: An open NAT type will give you the best gaming experience, but it will totally open up your connection. This defeats the sole purpose of NAT, which aims to close it and make it secure. So, if you want to make your connection vulnerable in exchange for smooth online gaming, you should choose this type. Type 2 – Moderate: This is the perfect balance between security and connectivity for your PS4. The device will remain behind the router and will be able to receive external connections. You can connect to all online games and download stuff online without worrying about your security. Type 3 – Strict: If you’re experiencing issues with your PS4 online gaming, your NAT type is probably set to 3. This means that the console is behind a router and a firewall and no network ports are arriving. You can connect to other games and players, but no one can connect to you. For example, you’ll never be able to host an online game with a NAT type 3. HOW TO CHECK NAT TYPE ON PS4 Checking your NAT type is a straightforward process. You’ll have to turn on your PS4, and follow these steps. Open the ‘Settings’ menu. Select ‘Network.’ Go to ‘View Connection Status.’ Wait for the checkup to finish and locate the NAT type at the very bottom of the screen. Write down your IP Address somewhere, as well as your Default Gateway. You’ll need them if you want to change the NAT type. NAT type CHANGING NAT TYPE You won’t be able to change the NAT type directly on your PS4. The only way to modify it is via your router’s options. Since these options may vary from router to router, you’ll need to know your router type and prepare a manual (or find one on the internet) before proceeding. Open your browser on the PC. Type the ‘Default Gateway’ address that you’ve written down in the previous section. Press Enter to open your router menu. Enter your credentials so you can access the settings. Find the ‘UPnP’ option in the settings and enable it. This means ‘Universal Plug and Play’ and allows different devices on similar networks to recognize each other. After this, there are two methods of changing your NAT Type – either you’ll put your device in the DMZ (demilitarized zone), or you’ll open up forwarding ports. METHOD 1: PUTTING THE PS4 TO DMZ DMZ is a network that sits on the edge between secure (your home network) and insecure (the rest of the internet). This means that your device will be able to receive connections from the outside, but will remain prone to intruders and data theft. Follow these steps to put the console in the DMZ: Locate the DMZ settings in your router menu. Enable DMZ and input the IP address of the PS4 (you’ve previously written it down). Save the new modifications. Open ‘Settings’ on your PS4 and see if your NAT type is different. METHOD 2: FORWARDING THE PORTS Forwarding ports is a safer method, but it doesn’t work all the time. Here’s how it’s done: Find the forwarding ports menu in your router settings. The name depends on your router type, but it’s usually either ‘Virtual Servers,’ ‘Port Forwarding,’ or something similar. Insert custom forwarding ports. These are the numbers and types (either TCP or UDP) that you’ll need to add: 80 (TCP), 443 (TCP), 3478 (TCP and UDP), 3479 (TCP and UDP), and 3480 (TCP). You should assign a name and IP address (the same you’ve written down) to each individual port. Confirm the changes. Check the NAT Type on your PS4. After making these changes, your NAT type will usually switch to Type 2 regardless of the method. To switch to the completely open type, you’ll need to remove the router or bridge it so only your PS4 can communicate with the network. This is not recommended. NO MORE LAG If you have successfully changed the NAT type, you should see the improvements in your online gaming immediately. This is because the external data can seamlessly flow into your private connection without any disturbance or lag. The best part is that the NAT Type 2 will still keep your network secure while you’re playing games or browsing online. Still, you should always scan your internet connection for unwanted data or security deficiencies. How do you keep your network secure? Would you take additional security measures if you switch to NAT Type 1 or 2? Share your opinions in the comments below.

how to change nat type ps4

Some of the time your PlayStation 4 may experience some availability issues when you are playing a multiplayer game — you may regularly separate from your gaming sessions, or you are experiencing high ping rate. In the event that you have checked your system association and it's fine, it might be that there are issues with your PS4 NAT Type setting. Actually, changing NAT Type can be a powerful strategy to improve your PS4 organize status.

This article demonstrates to you what NAT Type is, the place you can see its status, and how you can transform it for better PS4 organize association. What is NAT Type? NAT is short for Network Address Translation. It is a method that “translates” the IP addresses of all your devices in your home into a public one (all done very fast in your router). NAT is necessary because it can save a lot of addresses as the number of them is far less than enough, . There are mainly three types of NAT: Type 1 (Open): This is a totally open type. You directly connect to the Internet. Your PS4 has the least chance of disconnection and high gaming latency. And you can connect to all NAT types of users. The downside is that your connection can be insecure. Type 2 (Moderate): Your PS4 connects to the Internet with a router. Compared with the Open type, you will have higher lag and slower connection. But you can still connect to most of the players out there. Type 3 (Strict): This is the strictest type. Your PS4 connects to the Internet with a router. The chance of disconnection are the highest. You can only connect to players of Open type. And some of your PS4 online functions may not be able to work. If you are in NAT Type 3, it is recommended that you change it so that you can increase your PS4 network speed. So if you have a lousy connection when playing mulitplayer games on PS4, you can check if your console is using the wrong NAT type. How to check NAT Type on PS4? It is very easy to check what NAT Type your PlayStation 4 is in. On your PS4: 1) Go to Settings > Network > View Connection Status. 2) After the test, you can see the NAT Type at the bottom. IMPORTANT: Please also note down the IP Address and Default Gateway. You will need these in the steps as follows. How to change NAT Type? You can’t change NAT Type directly on PS4. Changing NAT Type requires altering some settings on your router. And these settings can be different depending on the make and model of the router you use. So you need to prepare a computer and the manual of your router before you begin. The following are the detailed steps to change NAT Type: 1) On your computer, open a web browser, and then type in the address box the default gateway IP address (the Default Gateway you have just noted down). After that, press Enter on your keyboard. One of the commonly used gateway addresses. 2) Enter the username and password to access your router. 3) On your router settings, enable UPnP*. (The location of UPnP varies depending on what router you are using. If you need help, you can consult the manual to find out more about locating and enabling UPnP.) UPnP stands for Universal Plug and Play. It’s a protocol that allows devices on a network to discover each other. The UPnP setting on a router. 4) There are two ways you can change your PS4 NAT Type. One is to put it to the DMZ, which can be a dangerous method. The other is to open up some forwarding ports. You can click one of the links to go to the method you want to choose. a) To put your PS4 to the DMZ: IMPORTANT: DMZ (demilitarized zone) is a subnetwork that lies between the insecure Internet and your trusted home network. The devices in this zone have better communication with the networks outside, but they will be vulnerable to the attacks from the Internet. You should think twice before going on to the steps below. i. Find the DMZ setting on your router (you may need to check your router manual). ii. Enable DMZ and enter the IP address of your PS4 you’ve just written down into the DMZ setting. Then save and apply your changes. The DMZ setting on a router. iii. Check to see if your PS4 NAT Type has changed and if the network connection is smooth now. b) To forward ports to your PS4: i. Go to the section on your router settings where you can forward ports. (Usually it is called “Port Forwarding”, “Virtual Servers”, “applications”. And again, your manual will help you locate it.) ii. Add custom forwarding ports: The numbers and types (TCP/UDP) of the ports you are going to enter are listed below (all recommended by Sony): 80(TCP), 443(TCP), 3478(TCP and UDP), 3479(TCP and UDP), 3480(TCP) Note that you should give a name and assign your PS4 IP address to each of these ports. iii. Apply your changes.