What is NAT - Gatekeeper of the World Wide Web

The Internet is very complex, and its complexity is similar to that of a highway system. However, the data managed to find it. NAT is a tool that helps not lose data. Let's take a look at how it works and what its main purpose is.

What is NAT?

NAT (or Network Address Translation) is the IP addressThe process of mapping to a public IP address. It is done by modifying the network address data in the IP header of the packet as it passes through the routing device.

This process enables unique IP addresses to represent entire groups of computers. Because a single IP address can represent an entire private network, it is widely used to save online address space after IPv4 addresses are exhausted.

How does NAT work?

NAT translates your private IP address to a public IP address. Let's say you're searching for a nearby grocery store on Google. The request is sent from your laptop to the router and then to the network. However, the change happens within the router. This device changes your private IP address to a public IP address. The recipient of the request then identifies the public address and sends the information back to you. This establishes the connection.

So NAT allows a single device, such as a router, to act as a proxy between a private network and a public network. The devices of a single network can then be represented by a single IP on the World Wide Web.

In this sense, NAT is reminiscent of a receptionist directing, blocking, and routing calls at a large corporation. NAT acts as a filter between your network and the external network, it handles all requests without revealing your private IP address.

Type of NAT

The following are the main types of NAT:

• Static NAT. This type of NAT always uses the same public IP address. It is especially useful when your device needs to be accessed from an external network.
• Dynamic NAT.In this case, NAT uses a different public IP address each time. It chooses addresses from its pool of IP addresses.
• Overloading or PAT (Port Address Translation).This is a form of dynamic NAT that maps multiple unregistered IP addresses to one registered IP address by using different ports. This type of NAT is popular in organizations that want their employees to use a single IP address under the supervision of a network administrator. It is also cost effective as many users use a single IP to connect to the internet.
• overlapping.Overlapping NAT occurs when the registered IP address used on your internal network is also used on multiple internal networks. It is used when organizations want few networks to communicate without re-addressing their devices.

Why use NAT?

Here are a few reasons to use NAT:

• it helpsSave IP addresses.Without NAT, the internet would eventually not have enough IP addresses and our data would not be able to navigate the web.
• It enhances your security.NAT creates a boundary between internal and external networks. Basically, no one can connect to your computer unless it initiates a contact. No external proxy can use your IP address to intercept your device or network.
• Easier network management.NAT allows web and FTP servers to be moved to other hosts and makes changes easier on the internal network.