How to Change NAT Type on PlayStation 4

Authored by: Support.com Tech Pro Team

1. Introduction

In This Guide

You'll Learn:

• How to fix NAT Type problems for your PlayStation 4 gaming console.

2. NAT Types

If you are gaming on a console and are having trouble playing multiplayer games, joining lobbies or talking to other players through voice chat, it may be due to your internet connection or more specifically the type of NAT your network has. This guide will explain what NAT is, what the different NAT types are for your console and how these issues may be resolved.

What NAT is

Network Address Translation (NAT) is a technology that allows you to have multiple devices connected to the internet at the same time while only having one physical connection to your Internet Service Provider (ISP). The connection to the ISP is established through a modem whereas the NAT is accomplished with the use of a router. Interconnecting a modem and a router is how all your devices in your home are able to connect to the internet at the same time. Units that can replace the combined use of a modem and a router also exist and are called gateways. The NAT has the following effects on a network:

• Connections initiated from inside the home network like surfing the web, checking email and joining a game work fine because the router passes the connection request out. Once the connection is established data flows both in and out.
• Connections initiated from outside the home network are dropped by default. This is because the router doesn't know to which device on your home network the incoming connection was intended for. In a multiplayer game these incoming connections are sometimes required for joining lobbies and voice chat.

PlayStation NAT Types

Your NAT type is determined by the settings or features of the router on the network you are using to connect to the Internet. Your NAT type, combined with the NAT type of other online players, determines whether you can successfully communicate with them in party chat or use multiplayer gaming.

For PlayStation consoles, NAT types can be:

• Type 1: The console is connected directly to a modem or connected to a router but excluded from its security restrictions. You shouldn't run into any issues whilst gaming, but this may cause security issues.
• Type 2: The console is connected to a router and the router is configured to bypass certain security restrictions required for the console to be able to communicate with the PlayStation Network. You're connected properly and you shouldn't run into any issues.
• Type 3: The console is connected to a router and the router is not configured to bypass certain security restrictions required for the console to be able to communicate with the PlayStation Network. You may be able to connect to the PlayStation Network and perform downloads and updates but other functions may not work as intended.

If your NAT type is 1 or 2, your console is connected properly. If you are having problems, it may be due to a glitch with your connection and may be resolved with a simple reboot. If you have NAT Type 3, this generally indicates that there is some sort of restriction or blockage that is preventing your console from communicating properly. This means that your router's settings will have to be altered to allow proper communication, or might be altogether incompatible with your game console.

3. Determine NAT Type

1. Select Settings.
   

1. Select Network.
   

1. Select Test Internet Connection.
   

1. Check what it says next to NAT Type on the test results screen.
   

4. Reboot Console & Home Network

Reboot the Console

1. Press and hold the power button on the front of the console for at least 7 seconds. The system will beep twice and then turn off.
   

1. Press the power button to turn it back on.

Reboot the Home Network

3. Unplug the power cable from both your modem and router.
   

3. Verify all lights are off on the modem and router.
4. After 30 seconds, replug the power cable into your modem and then your router.
   

3. It may take at least one minute for the internet to reconnect.
   

5. What's next?

6. NAT Type Configuration

In order to get the best NAT Type for your game console, you may need to do one of the following:

• Open required ports via Port Forwarding within your router.
• Enable the DMZ (demilitarized zone) setting for your game console within your router. This opens all ports of communication for a specified device that's connected to your router.
• Enable UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) on your router.

Not all of these options may be available to you depending on what kind of router you have in your home. In order to determine which ports need to be "opened" on your router to configure Port Forwarding, you may need to contact your game console's manufacturer, or refer to the console's supplied documentation. For details on how to configure your specific router, please refer to your router's supplied documentation for support.

7. What's next?