How to Change NAT Type PS4 [Lag Free Online Gaming 2024]

Are sluggish network response, getting kicked out of the lobby, or Something went wrong, etc., issues bothering you much while playing online on your PS4? Well, that’s not only you; rather, it’s been reported by many console players lately.

While every other technique falls on its face in solving such a problem, changing the NAT type appears as the lifesaver. In this article, I’m going to walk you through this process.

So, without further ado, let’s take the tour.

What Is NAT Type & Why Is It Important?

NAT— Network Address Translation is a mechanism employed in modern routers that converts your device’s IP address from secret to public. That is when communication takes place on a broad network such as the Internet.

This sounds a bit enigmatic, I get it. So let’s have an explanation in human terms!

Imagine you are trying to watch a video on YouTube. When you press the play button, the computer makes a request to the router that says, “I want to stream this content”. The router almost instantly sends out this request to the YT server through the internet.

YT servers, upon receiving such a request, recognize it and send back the response as data packages. Which then comes through the router to your computer, and you can see the video. Pretty cool, right?

But what does NAT do during this process?

See, your device and the router have local and static IP addresses, respectively. When a request is sent from the device to the YT server, the router changes the address in between.

The response from the other end then comes back directly to the router, and then the router sends the response straight to your laptop but not any other device that is connected to the router. As a result, no miscommunication takes place. A precisely controlled data package interchange.

Now, NAT is important because it allows us to solve the issue of running out of IPs as devices are increasing every day. And each device has its own unique IP address.

That is because IPv4 is still dominant, and it’s based on 32-bit code. It can only assign 4 billion unique IP addresses until IPv6 is adopted. That is 128-bit and can produce 340 trillion trillion trillion special IPs.

NAT remedies this falling short of IP issue without the use of IPv6 and protects unregistered IP addresses. Not to mention, NAT solves possible security risks by masking the device’s IP address.

Like other devices, PlayStation exploits NAT as well. We’ll talk more about it in this article later on.

How Many NAT Types are Available on PlayStation?

In the venture of changing the NAT types, you need to know which one to choose for the best results. Typically, you’ll find 3 types of NAT such as Open NAT, Moderate NAT, and Strict NAT.

Out of the three types, which one should you pick? Well, for that, you need to know what features each type offers and what their pros and cons are. So let’s have a look down below.

Here are all the NAT types on PlayStation:

Type 1 – Open NAT

Type 2 – Moderate NAT

Type 3 – Strict NAT

If you look closely, Type-2 Moderate NAT makes the perfect choice in terms of online gaming experience and secured connection.

In the following section, I’ll show you how you can change the NAT type on PS4/PS4 Pro.

How to Change PS4 NAT Type

To change the PS4 NAT type, first, jot down your PS4’s NAT type and IP address. Open up a browser and access the router settings. Enable UPnP from Administration settings. Forward ports, and if the PS4 NAT type fails, create and configure a DMZ on the router.

So let’s check out how you can modify PS4 NAT Type step by step.

Find Your PS4 NAT Type & IP Address

When you attempt to change the PS4 NAT type, it is important to know what is the current NAT and IP address of your PS4. You’ll need these pieces of information in every step while changing the NAT type.

To find your PS4 NAT type & IP address, navigate to Settings > Network > View Connection Status. Note down the NAT type and IP address from this page for future reference.

Here are the methods to change the PS4 NAT type:

1. Forward Ports on Router

Port forwarding is often recognized as opening the ports for a specific device. The basic idea here is to provide maximum traffic to the PS4. So that it can access the network faster so that the online gaming experience enhances.

Though remember, port opening introduces vulnerability as the firewall lets in external connections. For that reason, suspicious traffic can get in easily. But this process effectively changes the NAT type of PS4.

To forward ports on your router:

• Launch a browser on your PC or phone.
• Get to the router’s IP address to access the settings. For our TP-link router, it is http:// 192.168.0.1.
• Sign in with the credentials of your router.
• Find and enable UPnP (Universal Plug and Play). This option generally resides in the Administration/Advanced section. If you don’t find it there, simply have a look around.
• Go to Forwarding/Port Range Forwarding/Ports/Port Triggering settings.
• Check or enable TCP and UDP port forwarding.
• Set port ranges for TCP and UDP just like this: 80(TCP), 443 (TCP), 3478 (TCP & UDP), 3479 (TCP and UDP), and 3480 (TCP).
• Give each port range a name and assign the PS4 IP address.
• Save the changes.

Now, go ahead and check whether the PS4 NAT type is changed. If it’s successful, you’ll have a better online gaming experience.

2. Configure a DMZ on Router

DMZ on a router means Demilitarized Zone but in a network. It’s basically a network that is between a secure and an insecure network. This implies a device in the DMZ will receive data connections from the outside, with a high risk of data breach.

But it helps to reduce lag and establish strong network performance on the PS4. So online gaming is ever so strong on the console.

Here are the steps to set up DMZ on the router:

• Turn on UPnP after logging into your router settings.
• Locate Network and Firewall/Forwarding settings.
• Search for the DMZ or DMZ Host menu.
• Turn on DMZ.
• Insert your PS4 console’s IP Address.
• Save the settings and reboot the router.

The NAT type of your PS4 is now changed, and the internet connection on your PS4 console should perform flawlessly. You’ll feel the difference right away in terms of network lag or stutter.

Note: The settings I’ve talked about can hide under different names depending on the router.  Also, different games can utilize different ports, so research your games and insert the correct ones.

FAQs

Can You Change NAT Type?

Yes, you can change NAT type on different gaming platforms such as PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, etc. But modifying the NAT type introduces vulnerability, and there’s a high risk of malicious activity.

Does NAT type affect speed?

Open NAT accelerates online gaming. It gets rid of any interception between the game server and the gaming device. That is a seamless connection but rarely affects internet speed or ping.

Is It Safe to Have a NAT Type 2?

NAT Type 2 or Moderate NAT is more secure than Open NAT. It provides a balance between Strict and Open NAT. It allows some ports to keep operating and, in the meantime, puts up a firewall as well.

Last Bit

For persistent online gaming on the PS4 with minimal lag and hiccups, changing the NAT type is useful. However, you’re risking your privacy and data in the process.

But if you have to make this tweak, I recommend you change it to NAT Type 2 for better network performance and security.

That’s all for now. If you have more questions, leave a comment down below.