Routing And Switching Questions Long
The purpose of NAT (Network Address Translation) is to enable internet connectivity by allowing multiple devices within a private network to share a single public IP address. NAT is commonly used in home and small office networks where there are limited public IP addresses available.
NAT works by translating private IP addresses used within a local network into public IP addresses that can be recognized and routed over the internet. This translation process occurs at the network gateway, typically a router or firewall, which acts as an intermediary between the private network and the public internet.
There are two main types of NAT: static NAT and dynamic NAT. Static NAT involves manually mapping specific private IP addresses to corresponding public IP addresses, allowing for one-to-one translation. This is often used when hosting servers or services that require a consistent public IP address.
Dynamic NAT, on the other hand, dynamically assigns public IP addresses from a pool of available addresses to private IP addresses on a first-come, first-served basis. This allows for many devices to share a smaller pool of public IP addresses, as the translation is temporary and can be reused when devices are no longer actively using the internet.
NAT also provides an added layer of security by hiding the internal IP addresses of devices within the private network from external networks. This helps to prevent direct access to devices and adds a level of anonymity and protection.
In summary, the purpose of NAT is to enable internet connectivity by translating private IP addresses into public IP addresses, allowing multiple devices within a private network to share a single public IP address. This translation process occurs at the network gateway and provides an added layer of security by hiding internal IP addresses.