What are the key differences between NAT and PAT in network address translation?

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What are the key differences between NAT and PAT in network address translation?

Asked on Dec 30, 2025

Answer

Network Address Translation (NAT) and Port Address Translation (PAT) are both methods used to map private IP addresses to public IP addresses, but they differ in how they handle multiple connections. NAT typically maps a single private IP address to a single public IP address, while PAT allows multiple devices on a local network to be mapped to a single public IP address using different ports.

Example Concept: NAT translates private IP addresses to a public IP address, maintaining a one-to-one relationship. In contrast, PAT extends NAT by using port numbers to map multiple private IP addresses to a single public IP address, enabling multiple simultaneous connections. This is often referred to as "overloading" and is commonly used in home and small business networks to conserve public IP addresses.

Additional Comment:

NAT is often used in scenarios where a direct one-to-one mapping is needed, such as in static NAT configurations.
PAT is more efficient in conserving public IP addresses, making it suitable for environments with many devices needing internet access.
PAT is sometimes called "NAT overload" because it allows multiple devices to share a single public IP address by differentiating traffic using port numbers.
Both NAT and PAT can enhance network security by hiding internal IP addresses from external networks.

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