How to Get Open NAT Type for Gaming

Step 1: Enable UPnP on your router

UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) allows your console to automatically open the ports it needs without manual configuration. Log into your router admin panel, navigate to Advanced or WAN settings, enable UPnP, and reboot the router. After rebooting, check your console's network settings to see if NAT type has changed to Open or Type 1. This resolves the issue for most users.

Step 2: Assign a static IP to your console

Port forwarding requires your console to have a fixed local IP address — DHCP can change it on each restart, breaking your forwarding rules. In your router admin panel, find DHCP Reservation (sometimes called Address Reservation or Static DHCP) and assign a permanent IP to your console's MAC address. The MAC address is listed in the console's network settings.

Step 3: Port forward the static IP for your console

In your router's port forwarding section, create rules pointing to your console's static IP. PS5 requires TCP/UDP 1935 and TCP/UDP 3478–3480. Xbox requires TCP 3074, UDP 3074, UDP 88, UDP 500, UDP 3544, and UDP 4500. Nintendo Switch requires UDP 1–65535 for optimal NAT. After saving, reboot the router and retest NAT type on the console.

Step 4: Check for double NAT

Double NAT occurs when your console is behind two routers — for example, an ISP-provided gateway in router mode plus your own router. Check your console's reported WAN IP: if it starts with 10.x.x.x or 192.168.x.x rather than your public IP, you have double NAT. Resolve it by enabling bridge mode or IP passthrough on the outer ISP device so only your router performs NAT.

Step 5: Enable DMZ as a last resort

DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) exposes one device directly to the internet by bypassing all firewall port restrictions. In your router admin panel, find DMZ settings and point them to your console's static IP. This guarantees Open NAT but removes the router's firewall protection for that device. Consoles are generally low-risk DMZ candidates since they run closed operating systems with no exposed services.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is NAT type and why does it matter for gaming?

NAT (Network Address Translation) type describes how restrictively your router filters incoming peer connections. Open NAT (Type 1 on PlayStation, Open on Xbox, Type A on Nintendo) places no restrictions — your console can connect to any other player regardless of their NAT type. Moderate NAT limits some peer connections. Strict NAT (Type 3 / Strict / Type C) blocks most peer connections, causes matchmaking failures, and prevents you from hosting or joining certain lobbies. Open NAT reduces latency slightly by allowing direct peer connections without relay servers.

Is enabling DMZ safe for consoles?

DMZ is lower risk for consoles than for computers because gaming consoles run closed, locked-down operating systems with no general-purpose services exposed to the internet. There are no open SSH, RDP, or file-sharing ports to exploit. The main risk is that a vulnerability in the console's network stack or a specific game's networking code could be exploited — but this risk is very low in practice. If you want Open NAT without full DMZ exposure, port forwarding is the better long-term solution.

What ports do I need for PS5 NAT Type 1?

For PS5 Open NAT (Type 1), forward the following ports to your console's static IP: TCP 80, TCP 443, TCP 3478, TCP 3479, TCP 3480, UDP 3478, UDP 3479, and UDP 1935. The PlayStation Network also uses TCP 443 for account services. Some guides list a shorter set — TCP/UDP 3478–3480 and UDP 1935 — which covers the core gaming traffic. If NAT remains Moderate after port forwarding, enabling UPnP alongside the static forwarding rules often resolves it.