How To Change NAT Type On PS4 And PS5

The NAT Type configuration is the built-in security option coming from your router. If it affects the connectivity of your consoles, you may want to change NAT type on PS4.

When you play online games, you use peer-to-peer connections. That means one player is the host, and the other’s join the games as guests. The host, as you expect, is the player who creates the lobby or the server.

NAT (Network Address Translation) type represents what type of users you can join as a guest. It also represents what type of network features your console can use to its fullest.

There’re three NAT types: Open, Moderate, and Strict. Your configuration results from the built-in configuration of your router or your network’s gateway.

Open users can connect with anyone and use network features without issue. Moderate NAT types can connect with Open and Moderate and use its network features with no problem. The Strict type can throttle voice chat, downloads, updates, online gaming, and more. Moreover, it can only connect to Open NAT types.

Here’s a chart showcasing connection availability between NAT types:

NAT Type	Open	Moderate	Strict
Open	Yes	Yes	Yes
Moderate	Yes	Yes	No
Strict	Yes	No	No

Overall, if you find issues connecting or interacting with other players, you may want to change NAT type on PS4/5. This includes adjusting some settings on your router.

Table of Contents

Changing the NAT Type

Changing the NAT type involves five processes:

Checking your PS’s NAT Type
Enabling UPnP on your router’s page
Assigning a static IP and a public DNS to the PS
Port forwarding the PS

You may think “Open” is the ideal NAT type, but it may render your network vulnerable. Because of that, we’re doing configurations that would take you to NAT Type 2 (Moderate).

How to Check NAT Type on PS4 and PS5

The first part is easy, and you’ve probably already done it various times.

Turn on your PS
Go to Settings
Go to Network
View Connection Status

The NAT type is at the bottom of the page. If you see Type 3, you’ll need to do the follow-up steps. It would be better to leave it as it is for every other option.

How to Enable UPnP on Your Router

UPnP (Universal Plug n’ Play) is a setting that facilitates communication between two devices. In essence, once you connect to another system, the router should understand the connection is safe by default.

Some routers have the configuration off by default. You need to turn it on, and you’d need to access the router page to do it.

Here’re the steps to enable UPnP:

Open your router’s admin panel

Access your router’s administration panel through your web browser. You have to enter your router’s specific URL to access the page. More instructions are below. In summary, though, you can type the following address on your web browser and press enter the IP Address, i.e., 192.168.1.1.

Log in as the Admin

After you access the site, log in. If you have created the user before, please input your credentials.

If you can log in to the site, it means you’re the administrator. So, login-in takes you straight to a page where you can configure key network settings.

Bear in mind every router brand features a different page, but the UPnP option is present always.

Look for the UPnP Setting

Inside the admin panel, look for the UPnP setting. This is generally on the following sections (depending on your router):

Media
Advanced
Advanced Users
Advanced Settings
Administration
Media Settings

In my case (Mercusys Admin panel), I follow these steps:

Click on the Advanced tab at the top right
Then, expand Advanced users on the left panel
Click on UPnP on the drop-down menu

Turn on UPnP

Lastly, turn on Universal Plug and Play. It’s commonly a switch, a button, or a checkbox.

There are two ways to change NAT Type on PlayStation from here on out. The first way is putting your PS on the DMZ. We do not recommend this dangerous method, as it sends your console to a demilitarized zone. It’s a risk to your security network.

The second method is opening forwarding ports. However, this process would fall apart if you don’t put a static IP to your console.

How to Put a Static IP and a Public DNS on the PS4/5?

Your port forwarding may fall apart if you don’t add a static IP to your device.

Your router sets dynamic IP addresses to your devices every time they log in to the network. A dynamic IP address randomizes the last numbers, and the router assigns these numbers.

A static IP is a set number you decide for a certain device. It will never change, and thus it can be more stable.

Additionally, we’re adding a public DNS server for your PS. The address we choose comes from Google, and it’s a public server the company offers to make worldwide connections faster.

Here’re the steps to set a static IP for your console:

Turn on your console
Go to Settings
Go to Network
Go to View Connection Status
Write down the following numbers: Subnet Mask, Default Gateway, IP Address.
Go back, and select Set Up Internet Connection
Select LAN or Wi-Fi
Select Custom type
On IP Address Settings, choose Manual
Add a new IP number. It’s the IP address you wrote down, but add 50 or 100 to the last number. For example, if the IP is “192.168.0.01,” add “192.168.51.” You can also raise the last digit by 100.
For DNS, add the following numbers: 8.8.8.8 as Primary DNS, 8.8.4.4 as Secondary DNS
Add the Default Gateway and Subnet Mask data you wrote down
Complete the steps
Reset the console

These two changes can improve your speed and stability. Also, they allow you to port forward the PS4/PS5. Be sure to write down the static IP address you selected for your PS.

Lastly, another common public DNS you can use is:

Primary DNS: 4.2.2.1
Secondary DNS: 4.2.2.6

How to Open Port Forwarding Ports for Your PS?

Port Forwarding allows devices and services in private networks to easily connect to other devices in public or private networks.

In the gaming world, it’s a common process that makes your PCs and consoles more accessible to other systems on the internet. Therefore, it can improve connection, wait times, and online gameplay.

For the PS, it means sending the connection to specific ports, so it works without issue.

Here’re the steps to port forward your PS:

Log in to Your Router’s Admin Panel

We’re going back to the router admin’s panel, as before.

Find Port Forwarding Rules

Every router manufacturer has its own software with different interfaces. We’ll link you to various router-specific instructions down below either way.

That said, the general idea is looking for the port forwarding rules. We encourage you to find an online guide to help you with your specific models.

In essence, you have to search the forwarding ports options or port forwarding rules options.

Usually, it’s under the following sections:

Port Forwarding
Virtual Servers
Applications
Advanced Applications
Apps & Gaming
Port Range Forwarding
NAT Forwarding
Port Triggering

For my Mercusys router, here’re the steps:

Click on the Advanced tab at the top right
Click on Advanced Users at the left panel
Select Virtual Server on the drop-down menu

Frequently, the option you’re looking for allows you to add servers and ports. Moreover, it should be near the UPnP settings.

Add a Custom Port

First, click on the “Add Virtual Server” or similar button. You may see it as “Add Rule,” “Add Port,” or similar.

Input the Port Data

Then, you’re to input specific data on the Rules or Virtual server. In particular, you need to type specific Sony ports, so your PS recognizes a friendlier connection automatically.

The ports Sony recommends are:

TCP: 80, 443, 3478, 3479, 3480

UDP: 3478, 3479

80(TCP), 443(TCP), 3478(TCP and UDP), 3479(TCP and UDP), 3480(TCP)

With this information, the full datasheet should look like so:

Common Server	External Port	Internal Port	IP Address	Protocol
Don’t use	80	80	Your PlayStation's static IP	UDP, or TCP/UPD, or Both, or All

Please note that you can use any Sony numbers for External and Internal ports. However, both numbers have to be the same.

Then, your Protocol choice must match the port information. In other words:

If you choose 3480 (TCP), then you should choose All.
If you use a TCP and UDP number, you can use the Both, the All, or the TCP/UDP option.
If you use a UDP number, you should choose UDP or All as your protocol.

Also, ensure you’re using the static IP address you added for your PlayStation 4. That’s why I told you to write down the number and why the rule may fall down if you don’t use a static IP. The rule won’t work anymore when the router changes your PS’s dynamic address.