The answer to the question “What NAT type is Starlink? Will need a bit more detail.
Starlink’s NAT type, or ” Network Access Translation” type, is the Carrier-Grade NAT(CGNAT), but that is not all.
Unlike other traditional NAT types, Starlink’s CGNAT type is unconventional in its scale and purpose.
With CGNAT, Starlink can share a single public IP address among multiple users, but it has a few downsides.
In this article, you’ll learn about Starlink’s CGNAT type, major advantages, and limitations.
At the end of this article, you’ll also know what this Starlink NAT type means for the quality of browsing experience you can expect.
Starlink NAT Type
Starlink primarily uses Carrier-grade NAT (CGNAT) in its network.
This CGNAT type helps to address the IP address scarcity problem that many Internet Service Providers face today with the IPV4 address system.
The IPV4 address space does not have enough capacity to accommodate the teeming user demands.
However, Starlink’s CGNAT represents a nice little fix for this IPV4 address shortage problem.
With CGNAT, Starlink can assign multiple users to a single IP address.
This means you wouldn’t have to wait for a vacant slot to show up in its network for you to connect.
(A Starlink Satellite in low-earth orbit)
Starlink CGNAT Explained
The Starlink primarily relies on CGNAT technology to manage its vast network of users.
Starlink CGNAT manages multiple users behind a single public IP address.
This makes it challenging to determine a specific NAT type using traditional methods.
What CGNAT does is to effectively manage the limited supply of public IP addresses.
Instead of waiting In a queue, you can now share a single IP address with other users on the Starlink network.
When you share a single public IP address among multiple users, Starlink optimizes resource allocation in its growing network.
Another effective way Starlink addresses its IP address scarcity problem is the double NAT.
(Starlink antenna signal)
The User Implications for Starlink CGNAT
Your device doesn’t have a directly assigned public IP.
This makes standard NAT-type identification unreliable while also making certain connections difficult.
More specifically, you’ll find it difficult to play certain games or do real-time video streaming.
If you use your router behind the Starlink router, you might encounter double NAT.
This double NAT further helps to address the address space shortage problem, but it also causes potential connectivity issues.
The most common solution to double NAT with Starlink is to use a VPN service that offers a static public IP address.
These VPN services offer the option of a dedicated IP address and offer fast speeds.
(A man installing Starlink)
Starlink with Public IP
If you opt for Starlink’s public IP option (If available), your network might experience a more open NAT type.
You should know this is similar to what you might find with a traditional home internet connection.
Do you have a public IP? If yes, your network might experience a more traditional NAT type, similar to what you might find with other ISPs.
Another thing is that casual internet activities like browsing or streaming generally won’t be significantly affected by Starlinks’s CGNAT.
One of the challenges for advanced users here is that online gamers might face connectivity problems with applications requiring specific ports.
Also, you will struggle with any activity that requires you to initiate remote access.
(Starlink Complete kit for Starters)
What Does Double NAT Mean With Starlink
To understand Double NAT with Starlink, you’ll need a bit more context.
If you connect two routers to one internet source, your network will register as double NAT.
To put it more specifically, Starlink’s CGNAT uses two layers of NAT.
While the first layer is on the Starlink network, the second is on the customer’s router.
While double NAT has unique challenges, it fares decently with most regular internet browsing activities for the average user.
Understanding how double NAT works will help you tackle the major problems linked to its use.
Despite its proven usefulness, using two NAT configurations, as with double NAT, is not always ideal.
If you attempt to participate in #online gaming or hosting servers, a problem with internet connectivity and latency problems will arise.
(Internet speed test)
Also, double NAT can be set in if you connect another router or gateway device to the Starlink terminal.
With this setup, you could have issues with applications that use port forwarding and peer-to-peer communication.
Due to remote hosting, You would experience latency issues while accessing devices remotely and during online gaming.
If you experience this, you will need to adjust your router setup or configure your network settings.
You would need to put your Starlink terminal in bridge/bypass mode. This strategy helps to bypass the router functionality, thus allowing your primary router to take care of the network translation.
Also, you can try to disable NAT on any of your devices or try out a different networking setup.
Conclusion
Starlink uses CGNAT to work around the IPV4 address space shortage. Using this technology, can lump multiple users into one public IP address.
While this strategy is effective, it poses certain connectivity issues on some specific applications, especially with remote server hosting.
You can address this problem with a VPN or the bridge/bypass method.