CGNAT
Technology & Computing abbreviation · Networking
| Stands for | Carrier-grade NAT |
|---|---|
| Categories | Technology & Computing |
CGNAT stands for Carrier-grade NAT, a networking abbreviation.
NAT performed inside an internet provider's network, so many customers share a pool of public IPv4 addresses and each home router receives a private or shared address instead. Mobile networks and newer ISPs use it widely to stretch scarce IPv4 space.
Example: Hosting a Minecraft server failed because the ISP puts residential customers behind CGNAT.
Usage notes
Also written CGN or called large-scale NAT. RFC 6598 (2012) reserved the 100.64.0.0/10 range for it, so a router WAN address in that range signals CGNAT. Customers behind it cannot accept inbound connections or forward ports, and one public address may be shared by many subscribers, which complicates abuse reports and IP-based bans. Requesting a public IP from the ISP or using IPv6 are the usual workarounds.
Related abbreviations
More networking abbreviations
- AP – Access point (wireless)
- ARP – Address Resolution Protocol
- ARPANET – Advanced Research Projects Agency Network
- ASN – Autonomous system number
- ATM – Asynchronous Transfer Mode
- BGP – Border Gateway Protocol
- CIDR – Classless Inter-Domain Routing
- CIFS – Common Internet File System
- CNAME – Canonical name (record)
- CRC – Cyclic redundancy check
- CSMA/CD – Carrier-sense multiple access with collision detection
- DDNS – Dynamic DNS