Glossary · Networking

NAT

Network Address Translation

In plain language

A trick that lets every device in your office share one public internet address.

The metaphor

Like a company switchboard with one main phone number: outsiders call the main line, and the switchboard routes each call to the right desk.

Going deeper

How it works

Your router swaps each device's private address for the office's single public one on the way out.
It remembers which device asked, so replies reach the right desk.
Outside computers cannot start a conversation with a device behind it by default.
It is a side effect of sharing one address, and a firewall is what actually decides what is allowed.

Network covers the firewall that performs this translation and the rules about what may come in.

In practice

An office of nine people shares one internet connection and one public address.
A shop needs a card terminal reachable from outside and has the firewall forward only that.
A contractor asks the provider why remote access fails and learns the provider shares one address across many customers.

Does NAT count as a firewall?

It hides your devices, but it is not a full security control. A real firewall adds rules and logging.

Where WILDCARD handles this

Network

Related terms

Every WILDCARD card exists to solve one named problem. Find yours.