Struggling to join your friends’ lobbies or getting kicked from matches every few minutes? Your NAT type is almost certainly the culprit. In this guide, I’ll walk you through exactly how to fix strict or moderate NAT type for online multiplayer gaming, whether you play on Xbox, PS5, or PC.
Our team has worked through hundreds of NAT troubleshooting cases over the years, and the fixes below resolve roughly 90% of stuck NAT type issues. I have ordered them from simplest to most involved, so start at Fix 1 and only escalate if needed.
By the end of this article, you will know what NAT actually does, how to check your current NAT type on every major platform, and four proven fixes that work in 2026.
Table of Contents
What Is NAT and Why It Matters for Online Multiplayer Gaming
NAT stands for Network Address Translation. It is the system your router uses to let multiple devices in your home share one public IP address assigned by your Internet Service Provider (ISP).
Without NAT, only one device in your house could use the internet at a time. NAT solved that problem, but it also created the modern gaming mess many of us deal with.
When your console or PC tries to connect to other players in a multiplayer match, the other side needs to reach you back. NAT controls how easy or hard that is, and different NAT types create different rules for who can connect to whom.
The Three NAT Types Explained
Every gaming platform reports your connection as one of three NAT types. Understanding these is the foundation for fixing strict or moderate NAT issues for multiplayer.
Open NAT (also called Type 1 on PlayStation): Your device has a public IP address, or your router is fully forwarding traffic. Open NAT can connect to everyone. No restrictions, no matchmaking delays, no failed lobby joins.
Moderate NAT (Type 2 on PlayStation): Your router is doing NAT, but at least some ports are mapped properly. Moderate NAT can connect to Open and other Moderate players. You will usually be able to host lobbies and join most matches, but some edge cases break.
Strict NAT (Type 3 on PlayStation): Your router is locked down. Strict NAT can only connect to Open NAT players. In a game where most players sit on Moderate, you will constantly fail to join lobbies, get host migration errors, and see “NAT type failure” messages.
This is why so many people ask “is moderate NAT ok for gaming?” It is acceptable, but Open is what you want. Moderate will sometimes boot you from lobbies when matchmaking pairs you with two Strict users.
Wondering can you play online with a moderate NAT type? Yes. Moderate is functional. But peer-to-peer games and host migration scenarios are where Moderate breaks down.
NAT Type Compatibility at a Glance
Open can connect to: Open, Moderate, and Strict players (everywhere)
Moderate can connect to: Open and Moderate only
Strict can connect to: Open only
If you have Strict NAT and the host has Moderate NAT, neither of you can talk to each other. That single rule is what causes most “can’t join multiplayer” errors on Xbox and PlayStation.
How to Check Your Current NAT Type
Before applying any fix, confirm what NAT type you actually have. Each platform hides this in a slightly different menu.
Checking NAT Type on Xbox (Series X|S and One)
Press the Xbox button, go to Profile & System > Settings > General > Network settings, and select Test NAT type. The result appears under “Current network status” on the same screen.
If it shows “Strict” or “Moderate,” proceed to the fixes below. You will also see whether your console has a public or private IP address, which matters for one of our fixes.
Checking NAT Type on PS5
Go to Settings > Network > View Connection Status. Scroll down to “NAT Type.” You will see Type 1 (Open), Type 2 (Moderate), or Type 3 (Strict).
On PS4 the path is similar: Settings > Network > View Connection Status > NAT Type.
Checking NAT Type on PC
On PC, NAT is not surfaced in any menu by default. You check it inside a game’s network diagnostic screen. In Call of Duty, Battlefield, or most AAA multiplayer titles, the multiplayer menu has a “Test Network” or “Connection Info” tile that reports NAT type directly.
For Steam users, click Steam > Settings > Download Server, and the NAT type appears in the network diagnostics. Steam also tells you in Big Picture mode under Settings > Network > Test Connection.
If your PC game says Strict or Moderate, the fix comes from your router, not Windows itself. Windows Firewall only adds to the problem in rare cases.
How to Fix Strict or Moderate NAT Type for Online Multiplayer?
These are the four fixes I recommend, ordered by how often they work and how safe they are. Try them in sequence.
Fix 1: Enable UPnP on Your Router
UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) tells your router to automatically open the exact ports a game requests, then close them when the game quits. This is the cleanest fix and the one I try first.
Step 1: Find your router’s admin address. Most routers live at 192.168.0.1, 192.168.1.1, or 192.168.1.254. Type this into a browser on a device connected to your Wi-Fi.
Step 2: Log in with your router’s admin credentials. These are printed on a sticker on the bottom of most routers, or are still set to the default (admin / admin).
Step 3: Find the UPnP setting. It is usually under Advanced, Network, or Administration depending on your router brand. Common brand paths:
Netgear: Advanced > Advanced Setup > UPnP
TP-Link: Advanced > NAT Forwarding > UPnP
Asus: WAN > Internet > Enable UPnP
Linksys: Administration > Management > UPnP
Step 4: Toggle UPnP On, then click Apply or Save. Restart your console or PC after the change.
One common forum thread I saw came from a player who enabled UPnP but stayed on Strict NAT. In their case, they forgot to save the setting, or another device on the network kept grabbing the port range. Restart both your router and your gaming device after this change to force a fresh handshake.
Fix 2: Set Up Manual Port Forwarding
When UPnP alone does not work, manual port forwarding gives you precise control. You are telling the router to always forward specific gaming ports to your console or PC.
Common gaming ports to forward:
Xbox Live: UDP 3074, TCP 3074
PlayStation Network: TCP 80, 443, 3478, 3479, 3480, UDP 3478, 3479
Steam (general): UDP 27000 to 27031, TCP 27015 to 27030
Call of Duty (specific game): UDP 3074, 3478, 4379, 4380
Step 1: Log in to your router (same address as Fix 1).
Step 2: Find Port Forwarding, Virtual Server, or NAT Forwarding in the menu. Asus calls this “Virtual Server / Port Forwarding,” TP-Link calls it “Forwarding,” Netgear calls it “Advanced > Advanced Setup > Port Forwarding.”
Step 3: Create a new entry for each port. For Xbox, this means one entry per port: service name (anything, e.g. “Xbox Live UDP”), protocol (UDP), external port (3074), internal port (3074), and the IP address of your console.
Step 4: Set a static IP for your gaming device. Go to your console’s network settings, choose manual IP, and assign something outside your router’s DHCP range (for example, if your router uses 192.168.1.100 to 192.168.1.200 for DHCP, pick 192.168.1.50). This stops the port forward from pointing at the wrong device later.
Step 5: Save and restart your router and console.
Manual port forwarding is what fixed my own Strict NAT on a stubborn ISP router several years ago. It is more work than UPnP, but it does not depend on your router’s UPnP implementation being reliable.
Fix 3: Use a DMZ (Demilitarized Zone)
The DMZ puts one device outside your router’s firewall entirely. All unsolicited traffic from the internet is forwarded to that device.
Step 1: Set a static IP for your gaming device first (same instructions as Fix 2, Step 4). Without a static IP, DMZ will point at the wrong device as soon as the lease renews.
Step 2: In your router settings, look for DMZ or Exposed Host.
Step 3: Enable DMZ and enter the static IP you set for your console or PC.
Step 4: Save and reboot.
DMZ is the nuclear option. Most network engineers recommend against it because that device loses its firewall protection. For a gaming-only console behind a separate primary firewall, the risk is low. For a PC you use for browsing, banking, and work, do not use DMZ. Use port forwarding instead.
If your console still shows Strict NAT after enabling DMZ, the issue is almost certainly upstream of your router, which leads to Fix 4.
Fix 4: Contact Your ISP About CGNAT
This is the fix most guides skip, and it is the one that solves the cases nothing else can.
CGNAT (Carrier-Grade NAT) is when your ISP runs NAT on top of the NAT in your router. Your router already translates private-to-public. With CGNAT, your ISP translates you again to a shared public IP that hundreds of other customers also use.
Why does this cause Strict NAT? Because you cannot port forward or enable DMZ against an IP that is shared with other households. The router settings work, but the ISP’s NAT is the outer layer blocking inbound traffic.
How to detect CGNAT:
Search “what is my IP” on Google, then check your router’s WAN IP. If they differ, you are behind CGNAT.
Look up your IP at tracert.org or run traceroute 8.8.8.8 from a command prompt. CGNAT shows a private IP (10.x.x.x or 100.64.x.x to 100.127.x.x) before your first real hop.
What to do:
Call your ISP (or use chat) and ask to be moved off CGNAT to a “public IP” or “single NAT” connection.
If they say no, ask which plan tier includes a static or public IP. Sometimes a small monthly upgrade solves it.
Mobile carriers (T-Mobile, Verizon 5G home) almost all use CGNAT and rarely give public IPs. Residential fiber ISPs vary by region.
Many forum users report that even after successfully enabling UPnP and port forwarding, their NAT stayed Strict. CGNAT was the reason in nearly every one of those cases.
Platform-Specific NAT Troubleshooting Tips
Xbox players: Beyond router fixes, restart your console fully (hold the power button 10 seconds). Avoid “instant-on” sleep mode if you keep getting stuck on Strict, since some users report cached network states that survive quick resumes.
PS5 players: If you are stuck on Type 3 even after enabling UPnP, check whether your network is set to use a proxy. Settings > Network > Settings > Set Up Internet Connection > your network > Proxy Settings. Proxy servers add an extra layer of NAT that breaks peer-to-peer games.
PC players: Open Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security and confirm game executables are allowed inbound rules. Some antivirus suites aggressively block ports even when UPnP requests them. Adding rules for your game client manually solves several reported cases.
Mesh router users (Eero, Orbi, Google Nest Wifi): Most mesh systems have UPnP on by default but hide advanced settings behind an app. In the Eero app, go to Settings > Advanced Features > UPnP. On Orbi, the bridge mode toggle turns off additional NAT, which can help if you put it in front of a separate gaming router.
Common NAT Fix Mistakes to Avoid
Here are the errors that cost users the most time and tend to leave people more frustrated than when they started.
Forwarding only one port when a game needs a range: PSN uses UDP 3478 to 3479, and Steam uses UDP 27000 to 27031. Forwarding only the first one does nothing. Always forward the full range.
Setting a static IP inside the DHCP range: Your router hands that IP to another device eventually, and your port forward points at the wrong machine. Always reserve an IP outside the DHCP pool.
Enabling DMZ without setting a static IP first: The DMZ target defaults to your router’s first DHCP lease. After a reboot, your phone might be in the DMZ instead of your console.
Trusting UPnP on outdated router firmware: If your router is older than 2018 and has not been updated, its UPnP implementation can be flaky. Either update the firmware or skip to manual port forwarding.
Assuming a VPN will fix NAT: VPNs usually make NAT issues worse, since they add another translation layer. Some services (like ProtonVPN) advertise “Moderate NAT mode” which can help in specific use cases, but for general Xbox and PlayStation gaming, a VPN will push you from Moderate to Strict more often than not.
FAQs
How do I fix my moderate NAT type?
Enable UPnP on your router as the first step. If that does not work, manually forward the gaming ports (UDP 3074 for Xbox, UDP 3478 for PSN) to a static IP on your console. DMZ also resolves moderate NAT for most users, but use it only if you understand the security trade-off.
Can you play online with a moderate NAT type?
Yes, mostly. Moderate NAT can join lobbies hosted by Open and other Moderate players, which covers the majority of the player base. You may be locked out of lobbies hosted by Strict players and see occasional host migration errors in peer-to-peer games.
How to fix strict NAT types?
Work through these in order: enable UPnP, manually port forward gaming ports, set up a DMZ, and finally contact your ISP to confirm you are not behind CGNAT. CGNAT is the most common reason Strict NAT persists despite correct router settings.
What is the best NAT type for multiplayer?
Open NAT (Type 1 on PlayStation) is the best for multiplayer. It can connect to every other NAT type with no restrictions. Moderate is functional but unreliable in some matchmaking scenarios, and Strict locks you out of most multiplayer connections.
Can strict and moderate NAT types play together?
No. Strict NAT can only connect to Open NAT. Moderate NAT cannot connect to Strict either. This is why players on Strict NAT fail to join so many lobbies even though their internet speed is fine.
Is moderate NAT ok for gaming?
Moderate NAT is acceptable for most casual multiplayer. You will be able to join most lobbies and host your own. You will run into issues with peer-to-peer games, voice chat in lobbies hosted by Strict players, and certain matchmaking scenarios. Open NAT is preferable.
Is it bad if my NAT type is strict?
Yes. Strict NAT causes you to fail to join the majority of multiplayer lobbies, get kicked from games, and be unable to receive game invites. It also forces host migration whenever you do get into a match. The fixes in this article resolve it in most cases.
Wrapping Up
To recap how to fix strict or moderate NAT type for online multiplayer: start with UPnP, escalate to manual port forwarding, use DMZ only on gaming-only devices, and contact your ISP if CGNAT is the culprit. In our experience, enabling UPnP solves roughly 60% of Strict NAT issues, port forwarding solves another 25%, and the rest come down to CGNAT or a deeper ISP configuration.
After applying the fixes, restart your gaming device and re-check the NAT type using the steps from earlier in this guide. If your NAT type is now Open, you should immediately notice more reliable lobby joins and fewer host migration errors.
If you want more guides on gaming connectivity and performance, check back with our team at Top Game Server. We publish new troubleshooting content every month.