What is CGNAT and Does It Matter?

CGNAT (Carrier-Grade Network Address Translation) means you share a single public IP address with multiple households. Providers use it to save money because the global supply of unique IPv4 addresses has run out.

For most people, it runs invisibly in the background. But for power users and gamers, it introduces a few roadblocks.

What Breaks Under CGNAT

• Console Gaming: It forces a "Strict NAT" (NAT Type 3) error on PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch. This makes it highly difficult to join multiplayer lobbies or use voice chat.
• Port Forwarding: You cannot direct incoming internet traffic to a specific device. This breaks home-hosted game servers, self-hosted websites, and media servers (like Plex).
• Direct Remote Access: Reaching home security cameras or storage drives from outside your network becomes incredibly complicated without using a third-party cloud service.

What Works Fine

• Web browsing, social media, and 4K streaming (Netflix, YouTube).
• Working from home (Zoom, Teams) and standard outbound VPN connections.

How to Bypass It

Every provider on NBN Tracker lists their CGNAT status. If you need a unique IP, you have three options depending on the provider you choose on our site:

• Free Opt-Out: Request a public IP from the provider after signing up.
• Paid Static IP: Pay an extra $5–$10/month for a fixed public address.
• CGNAT-Free Providers: Choose an RSP that provides real public IPs by default.