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Playing online multiplayer ps4 games is a great way to compete and have fun with friends. But occasionally, you may run into a “NAT Type Failed” error that prevents you from connecting.
This frustrating ps4 issue typically means your router is blocking connectivity between your PlayStation 4 and the game servers.
In this article, I’ll try to explain what causes NAT errors and provide complete fixes to resolve NAT Type Failed problems on your PS4. With the right troubleshooting steps, you can get back online quickly.
NAT stands for Network Address Translation. It is a method for translating the private IP address assigned to your ps4 by the router into a public IP address that devices on the internet can route traffic to.
Now, there are three types of NAT configurations that determine the level of access.
Open NAT provides the most connectivity, allowing you to connect to all players.
Moderate NAT limits connections to certain players.
Strict NAT severely restricts connectivity due to the router firewall blocking most traffic.
A NAT Type Failed error usually means your ps4’s NAT configuration is Strict or unknown to the router. As a result, the router blocks connectivity between your PlayStation and the game servers, preventing online play.
The quick first step is power cycling your ps4 to force your router to renegotiate connections and assign a new IP address.
Turn off your PlayStation 4 by holding the power button for 10 seconds.
Unplug the power cable and wait 5 minutes before reconnecting it.
Turn on your PS4 and test the internet connection in Settings.
With any luck, this will make your router forget previous port blocks and NAT restrictions so your ps4 gets a fresh start.
If power cycling did not work, try assigning your PlayStation 4 a permanent static IP address.
Contact your ISP to obtain a static public IP address along with the subnet mask and default gateway.
In your ps4’s network settings, select “Set Up Internet Connection”, apply the static IP values, and configure DNS settings.
The benefit of a static IP address on your PlayStation is it never changes, preventing future conflicts.
Another approach is to place your ps4 into a DMZ (demilitarized zone). This gives your PlayStation 4 unrestricted access to communicate over the ports required for multiplayer gaming.
Log into your router’s management interface and navigate to find the DMZ settings (sometimes under Port Forwarding).
Input your ps4’s IP address into the DMZ host field and enable the DMZ feature.
The router will now allow open communication from your PlayStation without the connectivity constraints imposed by NAT.
If you don’t want to enable a full DMZ, you can manually forward the essential ports used by your PlayStation 4.
Log into your router and locate the port forwarding or virtual server settings.
Add port entries for TCP ports 80, 443, 3478, 3479, and UDP ports 3074, 3478, 3479.
Specify your PlayStation 4’s IP address with each port to tell the router where to direct this traffic.
By forwarding these ports to your ps4, the router will stop blocking connectivity for gaming.
Note: Please remember every step that you did.
Another handy router setting that could resolve NAT issues is UPnP. Short for Universal Plug and Play, UPnP enables automatic port openings.
Log into your router’s management page and browse to the advanced sections to locate UPnP settings.
Make sure UPnP is enabled. This allows your PlayStation to request temporary ports it needs for online gaming.
With UPnP active, NAT traversal issues are often automatically resolved without requiring manual port forwards.
Your router may fail to correctly give your PlayStation 4 the same IP address if it doesn’t recognize its MAC address.
Cloning the MAC address forces a reserved IP for your PS4.
Log into your router admin panel, usually through a browser at 192.168.1.1 (Please check you Gateway address in Network Details, if this IP doesn’t work). Navigate to the DHCP or IP reservation settings.
Here you can assign an IP address to always match with a specific MAC address.
Input your PS4’s MAC address (available in network settings) and set it to a fixed IP.
Cloning the MAC forces your router to resolve any issues of failing to verify your PS4.
Sometimes NAT problems persist simply due to outdated router firmware. Log in to your firmware admin panel and check for any available updates.
Install the latest firmware. If that still fails, you can attempt temporarily adjusting security settings like the firewall or NAT filtering.
As a last resort, reset your router to factory default settings in case any specific customized settings are not playing nice with your PS4.
Reconfiguring a clean setup often identifies software quirks.
Wi-Fi connectivity issues are extremely common, leading to blocked NAT even with strong signal.
The extra interference and congestion from wireless signals degrades reliability compared to wired Ethernet.
Connect your PS4 via LAN cable to your router if possible for the most direct route free of wireless clutter impacting your connectivity.
Wired networking avoids NAT conflicts by ensuring strongest possible throughput.
If your home network traffic from many devices is congesting bandwidth, your PS4 gaming latency can suffer from the congestion and interference.
Logging into your router settings to enable Quality of Service lets you customize traffic prioritization rules.
By setting your PlayStation 4’s IP address to highest priority, you guarantee it gets bandwidth resources ahead of other lower priority devices on the network like mobiles or smart TVs.
After exhausting all router tweaks, the underlying problem preventing open NAT could come down to aging, defective hardware.
If your router or modem is several years old, replacing the physical device often resolves nagging connectivity problems.
The same applies for Ethernet cables degrading over time from wear and tear. Swap out any suspect modem, router, or cabling contributing to a strictly closed NAT.
Now, I want to give some other tips for resolving NAT Type Failed problems.
- Test with a wired Ethernet connection which can avoid Wi-Fi conflicts.
- Fully place your PlayStation 4 IP into the router’s DMZ if issues continue occurring.
- Factory reset the router and reconfigure settings if problems persist.
- Contact your ISP for further troubleshooting if you’ve tried these steps.
Fixing NAT Type Failed errors ultimately comes down to properly configuring your router’s firewall and port settings so that it stops blocking connectivity from your PlayStation 4.
The most effective fixes include enabling DMZ or UPnP, assigning a static IP address, and forwarding essential gaming ports doing so will resolve most conflicts.
I recommend trying each method in order to reopen restricted NAT and get your PS4 back online. Just be sure to test your connection after applying each troubleshooting fix. Please make sure remember each and every setting when you’re fixing Nat type failed on ps4 because it will helpful when you’ll need to go backward.
Q#1. How do I change my NAT type to open on PS4?
Enable DMZ or port forwarding in your router for your PS4’s IP address. This opens the NAT and allows unrestricted connectivity.
Q#2. How do I fix my NAT type error on PS4?
Power cycle your PS4 and router, assign a static IP, enable UPnP, forward ports, or place your PS4 in the DMZ.
Q#3. What is strict NAT type PS4?
Strict NAT severely blocks connectivity to game servers and other players by restricting port usage.
Q#4. Why is my PS4 download so slow?
Interference, distance from router, congestion, and strict NAT types can slow PS4 download speeds. Restart devices or move PS4 closer to router.
Q#5. Can you change NAT type?
Yes, NAT type can be changed by adjusting port and firewall settings on your router.
Q#6. Why is my PS4 not connecting to internet?
Check router and modem connections. Power cycle all devices, update firmware, or try a wired connection on the PS4.
Q#7. What is the best NAT type?
Open NAT is the best type, with moderate being acceptable. Open provides maximum connectivity for gaming.
Q#8. How do I switch my NAT type to open?
Enable DMZ or port triggering in your router settings for your PS4’s IP address to switch NAT type open.
Q#9. How do I know if my NAT type is open PS4?
Go to Settings > Network > Test Internet Connection on PS4. The NAT type result shows if it’s open, moderate or strict.
Q#10. What is NAT Type 1 on PS4?
NAT type 1 means you have an open NAT, which allows the best connectivity.
Q#11. Is moderate NAT type good?
Moderate NAT works for most online gaming. You’ll connect to some players but it blocks others.
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