How to Change NAT Type on PS5

Struggling to connect or run an online multiplayer game? Here’s what you need to know about changing your NAT Type on the PS5.

Author:

Ben Chopping

Started off as a sports writer with a focus on football, ice hockey, boxing, and American football. After leaving RealSport, I diversified my writing substantially, kept with sport, but also leaned much more heavily into pop culture, iGaming, travel, business, tech, and especially gaming. Later, I co-founded Outsider Gaming, was the primary writer and editor-in-chief, and helped to train and bring on the writing talents who also had a passion for gaming. Now, I’m writing everything and anything, from sports to gaming, SEO-optimised content to reviews and previews.

Published on: Nov 20, 2020 | Updated on: Aug 27, 2023

For accessing all of the online features available through PlayStation 5 games, the store, or streaming apps, you’ll need the have the right NAT Type setting.

If your console is struggling to connect, the first section of your connection status that you should check is your PS5 NAT Type.

Here’s how to see your PS5 NAT Type:

From the PlayStation 5 home screen, select the ‘Settings’ button in the top right corner;
Select ‘Network’ and then ‘View Connection Status;’
Scroll down to the foot of the ‘View Connection Status’ list to find your NAT Type. It will either be ‘Type 1,’ ‘Type 2,’ or ‘Type 3.’

If your PlayStation 5 NAT Type is Type 1 or Type 2, your console will have a stable connection. However, if your PlayStation 5 shows NAT Type 3, you’ll want to change your PS5 NAT Type to either of the two ideal settings.

Here’s what you need to know about your NAT Type, from what it means on the new console to how you can change your PS5 NAT Type.

What is the NAT Type on PlayStation?

Your Network Address Translation (NAT) is a measure of your PlayStation 5’s ability to connect to your router, with the specific NAT Type showing you how well your PS5 and router can communicate.

On the PlayStation 5, there are three different NAT Types:

NAT Type 1: There’s a direct connection between your console and router without any security restrictions being enforced.
NAT Type 2: Your console and router are connected, with specific security restrictions removed to enable full functionality on the PlayStation 5.
NAT Type 3: The console’s connection to the router is restricted due to specific security protocols not being bypassed for the sake of the PS5.

As you can see, your PlayStation 5 NAT Type isn’t the only aspect of your internet connection that determines online performance, with it only showing the access granted by the connection between your PS5 and router.

How to change your PS5 NAT Type

To attempt to increase your connectivity and change the NAT Type of your PS5, the most tried and trusted method often works.

Here’s how you can change your PS5 NAT Type:

Turn off your PlayStation 5 by pressing the Power Button on the front of the console;
Once the console has switched off, unplug the console’s power cable;
Turn off your router by unplugging its power cable for 30 seconds;
Plug in the router and wait for it to restart;
Plug in and turn on your PlayStation 5;
From the PS5 home screen, select the ‘Settings’ option in the top right;
Select ‘Network’ and then ‘View Connection Status;’
On the next screen, scroll down to find your PS5 NAT Type.

Should this method not work, you can try to increase your connectivity by removing other active devices from the network. An overloaded router can present similar symptoms to a restricted NAT Type, so you can try to disconnect other devices that could be drawing from your router and then repeat the steps above.

Now that you know how to change the NAT Type on your PlayStation 5, you should be able to enjoy a better online experience. If your connection issues persist, you can turn to the PlayStation Support page to troubleshoot some other options.

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