What type of address does NAT (Network Address Translation) primarily deal with?

Network Address Translation (NAT) primarily deals with the translation of private IP addresses to public IP addresses. The main function of NAT is to allow multiple devices on a private network to share a single public IP address when accessing external networks, such as the internet. This process conserves the limited pool of public IP addresses and adds a layer of security.

When a device on a private network sends a request to the internet, NAT modifies the source address of the outgoing packets from the private IP address to the public IP address assigned to the router. When the response comes back, NAT performs the reverse translation, mapping the public address back to the appropriate private address. This enables the devices within the private network to communicate externally without needing a unique public IP address for each one.

Understanding the role of NAT in relation to addressing is crucial for network configuration and management, especially in environments where public IP addresses are scarce or where security policies dictate that private IP addresses should not be directly exposed on the internet.