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Gaming · troubleshooting

Strict NAT or Type 3 on Starlink: what it means and how to fix it

Your console says the NAT type is Strict, Moderate or Type 3. On Starlink Residential that’s expected, and it often doesn’t matter. Here’s when it does, and what fixes it.

Quick answer

A Strict, Moderate or Type 3 NAT on Starlink Residential comes from CGNAT, and port forwarding or UPnP won’t change it. Most online play still works. If you need open NAT for hosting or party chat, try IPv6 first; a public IPv4 needs a Priority plan and your own router.

Facts checked Research-based, not measured by us

Cause
CGNAT on Residential and Roam
Matchmaking
Usually works
UPnP / port forwarding
No effect behind CGNAT
Real fix
IPv6, or Priority public IP (from $55/mo)

What Strict, Moderate and Type 3 mean

Consoles grade how easily other players’ consoles can connect to yours. Xbox uses words like Open, Moderate and Strict. PlayStation uses Type 1, Type 2 and Type 3. Roughly: the open grades mean anyone can reach you; the middle grade means some can; the strictest grade means only connections you start will work.

We couldn’t read Microsoft’s or Sony’s own pages for the exact definitions, so treat this as a general description, not their wording. It’s marked unverified in our sources. Your console’s own help screen explains its labels.

Why Starlink Residential causes it

Starlink Residential and Roam use carrier-grade NAT for IPv4 (checked Oct 5, 2026). Your home shares one public address with other customers, and Starlink’s default policy blocks every inbound connection (checked Oct 5, 2026). Your console tests whether others can reach it, finds they can’t, and reports the strict grade.

Why inbound connections fail behind CGNATYour devices share one public address with many other customers. Connections you start go out and replies come back. A connection someone else starts reaches the shared address and stops, because the network doesn't know which customer it is for.Your laptop192.168.1.20Carrier-grade NATyou: 100.64.x.xshared public IPv4Zoom / VPN serverSomeone dialing inyou start it: worksthey start it: stops here
Outbound connections (calls, most VPNs, cloud apps) work because you start them. Inbound ones (hosting, port forwarding, some games and VPN servers) stop at the shared address. Fixes: a tunnel you start from inside, IPv6, or a plan with a public IPv4.

What a strict NAT actually limits

ActivityWith strict NAT behind CGNAT
Matchmaking through game serversUsually fine
Joining a friend’s lobbyOften works if their NAT is open; can fail if both are strict
Hosting a lobby or private matchOften fails or limits who can join
Party and voice chat (peer-to-peer)Can fail with some players
Running a dedicated game server at homeDoesn’t work on IPv4

One more limit, separate from NAT: CGNAT plans allow 1,200 sessions at once, and Starlink lists gaming among what can break if a home hits it (checked Oct 5, 2026). If games break only when the house is busy, that’s a better suspect than NAT type.

Check your NAT type on each console

Menu names change with console updates, so here’s the general path rather than exact button names:

  • Xbox: open Settings, go to the network settings, and run the connection or NAT test. The result shows the NAT type.
  • PlayStation 5: open Settings, go to Network, and run the test for your internet connection. The result lists the NAT type.
  • Also note: whether the console reports an IPv6 connection, if it shows one. That matters for the fixes below.

Run the test plugged in with Ethernet if you can, so Wi-Fi problems don’t muddy the result.

Fixes, in order

1. Nothing, if games work

If you can find matches, join friends and chat, leave it alone. A strict label on its own doesn’t cost you anything.

2. Make sure IPv6 is reaching the console

Starlink supports native IPv6 on every router, kit and plan (checked Oct 5, 2026). IPv6 has no CGNAT, so peer connections over IPv6 aren’t blocked the same way. Some consoles and games use IPv6, or a tunneling method like Teredo on Xbox, for peer connections. How much that helps depends on the console, the game, and whether the other players have IPv6 too. If you use your own router, make sure IPv6 is turned on and not blocked by its firewall.

3. UPnP on your own router won’t fix CGNAT

UPnP lets the console open ports on your router. That helps on a normal home connection. On Residential it doesn’t, because the block is at Starlink’s carrier NAT, not your router. The Starlink router also can’t port forward at all (checked Oct 5, 2026).

4. A public IP: Priority plan plus your own router

A public IPv4 is only available on Local and Global Priority plans, and you turn it on yourself in your starlink.com account under IP Policy (checked Oct 5, 2026). Local Priority starts at $55/mo. Then put the Starlink router in bypass mode and use your own router with UPnP or port forwarding for the console. The public IP isn’t static, which is fine for gaming.

IT For your IT person: NAT details
  • Residential/Roam IPv4: CGNAT, 100.64.0.0/10, inbound blocked by policy. Console STUN-style tests will report the most restrictive NAT class.
  • IPv6: native on all plans, delegated prefix via DHCPv6-PD. Allow inbound for the console’s IPv6 address only as needed on your own firewall; the Starlink router has no firewall rules.
  • Public IPv4: Priority plans only, opt-in, not static. With bypass mode and a third-party router, UPnP or static forwards work normally.

Fixes that don’t work behind CGNAT

  • Port forwarding on Residential. The carrier NAT in front of you never sends the connection in.
  • DMZ mode on your router. Same reason.
  • A second router or mesh system. It adds another NAT layer, not less.
  • A paid consumer VPN “for gaming”. Most don’t give you an open, inbound-reachable address, and they add latency.

Questions people ask

Why is my NAT type Strict on Starlink?

Because Starlink Residential uses CGNAT: your console shares a public IPv4 address with other customers, and inbound connections are blocked (Starlink, checked Oct 5, 2026). The console sees that nothing can reach it from outside and reports a restricted NAT type.

How do I get Open NAT on Starlink?

On IPv4, only with a public IP, which Starlink offers only on Local and Global Priority plans (from $55/mo), plus your own router doing UPnP or port forwarding. Before paying for that, check whether your console and game already work over IPv6, which every Starlink plan has.

Will UPnP or port forwarding fix NAT type on Starlink Residential?

No. They open ports on your own router, but the carrier-grade NAT in front of it still blocks inbound connections. The Starlink router itself can’t port forward at all.

Can I still play online with Strict NAT or Type 3?

Usually yes. Most matchmaking goes through the game’s servers. What suffers: hosting lobbies, joining some friends’ parties, and peer-to-peer voice chat in some games.

Sources

  1. What IP address does Starlink provide? (Starlink support), checked Oct 5, 2026
  2. What are CGNAT session limits and how do they affect my connection? (Starlink support), checked Oct 5, 2026
  3. IP Address (Starlink support), checked Oct 5, 2026
  4. How do I set my IP address to a public IP? (Starlink support), checked Oct 5, 2026
  5. Can I port forward with the Starlink router? (Starlink support), checked Oct 5, 2026
  6. What is bypass mode? (Starlink support), checked Oct 5, 2026
  7. Starlink US marketing availability API: Local Priority fixed site (invitationTypeCode=6), checked Oct 5, 2026

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