PAT Maps Multiple IPs to One | Generated by AI
Question: Which type of NAT maps multiple private IPs to a single public IP?
A) Static NAT
B) Dynamic NAT
C) PAT (Overload)
D) One-to-One NAT
Answer:
The correct answer is C) PAT (Overload).
Explanation:
Network Address Translation (NAT) allows private IP addresses to communicate with external networks using public IP addresses. The different types are:
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Static NAT: Provides a one-to-one mapping where a single private IP is always translated to the same single public IP. It does not allow multiple private IPs to share one public IP.
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Dynamic NAT: Uses a pool of public IPs to map private IPs dynamically (also one-to-one, but the public IP can change). Multiple private IPs require multiple public IPs from the pool; it does not overload a single public IP.
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PAT (Port Address Translation), also known as NAT Overload: Maps multiple private IPs to a single public IP by using different port numbers to distinguish sessions. This is the most common form of NAT in home routers and enterprises to conserve public IPv4 addresses.
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One-to-One NAT: Refers to static or dynamic NAT with fixed or variable one-to-one mappings (equivalent to A or B); it does not share a single public IP among multiple private IPs.
PAT is specifically designed for many-to-one translation, making C the correct choice.