Compatibility Between NAT Types
When playing games online that use a peer-to-peer connection (Mario Kart 8, Super Smash Bros. on Nintendo 3DS, etc.), one player will act as a host and other players will join that host's game. A user's NAT (Network Address Translation) type determines what users they can connect to during this process.
The three different NAT types are Open, Moderate, and Strict. Your NAT type is typically the result of the network you are using to connect to the Internet, and influenced by the settings or features of the router or gateway on that network.
Users with Open NAT types can generally connect with anyone, and users with Moderate NAT types can connect to users with Open or Moderate NAT types.
Users with a Strict NAT type can connect to games hosted by a user with an Open NAT type, however, if a game supports multiple users, they will get disconnected if a user with Moderate NAT type joins the same game.
Below is a chart detailing this compatibility:
| NAT Type | Open | Moderate | Strict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open | YES | YES | YES |
| Moderate | YES | YES | NO |
| Strict | YES | NO | NO |
If you find that you are having difficulty connecting to other players online, or that you're often getting disconnected from other players, it's likely that you have a Strict NAT type. In most situations you can correct this by adjusting a few settings within your wireless router or gateway.
