Network Address Translation.



[IETF] (http://www.faqs.org/rfcs/rfc1918.html RFC1918) defines three address ranges that may be used for so-called ''private'' networks.  These ranges must not be forwarded by [Router routers] onto the general [Internet].



NAT (see (http://www.faqs.org/rfcs/rfc1631.html RFC1631)) defines a means by which a router can translate the source or destination IP Address in forwarded packets to make a private network appear to be a single host with a public network address.



{http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/nat-router.jpg How NAT works}



Many [CableModem], [ADSLModem] and [AccessPoint] devices include a NAT [Router].