Network Address Translation (NAT) is a method used in networks to modify network address information in IP packet headers while in transit, allowing multiple devices on a local network to share a single public IP address. This process enhances security and conserves the limited number of available IPv4 addresses by hiding the internal IP addresses from external networks.
Session Traversal Utilities for NAT (STUN) is a protocol that allows devices behind a Network Address Translator (NAT) to discover their public IP address and the type of NAT they are behind, facilitating peer-to-peer communication. It is widely used in Voice over IP (VoIP), messaging, and other real-time communications to establish a direct connection between clients without requiring a relay server.
Traversal Using Relays around NAT (TURN) is a protocol that enables devices behind Network Address Translation (NAT) to receive incoming data over the Internet by using a relay server. It is essential for real-time communication applications where direct peer-to-peer connectivity is obstructed by NAT configurations, ensuring reliable data transmission paths.
Hole punching is a network communication technique used to establish a direct connection between two devices behind NAT (Network Address Translation) by leveraging a third-party server to facilitate the initial connection. This method is crucial for peer-to-peer applications, enabling efficient data transfer without requiring direct public IP addresses.
Application Layer Gateways (ALGs) are specialized gateways that facilitate communication between different networks by translating application layer protocols. They ensure security and compatibility by inspecting, modifying, and forwarding traffic based on the application-level data being transmitted.
Proxy servers act as intermediaries between a client and a server, facilitating requests and responses while offering benefits like anonymity, security, and load balancing. They are crucial in network management, providing controlled access to resources and improving performance by caching content and filtering traffic.
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a technology that creates a secure and encrypted connection over a less secure network, such as the internet. It enhances privacy and security by masking the user's IP address and encrypting data transmitted between the user and the VPN server.
Traversal Using Relays around NAT (TURN) is a protocol that facilitates the traversal of network address translators (NATs) or firewalls for multimedia applications by using a relay server to relay data between peers. This approach is especially useful in scenarios where direct peer-to-peer connectivity is not possible due to restrictive NAT or firewall configurations.
UDP Hole Punching is a technique used to establish a direct connection between two devices behind different NATs without requiring port forwarding, enabling peer-to-peer communication. It works by coordinating the exchange of packets through a third-party server to create a mapping in each NAT, allowing direct data transfer between the peers.
Cone NAT (Network Address Translation) is a type of NAT where a single external IP address and port pair is mapped to a single internal IP address and port, allowing inbound packets from any external host to reach the internal host as long as they match the external IP and port. This makes Cone NAT particularly useful for applications requiring consistent and predictable connections, such as peer-to-peer communication and gaming.