Only 13% of Broadband Connections Are NAT1! The Complete List of Routers That Support Full Cone
Online test tool: https://17nas.com/nat-test.php
Keywords: NAT1 / Full Cone, NAT3 (port restricted), NAT4 (symmetric)
Key takeaways (remember these first)
- Most home broadband connections test as NAT3 and NAT1 accounts for a very small share (about 13%)
- This is not the ISP's fault — it is because optical modems and routers default to a NAT3 policy
- Only a minority of routers and firmware allow manual switching to Full Cone / NAT1
- For the router's NAT setting to take effect, the optical modem must be switched to bridge mode, avoiding multiple layers of NAT
- If you test as NAT4 (Symmetric)), that is usually an ISP-side restriction, and you need to contact support to resolve it
- NAT1 is more open, but it also makes it easier for software to secretly run PCDN (consuming your upload bandwidth)
1. What exactly does NAT type affect?
Put simply: NAT type determines how "open" your internal devices are to access from the outside (the public internet).
NAT type comparison
The impact of NAT3 and NAT4
- NAT3: most applications work fine; a few online games may not let you host
- NAT4: this can cause:
- Intermittent stutter in online games
- No download speed for BT/PT
- Hole punching fails, so traffic is relayed
2. Why is NAT1 so rare?
According to online test data:
- NAT3: about 61% (most common)
- NAT1: about 13% (rare)
- NAT2: about 15%
- NAT4: about 11%
Main reasons
- Optical modems and routers default to a NAT3 policy (safer and more conservative)
- Only a minority of routers support switching NAT type
- Most users do not know it can be changed
3. The pros and cons of NAT1
✅ Advantages
- Better online gaming experience (easier to host)
- Faster P2P downloads (more peers connected)
- Remote access hole punching succeeds more often
- Smoother voice and video calls
⚠️ Drawbacks
- Relatively lower security (ports are more open)
- Video software may secretly run PCDN in the background (consuming upload bandwidth and hurting your speed)
- You need to be careful to disable unnecessary services
4. Prerequisites for setting up NAT1
Why does setting NAT1 on the router still have no effect?
Key reason: the optical modem is also doing NAT translation
Your device → Router (NAT3) → Optical modem (NAT3) → ISP```
Even if the router is set to NAT1, the optical modem's NAT3 will override the effect.
### Solutions
**Option A: switch the optical modem to bridge mode** (recommended)
- The optical modem only handles optical-to-electrical conversion
- The router handles dial-up and NAT
- The network architecture is more sensible
**Option B: enable DMZ on the optical modem**
- The optical modem forwards all ports to the router
- No router dial-up required
- Simpler to set up
> Detailed guide: [The complete guide to upgrading NAT3 to NAT1](https://17nas.com/NAT3-NAT1)
### Special case: NAT4
If you test as NAT4, it is usually **an ISP-side restriction**, and you will need to:
1. Contact your ISP's customer service
2. Explain that you need a "public IP" or an "improved NAT type"
3. In some regions this may require a fee or a stated reason for use
---
## 5. Summary of routers that support NAT1
### 5.1 OpenWrt (software routers / flashed routers)
**Support status**: ✅ Supported by almost all OpenWrt firmware
**Settings path**:
- Network → Turbo ACC network acceleration → Full Cone NAT
**Applicable devices**:
- Software routers (x86)
- Routers flashed with OpenWrt (such as Xiaomi, Redmi and others)
---
### 5.2 iKuai
**Support status**: ✅ Supported across the whole range (software and hardware routers)
**Settings path**:
- Basic settings → NAT type
**Notes**:
- It displays NAT4 by default, but behaves more like port restricted
- You can switch to NAT1 manually
**Supported models**:
- The full hardware router line including Q6000 and Q3000
- The iKuai software router system
---
### 5.3 Padavan
**Support status**: ✅ Supported across the whole range
**Settings path**:
- Firewall → Netfilter settings → Full Cone NAT
**Applicable devices**:
- Routers with the MT7621A chip (such as the PHICOMM K2P, Newifi 3 and others)
---
### 5.4 ASUS routers
**Support status**: ⚠️ Partial support (depends on the chip model)
**Supported models**:
- ✅ **BCM4908 and earlier chips**: NAT settings are supported
- ❌ **BCM4912 chips** (AX86U Pro and later): not supported
- ❌ **Wi-Fi 7 routers**: none are currently supported
**Settings path** (on supported models):
- WAN → Internet connection → Basic settings → NAT type
**Notes**:
- Defaults to "symmetric" (effectively NAT3)
- Can be changed to "Full Cone" (NAT1)
---
### 5.5 ZTE routers
**Support status**: ✅ All Wi-Fi 7 models supported; some Wi-Fi 6 models supported
**Settings path**:
- Network → NAT type configuration
**Supported models**:
- ✅ Wi-Fi 7 routers (the whole range)
- ✅ AX3000 Pro+ (Wi-Fi 6)
- ⚠️ Other Wi-Fi 6 models need to be verified
---
### 5.6 Ruijie routers
**Support status**: ⚠️ Partial support
**Supported models**:
- ✅ BE72Pro
- ✅ Scorpio BE68 Ultra
- ❌ Most Wi-Fi 6 devices are not supported
**Settings path**:
- More settings → WAN port settings → NAT type → Full Cone NAT
---
### 5.7 JD Cloud routers
**Support status**: ✅ Supported on most models
**Settings path**:
- Advanced features → NAT settings
**Notes**:
- ❌ The BE6500 Zhaoyun (Wi-Fi 7) is not supported
- ✅ Most other models are supported
---
### 5.8 Gaoke firmware
**Support status**: ✅ Supported on x86 software routers; partial support on hardware routers
**Notes**:
- The x86 flashed version supports NAT1
- The "Xin San" router may be the only officially authorised hardware router
- Other routers may not support flashing (subject to the actual firmware)
---
## 6. Frequently asked questions
### Q1: Why do my phone and computer give different results?
**Symptoms**: on the same Wi-Fi, the phone tests as NAT1 while the computer tests as NAT3
**Cause**: the Windows firewall affects the test result
**Solution**:
1. Open "Windows Security"
2. Go to "Firewall & network protection"
3. Temporarily turn off the firewall currently in use
4. Test the NAT type again
> ⚠️ Remember to turn the firewall back on after testing
---
### Q2: What is the difference between DMZ, port forwarding and Full Cone?
| Feature | Scope | Duration | Conflict risk |
|------|---------|---------|---------|
| **DMZ** | A single device | Permanent | May conflict with UPnP |
| **Port forwarding** | Specific ports | Permanent | Low |
| **Full Cone** | All devices | Temporary (while a connection exists) | Low |
**In simple terms**:
- **DMZ**: exposes one device fully to the public internet (not recommended)
- **Port forwarding**: permanently maps a port to an internal device
- **Full Cone**: a temporary port mapping that requires the device to establish a connection first
---
### Q3: Is there a relationship between public IP and NAT type?
**Answer**: No necessary relationship
- Having a public IP does not guarantee NAT1
- You can still achieve NAT1 behaviour without a public IPv4
- NAT type depends mainly on the router and optical modem configuration
**Multi-layer NAT rule**:
- The strictest layer wins
- For example: router NAT1 + modem NAT3 = NAT3 overall
---
## 7. Summary and recommendations
### When NAT1 is worth enabling
✅ **Recommended**:
- You play online games regularly
- You need P2P downloads (BT/PT)
- You use remote access or mesh networking tools
- You need better connectivity
❌ **Not recommended**:
- You have high network security requirements
- You do not want software secretly running PCDN
- You do not need special connectivity
### Summary of setup steps
1. **Confirm whether your router supports it** (see the summary above)
2. **Switch the optical modem to bridge mode or enable DMZ**
3. **Set the router to NAT1/Full Cone**
4. **Test and verify** (https://17nas.com/nat-test.php)
5. **Turn off the Windows firewall and test again** (if the results differ)
### Security recommendations
- Check your router logs regularly
- Disable unnecessary services and ports
- Use strong passwords
- Update your router firmware regularly
- Monitor network traffic to prevent PCDN from running unnoticed
---
**Related guides**:
- [The complete guide to upgrading NAT3 to NAT1](https://17nas.com/NAT3-NAT1)
- [Online NAT type test](https://17nas.com/nat-test.php)