Which Internet Providers Use CGNAT? Fiber, Cable, 5G and Satellite Compared

CGNAT, or carrier-grade NAT, is when your provider shares one public IPv4 address among many customers. It is standard on Starlink residential service and on 5G home internet such as T-Mobile Home Internet, and common on other wireless and satellite services and some smaller fiber networks. Most large cable and fiber providers, including Xfinity and Spectrum, still give home customers their own public IPv4 address. CGNAT does not affect browsing or streaming, but it blocks port forwarding, which breaks hosting a game server, reaching home cameras directly or running Plex remote access the normal way.

CGNAT by provider type (October 2026)

Provider type	Examples	CGNAT?	Public IP option
Low-orbit satellite	Starlink	Yes, by default on residential (IPv4)	Public IPv4 on some Priority plans; IPv6 available
5G home internet	T-Mobile, Verizon 5G Home	Typically yes; T-Mobile gateways do not support port forwarding	Generally not on home plans
Geostationary satellite	Hughesnet, Viasat	Commonly yes	Business or special plans
Cable	Xfinity, Spectrum, Cox	Usually no on home plans	Static IP on business plans
Large fiber	AT&T Fiber, Verizon Fios, Frontier	Usually no on home plans	Static IP options vary
Small fiber, WISPs, some co-ops	Local providers	Sometimes	Often on request, sometimes for a fee

Providers can change their network setup, so always test your own connection. Our guide to checking whether your ISP uses CGNAT takes about two minutes.

Why providers use CGNAT

The world ran out of new IPv4 addresses years ago. Wireless and satellite providers adding millions of customers quickly cannot give each one an IPv4 address, so they share them. Most of these networks also support IPv6, which has plenty of addresses and can allow inbound connections if your router and devices use it.

What CGNAT breaks

• Port forwarding and UPnP for hosting game sessions or servers
• Plex, Jellyfin or home NAS remote access without a relay
• Direct access to security cameras or a home VPN server
• Some peer-to-peer games, which may show a strict NAT type

Everyday browsing, streaming, video calls and most online games that use central servers work normally.

Starlink and CGNAT

Starlink says residential service uses CGNAT for IPv4, so inbound IPv4 connections are blocked and the Starlink router has no port forwarding. A public IPv4 address is offered on some Priority plans and needs your own router in bypass mode. See how to port forward on Starlink for workarounds.

How to get around CGNAT

1. Ask your provider for a public or static IP. Some add it for free on request; others only on business plans.
2. Use IPv6 if your provider, router and app all support it.
3. Use a tunnel or relay that connects outward from your network, such as Cloudflare Tunnels or a mesh VPN.
4. Switch to a cable or fiber provider if one reaches your address and you host things often.

Step-by-step instructions are in our guide to port forwarding and bypassing CGNAT, and Plex users can follow our Plex port forwarding guide.