NAT loopback, also called NAT hairpin, is a feature that allows users on your local network to access a device via a port-forwarding rule mapped on your router as if they were accessing it from the Internet.
For example, let’s say that you have a web server hosted on your local network. This web server is accessible from the outside using a public IP address that is assigned to it. Normally, people who are connected to your router would access this web server using its private (local) IP address. However, if you want people who are connected to your router to access this web server using its public IP address instead, your router needs to support NAT loopback.
All NETGEAR routers support NAT loopback, including the following product lines:
- All Orbi Mesh WiFi Systems
- All Nighthawk routers and gateways
- All business routers
Last Updated:07/07/2025
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Article ID: 000049578