Hello, Ok Im trying to figure out how to get my nat type up to atleast 2. the confusing part is, I believe nat 2 is the ps3 connected to a router then the modem. I have a lynksis wireless wrt54gs. I have 2 pc's wireless on the router and my ps3 is right next to it and it is wired. then the router to my modem. I am having troubles getting out of NAT type 3. If anyone has some ideas for me then please let me know. thanks.

the easiest way to get NAT Type 2 for the PS3 is to enable DMZ in your Linksys and then put your PS3s IP(make sure you set it up as a static IP so you don't risk exposing one of your wireless pcs) in the DMZ Host IP Address.

Here's a link from PSN regarding network testing, NAT types and tips/hints.

PSN Network Test info (http://manuals.playstation.net/document/en/ps3/current/settings/connecttest.html)

(Of course setting the PS3 as DMZ is the easiest solution.)

edit: My PS3 was reporting Nat 3 initially, enabling UPnP on the router made the PS3 change to Nat 2. Never had a need for UPnP in the past so left it disabled until now.

Ok, so I enabled dmz, put in my ps3's ip and still a nat type 3. I just can't figure out how to ge tthis thing working. I also checked out sony's site and nothing works there either. I guess ill try updating the firmware and go form there, any more help appreciated.

On my router, I forwarded UDP port 3658 to the PS3 and that changed it from NAT type 3 to type 2.

NAT 3
You are behind a firewall/router, your internal IP is masquared by a public one. No outsiders can open up a socket connection (read: send TCP or UDP packets) to your machine unless firewall has a privileged rules to allow it. Its your machine to open initial tcp socket connection and counterparts then may send data to each other. But udp packets works differently, they are more stateless connections, this may produce some problems in online games and chats.

NAT 2
You explicitly allow certain ports to forward TCP/UDP packets from outside to your machine arrive, without your machine first to open initial socket. I have Telewell firewall-router and I have done following settings:
* take MAC address of PS3 (see ps3 network menu)
* bind a static ip to PS3 MAC on firewall configs (192.168.10.3 or similar)
* other machines at my house still get a dynamic ip address from firewall dhcp
* Add following port forwarding settings, taken from PS3 online docs:
- TCP, port range 5223-5223, forward to internal 192.168.10.3 ip (PS3 ip address)
- UDP, port range 3478-3479, forward to internal 192.168.10.3 ip
- UDP, port range 3658-3658, forward to internal 192.168.10.3 ip

Now you should get a secured NAT 2 level..

NAT 1
Well, you are open to all nasty crackers and wild world troubles. DMZ zone is more close to this level, I recommend no one to use it unless in absolute necessary.

Brief explanation
let's say public ip is: 222.333.444.555 and internal range is 192.168.0.0-192.168.255.255
Outside world does not see your internal address range (192.168.*) but only a single public address ADSL modem is using. Modem took own address from service provider's dhcp service. All your machines (pc, ps3, ...) share that public 222.333.444.555 ip from outside point of view. Internally of course, they do have separate ip addresses to avoid ip conflicts.

Imagine psgamerX sends TCP chat packet to 222.333.444.555:5223 port. Firewall does not know where should it be forwarded, you may have four machines behind a firewall. It does not matter even if you have only one machine, still it does not know the destination.

To overcome this problem, allowing active contact from outside to internal PS3 address, you must setup a port forwarding rules to a firewall. Now it knows that all 5223 packets must be forwarded to 192.168.10.3 machine.

Ive tried everything everyone has thrown at me and im still a nat3...I dont know whats going on...

Ive tried everything everyone has thrown at me and im still a nat3...I dont know whats going on...

I just found out i was at NAT Type 3!!!

I was wondering why my mic was not working in Motorstorm or resistance!

I rebooted my router. I reboot my PS3.. I am now in NAT Type 2.

Ive tried everything everyone has thrown at me and im still a nat3...I dont know whats going on...

If you have put a port forwarding up properly, I begin to think its your ISP provider doing some security issues on behalf of you. You should verify if port forwarding works to PC computer. Some routers require a reboot or admin screen has "Store to eprom memory/Reboot" command to commit changes.
* download some freeware small-sized http server
* add 80 port forwarding to a router/firewall and forward to PC's internal ip, port 80
* check your public ip address from the router
* ask one of you friends to try 222.333.444.555:80 access. You must do this outside the router subnet.