Explanation & Hint:
The three types of devices that can perform Network Address Translation (NAT) are:
- Routers: Routers are commonly used to perform NAT. They are capable of translating the internal private addresses of a network to a single public address or a pool of public addresses for use on the internet, conserving public IP addresses and adding a layer of security.
- Layer 3 Switches: Layer 3 switches, or multilayer switches, have the capability to perform routing functions in addition to switching. They can perform NAT by routing between VLANs (Virtual Local Area Networks) and translating IP addresses as a router would.
- Firewalls: Firewalls often incorporate NAT functionality. They use NAT to mask the internal IP addresses of the network from external networks for security purposes, typically during the process of filtering incoming and outgoing traffic.
Bridges and wireless access points typically do not perform NAT. Bridges operate at the data link layer and are used to divide network segments, while wireless access points provide network access to wireless devices but usually rely on a router or firewall to perform NAT. |