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Thanks, DevilWAH, now everything is clear.<br />
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Goran
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Must every router support NAT, since it has two netowrk segments to connect? The way I understand NAT is: it translates local IP addresses to WAN IP address, and remembers which local IP sends information to what IP, so it can pass back the information to the proper LAN port.<br />
<br />
If this is correct, then any router needs to support NAT, otherwise LAN addresses couldnt communicate through WAN port.<br />
<br />
Is there also a switch, or access point, that supports NAT? If yes, can you point me to some product model, and tell me their purpose?<br />
<br />
Thanks,<br />
Goran
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Must every router support NAT, since it has two netowrk segments to connect? The way I understand NAT is: it translates local IP addresses to WAN IP address, and remembers which local IP sends information to what IP, so it can pass back the information to the proper LAN port.

If this is correct, then any router needs to support NAT, otherwise LAN addresses couldnt communicate through WAN port.

Is there also a switch, or access point, that supports NAT? If yes, can you point me to some product model, and tell me their purpose?

Thanks,
Goran

Question regarding NAT

A router is a networking device that forwards data packets between computer networks. Routers perform the "traffic directing" functions on the Internet. The most familiar type of routers are home and small office cable or DSL routers that simply pass data, such as web pages, email, IM, and videos between computers and the Internet. More sophisticated routers, such as enterprise routers, connect large business or ISP networks up to the powerful core routers that forward data at high speed along the optical fiber lines of the Internet backbone. Though routers are typically dedicated hardware devices, use of software-based routers has grown increasingly common.

Routers

Wireless networking is a method by which homes, telecommunications networks and enterprise (business) installations avoid the costly process of introducing cables into a building, or as a connection between various equipment locations. Wireless telecommunications networks are generally implemented and administered using radio communication. This implementation takes place at the physical level (layer) of the OSI model network structure. The key hardware components of a wireless computer network include adapters, routers and access points, antennas and repeaters.

Wireless Hardware

A switch is a device that filters and forwards packets of data between LAN segments. Switches operate at the data link layer or the network layer of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) Reference Model and therefore support any packet protocol. LANs that use switches to join segments are called switched LANs or, in the case of Ethernet networks, switched Ethernet LANs. A hub is a connection point for devices in a network. Hubs are commonly used to connect segments of a LAN. A hub contains multiple ports; when a packet arrives at one port, it is copied to the other ports so that all segments of the LAN can see all packets.