Can’t open ports on your Starlink router? Some ISPs perform CGNAT on routers to assign the same IPs to most consumers, and this can make it difficult for you to port forward Starlink routers. This guide explains how you can port forward Starlink routers and bypass CGNAT without hassle.
Port forwarding is a networking solution that helps you open ports on a router and redirect incoming traffic to specific devices or services. You can open ports for various reasons that include hosting websites or gaming servers, using a remote desktop from a different location, or accessing your CCTV.
CGNAT, a technique used by many ISPs to conserve IPv4 addresses, assigns multiple customers the same public IP address. This shared IP address makes it challenging to set up online services that rely on port forwarding, as the specific port you need may be in use by another customer.
Port forwarding is a challenge for Starlink users. The primary reason is Starlink's use of Carrier-Grade Network Address Translation (CGNAT).
CGNAT is efficient in conserving IP addresses, it makes traditional port forwarding difficult because with CGNAT, multiple Starlink users share the same public IP address. This means that when you try to forward a port to a specific device on your network, the traffic is directed to the shared IP address.
To establish a connection, the incoming traffic needs to traverse multiple layers of NAT, making it challenging to route the traffic to the correct device. Starlink often assigns dynamic IP addresses, which change periodically. This further complicates port forwarding, as the public IP address used for forwarding might change, making the previous configuration ineffective.
To determine if your Starlink connection is behind CGNAT (Carrier-Grade Network Address Translation), you can use the following methods:
If the WAN IP address falls within the range of 100.64.0.1 to 100.127.255.254, your connection is likely behind CGNAT. This IP range is commonly used for CGNAT.
If they are the same, you have a direct public IP address and are not behind CGNAT.
Follow steps 1 and 2 from Method 1 to find your WAN IP address.
Open a web browser and search for "What is my IP address."
The search results will display your public IP address.
If the WAN IP address and the public IP address are different, your connection is likely behind CGNAT.
Due to Starlink's use of CGNAT, direct port forwarding on the Starlink router itself is not possible. However, you can achieve this by using a third-party router.
Here's how:
Physically connect your Starlink router to your third-party router's WAN port and configure your third-party router to obtain an IP address from the Starlink router via DHCP.
Open a web browser, enter your router's IP address in the address bar and use the credentials provided with your router or set during initial setup.
Attempt to access your application or service from the internet to confirm successful port forwarding.
PureVPN provides a dedicated IP address and port forwarding VPN that allows you to change your IP address assigned by your ISP and open ports on Starlink. Here’s how to do it on your own:
Here's a table summarizing the ports blocked by Starlink, along with their common uses:
Starlink offers a unique network configuration that includes both IPv4 and IPv6 addresses. By default, Starlink uses Carrier-Grade NAT (CGNAT), which assigns private IP addresses to your devices. This means that while your devices can access the internet, they are not directly visible from the outside world.
While the public IP address is reserved even when the system is off, it may change due to moves or software updates. Standard and Mobile plans do not offer public IPv4.
Starlink offers two IPv4 policies:
This is the default policy for most users. It uses Carrier-Grade Network Address Translation (CGNAT) to assign private IP addresses from the 100.64.0.0/10 prefix to Starlink clients.
This means that your device will have a private IP address, and Starlink's network will translate it to a public IP address when communicating with the internet. This policy blocks inbound traffic, so you cannot host servers or other services that require inbound connections.
This is an optional policy available to Priority and Mobile Priority customers. It assigns a public IPv4 address to your Starlink device, allowing you to receive inbound traffic.
In addition to IPv4, Starlink also supports IPv6. All Starlink routers and clients are assigned IPv6 addresses. IPv6 is a more flexible and future-proof protocol than IPv4.
Note:
If you need a public IP address or have other specific IP address requirements, you should consider upgrading to a Priority or Mobile Priority service plan.
There are primarily two methods to bypass CGNAT on Starlink. A reliable VPN with dedicated IP addresses along with port forwarding capabilities. Set up a DDNS service like No-IP or DynDNS to obtain a dynamic domain name.
No, traditional port forwarding is not directly possible on Starlink due to CGNAT. You can use a third party router or a PureVPN’s dedicated IP address with port forwarding features to port forward on your Starlink router.
No, direct port forwarding is not possible on CGNAT. CGNAT shares a single public IP address among multiple users, making it challenging to route incoming traffic to a specific device.
Yes, Starlink typically operates behind CGNAT. This means that multiple users share a single public IP address, which can limit certain network functionalities, such as port forwarding.
Yes, you can change the Starlink IP address but with limitations.
The Starlink IP address is the address that your device uses to communicate with the internet. It can be either a public IP address or a CGNAT IP address, depending on your plan.
The primary issue with Starlink port forwarding is CGNAT. Other potential issues include:
Not directly! Starlink doesn't actively block port forwarding. However, CGNAT used by Starlink, makes it difficult to implement traditional port forwarding.
Yes, Starlink does use Carrier-Grade Network Address Translation (CGNAT) to manage its IP address pool efficiently. This means that multiple users share a single public IP address.
Unfortunately, there's no direct way to bypass CGNAT on Starlink. You can use a reliable VPN to change your IP address and bypass CGNAT.
Starlink primarily uses IPv4 addresses. However, it also supports IPv6, which can be beneficial for certain applications and network configurations.
Starlink's CGNAT IP range is not publicly disclosed. It's a dynamic range that changes over time.
While you can't completely bypass CGNAT, here are some workarounds to improve your network experience:
CGNAT can interfere with port forwarding, as it masks your device's public IP address. Even with a VPN, the traffic may still be routed through CGNAT, as your IP address might have been exposed. Try using a reliable VPN, so that your IP address is never exposed!
Port forwarding on Starlink can be a challenge due to CGNAT. However, by using a compatible third-party router or PureVPN you can overcome these restrictions and enjoy the benefits of port forwarding. Reach out to our support reps if you need a helping hand in opening ports on your Starlink router.