RFC 6886 · INFORMATIONAL · 2013

NAT Port Mapping Protocol

Overview

RFC 6886, “NAT Port Mapping Protocol”, is an Informational document published in April 2013 by S. Cheshire, M. Krochmal. The canonical text is published by the RFC Editor.

Abstract

This document describes a protocol for automating the process of creating Network Address Translation (NAT) port mappings. Included in the protocol is a method for retrieving the external IPv4 address of a NAT gateway, thus allowing a client to make its external IPv4 address and port known to peers that may wish to communicate with it. From 2005 onwards, this protocol was implemented in Apple products including Mac OS X, Bonjour for Windows, and AirPort wireless base stations. In 2013, NAT Port Mapping Protocol (NAT-PMP) was superseded by the IETF Standards Track RFC "Port Control Protocol (PCP)", which builds on NAT-PMP and uses a compatible packet format, but adds a number of significant enhancements.

Abstract as published in the RFC, via rfc-editor.org.

What “Informational” means

Published for the general information of the community. It does not define an IETF standard and carries no standards-track status.

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