# Possible to fix an NAT error without having access to router? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 10, 2005, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-fix-an-nat-error-without-having-access-to-router/320985 "2005-09-10T15:19:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2005, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-fix-an-nat-error-without-having-access-to-router/320985/1 "2005-09-10T15:19:30Z")
I’m on a school network, and I keep getting NAT errors when trying to perform certain tasks. I know that I could fix the settings on my router, if I really wanted to, but I don’t have a router. The school does. And I can’t fix things. Am I basically screwed? I can’t believe that technology actually exists that someone can’t get around. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2005, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-fix-an-nat-error-without-having-access-to-router/320985/2 "2005-09-10T15:25:33Z")
What exact errors are you getting? And what leads you to think that they’re the fault of the router? BTW I’ve set up networks for schools, and there’s no way I’d give a student that level of access. ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2005, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-fix-an-nat-error-without-having-access-to-router/320985/3 "2005-09-10T16:15:45Z")
My program just says Testing port xxxx… [here’s while I wait a few seconds] NAT Error. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2005, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-fix-an-nat-error-without-having-access-to-router/320985/4 "2005-09-10T16:34:45Z")
Sounds to me like the school is blocking you from doing something you shouldn’t be doing anyway. What the heck are you doing port scanning? ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2005, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-fix-an-nat-error-without-having-access-to-router/320985/5 "2005-09-10T16:48:20Z")
No, no! I’m testing my own ports, to see if I can have connections on them. (Port scanning means on other people’s computers, right?) ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2005, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-fix-an-nat-error-without-having-access-to-router/320985/6 "2005-09-10T17:10:46Z")
Sounds like you’re using a BitTorrent client like Azureus. When I have this problem I have to log in to my router and fiddle with ports so I don’t think you can get past it being on the school network. Sorry! ---
**Author:** ![MannyL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MannyL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MannyL)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2005, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-fix-an-nat-error-without-having-access-to-router/320985/7 "2005-09-10T17:56:08Z")
> [@chaoticdonkey](#): > > No, no! I’m testing my own ports, to see if I can have connections on them. > > (Port scanning means on other people’s computers, right?) With NAT you have two IP’s the first is the publicly addressable IP which the NAT routertalks to the outside world and the second IP is the internal network IP. Which one are you testing? ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2005, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-fix-an-nat-error-without-having-access-to-router/320985/8 "2005-09-10T18:55:44Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Sounds like you’re using a BitTorrent client like Azureus. When I have this problem I have to log in to my router and fiddle with ports so I don’t think you can get past it being on the school network. Sorry! Heh. Hit it in 6. Well, damn. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2005, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-fix-an-nat-error-without-having-access-to-router/320985/9 "2005-09-10T19:00:15Z")
So you’re not trying to “fix things”, you’re trying to get around intentionally set blocks that your school has established? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2005, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-fix-an-nat-error-without-having-access-to-router/320985/10 "2005-09-10T19:15:19Z")
Well, I was vague on purpose, and I never claimed that I was trying to fix things. On a side note, condescendingly using :rolleyes: is a great way to drive your point home. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2005, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-fix-an-nat-error-without-having-access-to-router/320985/11 "2005-09-10T19:28:22Z")
> [@chaoticdonkey](#): > > Well, I was vague on purpose, and I never claimed that I was trying to fix things. > [@](#): > > I’m on a school network, and I keep getting NAT errors when trying to perform certain tasks. I know that I could fix the settings on my router, if I really wanted to, but I don’t have a router. The school does. And I can’t **fix things**. Are those not your words? > [@](#): > > On a side note, condescendingly using :rolleyes: is a great way to drive your point home. It is if you’re trying to convey contempt, which I was. ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2005, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-fix-an-nat-error-without-having-access-to-router/320985/12 "2005-09-10T20:31:41Z")
> [@Airman Doors](#): > > Are those not your words? My mistake. I went back and proofread what I said, because the construction “fix things” didn’t sound like something that I would say. Apparently, I did. ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2005, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-fix-an-nat-error-without-having-access-to-router/320985/13 "2005-09-11T03:04:55Z")
Nope, you can’t get around NATs. However, BT should work fine purely in passive mode. I doubt the slowdown is significant. But any halfway decent admin should be blocking BT anyway. ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2005, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-fix-an-nat-error-without-having-access-to-router/320985/14 "2005-09-11T08:07:49Z")
**chaoticdonkey** , you should be aware that your question is in violation of the SDMB Registration Agreement. You have been warned. Please do not do this again. This is closed. - **xash** General Questions Moderator