How to Avoid Movistar CGNAT in Spain

Are you a Movistar customer experiencing difficulties with tasks like setting up personal game servers or remotely accessing your IoT devices? These issues might stem from Movistar’s implementation of Carrier-Grade NAT.

CGNAT is designed to extend the life of IPv4 by enabling multiple users to share a single public IP address. However, this can interfere with direct connections to your personal network, complicating activities such as online gaming, VoIP communications, etc.

If you are facing these roadblocks and seeking an effective workaround, you have come to the right place. In this guide, we will show you how you can use a port forwarding VPN to avoid Movistar’s CGNAT.

Related Read: IPv4 vs IPv6 Addresses

What Issues Does Movistar CGNAT Cause?

Here are some common issues that users can face due to Movistar’s use of CGNAT:

Server Hosting Roadblocks

If you are trying to set up a personal server with Movistar—whether it is for gaming, streaming, or sharing files—CGNAT acts like a barrier. It prevents the inbound connections that your server depends on, making external access or management from a different location difficult.

Gaming Connectivity Struggles

For gamers, a stable connection is critical. Unfortunately, CGNAT interferes with the peer-to-peer connections that many online games rely on. This leads to annoying disconnections, lag, and trouble joining game servers, which can ruin your overall experience. 

Remote Access Challenges

CGNAT complicates things when you want to access your home network remotely, be it to monitor security systems, manage smart devices, or access files. The lack of a direct connection can make these tasks frustratingly complicated or sometimes impossible.

VoIP Setup Problems

Using VoIP services under CGNAT can be problematic as it often blocks or restricts the ports needed for smooth VoIP connections. This can lead to poor call quality, dropped calls, and hurdles in setting up VoIP systems, making life difficult if you rely on internet calls.

Related Read: What is Port Forwarding?

How to Check if Movistar Uses CGNAT

Here is how you can find out if your Movistar connection is under CGNAT: 

Method 1: Check the Router’s WAN IP Address

1. Open a web browser and enter your router’s IP address into the address bar.
2. Enter your username and password to access the dashboard.
3. Navigate to the status screen on the dashboard.
4. Find the section labeled as ‘WAN IP’ or a similar term, which might vary based on the router model.
5. Examine the IP address assigned to the router’s WAN interface.
6. If this 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 designated for CGNAT usage.

Method 2: Compare WAN IP and Public IP Address

1. Follow the steps from Method 1 to find and note down the WAN IP address from your router’s dashboard.
2. Open a new tab in your web browser
3. Search for “what is my IP address” and press Enter.
4. Remember the public IP address displayed by the search results.
5. If the WAN IP and the public IP address are different, it indicates that your ISP is using CGNAT.
6. If they match, your connection likely has a direct public IP address, meaning it is not behind CGNAT.

How to Avoid Movistar CGNAT with PureVPN

You can get around Movistar’s CGNAT easily with PureVPN’s Port Forwarding add-on, which ensures direct connections to your device. Here is a quick setup guide:

1. Pick a PureVPN plan and add Port Forwarding at checkout.

2. Download and install the PureVPN app for your device.

3. Log into the Member Area and navigate to the Port Forwarding section.

4. Specify the ports you want to forward and apply the settings.

5. Connect to a port forwarding-supported server and you are all set!

Host a Server Using Dedicated IP with Port Forwarding

Host your own server effortlessly despite Movistar’s CGNAT limitations with our Dedicated IP and Port Forwarding add-on. This gives your server its own IP address, eliminating the typical problems associated with shared IPs, and ensures precise control of your connections for smooth gaming and reliable website hosting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Movistar use CGNAT?

Yes, Movistar uses CGNAT to allocate fewer IP addresses to more customers, which can lead to issues with hosting servers, connecting to peer-to-peer services, and other activities that require unique IP addresses.

Can I use a port forwarding VPN to avoid Movistar CGNAT?

Absolutely! You can use a port forwarding VPN to beat Movistar’s CGNAT restrictions. A VPN with port forwarding capabilities allows direct incoming connections, enabling activities that CGNAT typically hinders like hosting servers or accessing systems remotely.

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