Is NAT a method of network address translation that connects a local network to the Internet?

Network Address Translation (NAT) is indeed a method that connects a local network to the Internet by modifying the IP address information in the headers of packets. It allows multiple devices on a local network to share a single public IP address when accessing external networks, such as the Internet. This process involves translating the private IP addresses of devices within the local network to the public IP address assigned to the router or gateway.

NAT serves several important purposes, such as conserving the limited number of available public IP addresses and providing an additional layer of security by masking the internal IP addresses from external networks. By enabling this translation process, NAT effectively facilitates the communication between a private local network and the broader Internet, making it a crucial component in network configuration and management.