Which statement describes NAT's role in IPv4 networks?

• A. NAT eliminates the need for public addresses
• B. NAT provides multiple private addresses
• C. NAT translates private addresses to a public address to access the Internet
• D. NAT is not used in IoT networks

Answer: (C)

NAT’s job in IPv4 networks is to conserve public addresses by letting many devices on a private network share a single public IP when they reach the Internet. It works at the router edge: outgoing traffic from a private device gets its source address and port translated to the router’s public IP and a chosen port, and this mapping is recorded. When responses come back, the router translates them back to the appropriate private address and port and forwards them inside the local network. This mechanism enables private devices, including IoT devices, to access Internet services without each needing a unique public IP.

So the statement that NAT translates private addresses to a public address to access the Internet is the best fit. NAT does not eliminate the need for public addresses (you still need at least one public IP), it doesn’t create multiple private addresses by itself, and NAT is indeed used in IoT networks.