Port Address Translation (PAT) is a type of Network Address Translation (NAT) that allows multiple devices on a local network to share a single public IP address for internet access. It works by assigning unique port numbers to each internal device’s outgoing traffic, enabling the router to track and direct responses back to the correct device. PAT is commonly used in home and enterprise networks to conserve IPv4 addresses and improve security by masking internal IP addresses from external networks. While PAT provides an efficient way to manage IP addresses, it can create challenges for applications requiring direct inbound connections, which may require port forwarding or special configurations. Learn more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PAT