To use a Linux VPS as a NAT gateway, make four pieces work together: enable IPv4 forwarding, translate the private subnet’s source addresses in a postrouting NAT chain, permit the forwarded traffic in the firewall, and route client traffic and Internet replies through the VPS. The shortest modern implementation uses nftables; masquerade is for a changing public address, while static SNAT is preferable when the VPS has a fixed public address.
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What a VPS NAT gateway actually does
A NAT gateway sits between a private network and an Internet-facing interface. A private client sends a packet with a source address such as 10.20.0.15 toward the VPS. The VPS routes that packet out its WAN interface, then changes the source address to the VPS’s public address. Connection tracking records the translation, so the reply can be converted back and delivered to the original client.
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“Traffic leaving your private network is thus ‘masqueraded’ as having originated from your Ubuntu gateway machine.” — Ubuntu Server documentation, IP masquerading section.
The arrangement is often used for a private subnet, a WireGuard or other tunnel interface, a bridge, or isolated virtual machines. It does not by itself create a private network or assign addresses. Clients still need addresses, a route through the VPS, and a working return path.
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| Requirement | What it controls | Typical failure when missing |
|---|---|---|
| IPv4 forwarding | Allows the kernel to route packets between interfaces | The VPS receives packets but does not pass them onward |
| Postrouting NAT | Rewrites private source addresses for Internet-bound traffic | Upstream networks cannot return traffic to unroutable private addresses |
| FORWARD firewall acceptance | Allows transit traffic through the firewall | Packets are dropped before the NAT rule can help |
| Client route | Chooses the VPS as the client’s gateway | No traffic reaches the VPS at all |
| Return routing | Ensures replies come back through the VPS | Outbound packets appear to work, but replies never reach clients |
These are separate controls. A correct masquerade rule cannot compensate for disabled forwarding, a dropped FORWARD packet, an incorrect private CIDR, or an asymmetric reply path.
Plan the interfaces and private address range
Do not copy interface names from an example. Cloud VPS images may call the public interface eth0, ens3, or something else. The private side might be a second NIC, a bridge, or a tunnel such as wg0.
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- List addresses and interfaces with
ip -br address. - Check the VPS’s existing routes with
ip route. Identify the default route and its output interface. - Identify the private interface or tunnel through which client packets arrive.
- Write down the exact private CIDR, for example
10.20.0.0/24, and the VPS’s private-side address, for example10.20.0.1.
Keep the source range as narrow as the design permits. A rule for 10.0.0.0/8 can translate unrelated traffic from other internal networks; a rule for the actual client subnet limits accidental NAT. If the VPS has several private networks, create an explicit rule for each intended range rather than using a broad catch-all.
The private clients must either use the VPS as their default gateway or have an explicit route for the destinations that should leave through it. The VPS itself must retain a functioning default route over its public interface; do not replace that route while changing client routing.
Enable IPv4 forwarding permanently
First enable forwarding immediately for the running system, then write the setting to a file so a reboot does not silently disable the gateway. Red Hat’s documented router procedure uses this persistent configuration:
echo "net.ipv4.ip_forward=1" > /etc/sysctl.d/95-IPv4-forwarding.conf
sysctl -p /etc/sysctl.d/95-IPv4-forwarding.confVerify the result:
sysctl net.ipv4.ip_forwardThe expected value is net.ipv4.ip_forward = 1. If it is 0, packets can arrive on the private interface and still fail before NAT is considered. Check the value again after a reboot as part of operational validation.
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Modern distributions commonly expose nftables directly. Ubuntu also documents iptables rules through UFW. Both can implement forwarding and NAT, but mixing independently managed legacy iptables and nftables definitions makes it difficult to know which rules are active and can create duplicate or conflicting behavior.
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Inspect the current configuration before adding anything:
nft list ruleset
iptables-saveUse the framework that your distribution and existing firewall service already manage. The commands below show a direct nftables implementation. If UFW or another firewall manager owns the ruleset, express the equivalent policy through that manager instead of making an unmanaged parallel ruleset.
Configure outbound NAT with nftables
Create the postrouting NAT chain
Masquerade belongs in a postrouting NAT chain. The nftables documentation describes masquerade as a special case of source NAT, available from Linux kernel 3.18 onward, that derives the source address from the output interface. Create the IPv4 NAT table and chain if they do not already exist:
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nft 'add chain ip nat postrouting { type nat hook postrouting priority 100; policy accept; }'If the table or chain already exists, the creation command will report an error. That is a signal to inspect and reuse the existing object, not to keep adding copies.
Add a masquerade rule for a dynamic public address
Replace <PRIVATE_CIDR> with the actual client range and <WAN_IF> with the public interface:
nft add rule ip nat postrouting ip saddr <PRIVATE_CIDR> oifname "<WAN_IF>" masqueradeFor example, a private range of 10.20.0.0/24 leaving through ens3 would be represented as:
nft add rule ip nat postrouting ip saddr 10.20.0.0/24 oifname "ens3" masqueradeScoping both the source range and output interface prevents the rule from translating traffic that was not intended to use this gateway. Masquerade is the appropriate choice when the external address can change, because the kernel obtains the current address from the output interface.
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Use static SNAT when the public address is fixed
If the VPS has a fixed public source address, use explicit SNAT instead:
nft add rule ip nat postrouting ip saddr <PRIVATE_CIDR> oifname "<WAN_IF>" snat to <PUBLIC_IP>For example:
nft add rule ip nat postrouting ip saddr 10.20.0.0/24 oifname "ens3" snat to 203.0.113.25Replace the documentation-only address above with the VPS address assigned by your provider. Do not use a source address that is not routed to this VPS. If an address used for translation is not reachable through the NAT box, Internet replies have nowhere to return.
Allow transit traffic in the firewall
NAT is not an authorization policy. A restrictive filter policy still needs explicit FORWARD rules. The following nftables example creates an IPv4/IPv6-capable filter table but limits the transit rules shown here to IPv4 source traffic; adapt the family and policy to the rest of your firewall:
nft add table inet filter
nft 'add chain inet filter forward { type filter hook forward priority filter; policy drop; }'
nft add rule inet filter forward iifname "<PRIVATE_IF>" oifname "<WAN_IF>" ip saddr <PRIVATE_CIDR> ct state new,established,related accept
nft add rule inet filter forward iifname "<WAN_IF>" oifname "<PRIVATE_IF>" ct state established,related acceptReplace <PRIVATE_IF> with the interface that receives client traffic. The first rule permits new connections from the intended private range and their tracked states toward the WAN. The second permits replies that belong to those connections back toward the private side. If an existing forward chain already has a policy and state rule, add only the narrowly scoped rule required for this subnet; do not replace unrelated firewall policy.
When using UFW or a distribution firewall service, configure the equivalent forward acceptance there. A rule visible in nftables is not proof that a higher-level manager will preserve it across reloads.
Route private clients through the VPS
On every client, set the VPS’s private-side address as the default gateway, or add a route only for the destinations that should use the tunnel. A temporary Linux route looks like this:
ip route replace default via <VPS_PRIVATE_IP> dev <PRIVATE_IF>Use a more specific route when the VPS should provide access to only selected destinations:
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ip route replace <DESTINATION_CIDR> via <VPS_PRIVATE_IP> dev <PRIVATE_IF>These commands change the running client and may not survive a reboot. Persist the gateway in the client’s network configuration, cloud-init, NetworkManager profile, systemd-networkd unit, or tunnel configuration according to that client’s operating system. Ensure the client’s address and gateway are on the same reachable private network.
For a tunnel, the peer configuration must also send the intended destination range through the VPS. For a bridged or second-NIC design, the upstream private network must know that the VPS is the next hop. NAT handles address translation; it does not install routes on other machines.
Understand return routing and asymmetric replies
With masquerade or SNAT, the Internet sees the VPS’s public address, so normal Internet replies return to the VPS. The connection-tracking state then reverses the translation and forwards the reply to the private client. This works only when the translated public address is actually assigned or routed to the VPS.
If you translate to a different public address, the network upstream must route that address back to the VPS. Otherwise an outbound packet may leave successfully while its reply goes elsewhere. The same issue appears when a private client has another default gateway: requests can leave through the VPS, but replies or subsequent packets can take a different path. Check both directions rather than treating a successful first packet as proof that routing is correct.
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Test the gateway in a controlled order
- Test the client-to-gateway hop. From a client, ping the VPS’s private address or otherwise connect to a service on that address. Failure here indicates addressing, link, tunnel, or client-route trouble, not an Internet NAT problem.
- Test the VPS’s own Internet path. From the VPS, verify that its default route and DNS configuration work independently of forwarding.
- Test a public destination from a client. Use an IP address first, then a hostname. An IP test separates forwarding/NAT failures from client DNS configuration.
- Inspect the active rules and counters. Run
nft list rulesetand confirm that the source CIDR and WAN interface exactly match the packet path. Counters on the forward and postrouting rules should increase during a test. - Capture both sides when necessary. A packet capture on the private interface should show the client source address; a capture on the WAN should show the translated source address. Comparing timestamps exposes drops and asymmetric paths.
- Check connection tracking for stateful failures. If the first packet leaves but replies are rejected, inspect conntrack state and the established/related return rule.
Do not use a throughput number as a pass/fail criterion: authoritative documentation for this configuration does not establish a universal performance or reliability benchmark. Validate the actual routes, rule matches, and reply path for your VPS and client set.
Troubleshoot the common failure patterns
| Symptom | Checks | Likely correction |
|---|---|---|
| The client cannot reach the VPS’s private address | Client address, interface state, tunnel/bridge membership, and route | Fix the private link or route before changing NAT |
| The VPS works, but clients cannot reach any public IP | sysctl net.ipv4.ip_forward, FORWARD policy, and rule counters |
Set forwarding to 1 and permit the private-to-WAN flow |
| Forward counters rise but postrouting counters do not | Private CIDR, output interface name, and NAT table family | Correct the match so it uses the actual source range and WAN interface |
| Outbound packets leave, but replies fail | Translated source address, upstream route, conntrack state, and WAN capture | Use the VPS address for masquerade or ensure the SNAT address routes back to it |
| Only some destinations work | Client route specificity, policy rules, MTU/tunnel settings, and firewall counters | Find the destination-dependent route or filtering difference rather than widening NAT blindly |
| It works until reboot | Sysctl file, firewall service, and loaded nftables ruleset after boot | Persist both forwarding and firewall configuration with the distribution-supported mechanism |
| Rules appear duplicated or contradictory | nft list ruleset, iptables-save, and the service that owns each ruleset |
Choose one manager and remove or reconcile unmanaged legacy definitions |
A correct POSTROUTING rule cannot fix a packet dropped earlier in the FORWARD chain. Conversely, an accepted forward packet with no matching NAT rule will normally expose a private source address that upstream networks cannot return to.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Make the configuration persistent and auditable
The sysctl file above is already a persistent forwarding configuration. Persist nftables through the firewall service and file format supported by your distribution rather than relying on commands entered interactively. A common workflow is to review the live ruleset, validate a candidate file, and arrange for the distribution’s nftables unit to load it at boot:
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nft list ruleset > /etc/nftables.conf
nft -c -f /etc/nftables.confTreat the first command as an example, not a universal installation procedure: it can overwrite an existing policy, and some systems generate rules through another manager. Back up the current configuration, remove rules that should not be retained, and confirm the service that loads the file before enabling it. After a reboot, verify forwarding, the active NAT chain, the filter policy, and the client route.
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Optionally publish an internal service with DNAT
Outbound NAT is not required to expose an internal service. For inbound publishing, create a prerouting NAT chain and translate only the intended ports to a specific internal host:
nft 'add chain ip nat prerouting { type nat hook prerouting priority -100; policy accept; }'
nft add rule ip nat prerouting iifname "<WAN_IF>" tcp dport { 80, 443 } dnat to <INTERNAL_IP>The rule must be paired with a filter rule that permits the selected inbound connection and with a valid return path from the internal host. Red Hat’s documented pattern uses masquerade when the external address is dynamic and SNAT when it is static. Do not publish ports merely because DNAT can translate them; expose only services that are intentionally listening, patched, authenticated, and allowed by the security policy.
If the internal host’s default gateway is not the NAT VPS, its replies may bypass the VPS and fail stateful translation. Correct that route or use an appropriate source-NAT design so both directions traverse the gateway.
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- Limit masquerade and forwarding rules to the exact private CIDR and intended interface.
- Keep a restrictive default forward policy unless the gateway is deliberately an open router.
- Allow established and related return traffic without permitting arbitrary new inbound connections.
- Do not confuse a NAT rule with a firewall boundary; NAT changes addresses but does not decide which applications may connect.
- Record rule counters and review them when investigating unexpected traffic.
- Do not maintain separate, opaque NAT policies in legacy iptables and nftables without understanding which kernel hooks and service loaders are active.
- Test recovery after a firewall reload and after a reboot before putting dependent services into production.
Masquerade or SNAT: the practical choice
| Situation | Use | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| The VPS’s public address can change | Masquerade | The source address is derived from the output interface |
| The VPS has a fixed public address | Explicit SNAT | The intended source address is unambiguous and statically declared |
| The translated address is not assigned to the VPS | Neither until routing is arranged | Upstream replies must route that address back through the NAT box |
| Inbound port publishing | DNAT in prerouting, plus filter and return-path rules | Inbound traffic must be translated before routing to the internal host |
For a typical single-public-interface VPS with a changing address, the minimal reliable design is therefore: enable forwarding, masquerade the exact private range on the WAN interface, permit new private-to-WAN and established WAN-to-private forwarding, and point clients at the VPS. For a fixed address, replace masquerade with SNAT and verify that the address is routed to the VPS.
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