# Public NAT Gateway A Public NAT Gateway is a managed network service that enables instances in a private network to securely and reliably access the Internet via network address translation (NAT). It uses SNAT (Source Network Address Translation) to allow multiple private instances to share one or more public IP addresses for outbound traffic. While preventing address exposure and enhancing security, it also supports shared public IPs, helping reduce public bandwidth and IP usage costs. ## Features * **Outbound Access**\ Instances in private subnets access the Internet via the NAT gateway without exposing public IPs. * **IP Masquerading**\ Multiple internal instances share one or more public IPs of the NAT gateway; only the gateway’s IP is visible externally, enhancing security. * **Route Table Integration**\ Inbound and outbound traffic can be precisely controlled by routing specific IPs and ports. * **Security Group Support**\ Access control can be enforced using VPC networking and security groups. * **Pay-as-you-go**\ Flexible billing helps with cost management. --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.console.zenlayer.com/welcome/elastic-compute/networking/public-nat-gateway.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.