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NAT: NAT, otherwise known as Network Address Translation, is used to mask the true identity of internal computers. Typically, the NAT server or device has a public IP address that can be seen by external Hosts. Computers on the local network use a completely different set of IP addresses. When traffic goes out the internal IP address is removed and replaced with the public IP address of the NAT device. When replies come back to the NAT device it determines which internal computer the response belongs to and routes it to its proper destination.
An added benefit is the ability to have more than one computer communicate on the Internet with only one publicly available IP address. Many home routers use Network Address Translation to allow multiple computers to share one IP address. Also Known As: Network Address Translation
Network: Technically, it only takes two computers, or hosts, to form a network. A network is any two or more computers connected together to share data or resources. Common network resources are things like printers that may be shared by many users rather than each user having their own printer. The Internet is one large network of shared data and resources.
Network Security: This term is used to describe all aspects of securing your computer or computers from unauthorized access. This includes blocking outsiders from getting into the network at all, as well as password protecting your computers and ensuring that only authorized users can view sensitive data.