alt Hacker News>Ever tried to call someone over the internet? Well, now you need a publicly reachable device.
Uhh... Is this the '90s? People don't type in IP addresses (or phone numbers, back in the day) to connect with other people anymore. They connect to a common, publicly reachable server that deals with peers being behind NAT.
Replies
jdiff • 01/03/2026
Now you've got significant additional latency, which is why this is very often not what actually occurs in these situations if it's at all avoidable.
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patmorgan23 • 01/03/2026
May I introduce you to our Lord and Savior the Domain Name System.
stavros • 01/03/2026
How do you think this works, exactly?
Most video calling software uses STUN NAT hole punching and not central relay servers. You are definitely publicly routed when you call through Google Meet or WhatsApp or FaceTime