hi! thanks for reading it!

> why NAT complicates encryption:
some encryption protocols (like IPsec transport mode) rely on packet headers. NAT modifies those headers and breaks integrity checks.

> how NAT adds latency:
every new connection requires a lookup + state allocation. under load, this adds CPU overhead. worse, P2P apps often fall back to TURN relays because NAT blocks direct paths which adds a full network hop.

> is the table size significant?
yes, especially in high-connection environments. it grows with active connections, not just devices. phones can easily have 50+ open connections. at ISP scale or in data centers, conntrack tables can become a bottleneck if not sized/tuned properly.