diff --git a/beacon_node/lighthouse_network/src/config.rs b/beacon_node/lighthouse_network/src/config.rs
index 7a2ba6199..263ef0c7c 100644
--- a/beacon_node/lighthouse_network/src/config.rs
+++ b/beacon_node/lighthouse_network/src/config.rs
@@ -176,6 +176,7 @@ impl Default for Config {
             .filter_rate_limiter(filter_rate_limiter)
             .filter_max_bans_per_ip(Some(5))
             .filter_max_nodes_per_ip(Some(10))
+            .table_filter(|enr| enr.ip().map_or(false, |ip| is_global(&ip))) // Filter non-global IPs
             .ban_duration(Some(Duration::from_secs(3600)))
             .ping_interval(Duration::from_secs(300))
             .build();
@@ -347,3 +348,28 @@ pub fn gossipsub_config(network_load: u8, fork_context: Arc<ForkContext>) -> Gos
         .build()
         .expect("valid gossipsub configuration")
 }
+
+/// Helper function to determine if the IpAddr is a global address or not. The `is_global()`
+/// function is not yet stable on IpAddr.
+#[allow(clippy::nonminimal_bool)]
+fn is_global(addr: &std::net::Ipv4Addr) -> bool {
+    // check if this address is 192.0.0.9 or 192.0.0.10. These addresses are the only two
+    // globally routable addresses in the 192.0.0.0/24 range.
+    if u32::from_be_bytes(addr.octets()) == 0xc0000009
+        || u32::from_be_bytes(addr.octets()) == 0xc000000a
+    {
+        return true;
+    }
+    !addr.is_private()
+            && !addr.is_loopback()
+            && !addr.is_link_local()
+            && !addr.is_broadcast()
+            && !addr.is_documentation()
+            // shared
+            && !(addr.octets()[0] == 100 && (addr.octets()[1] & 0b1100_0000 == 0b0100_0000)) &&!(addr.octets()[0] & 240 == 240 && !addr.is_broadcast())
+            // addresses reserved for future protocols (`192.0.0.0/24`)
+            // reserved
+            && !(addr.octets()[0] == 192 && addr.octets()[1] == 0 && addr.octets()[2] == 0)
+            // Make sure the address is not in 0.0.0.0/8
+            && addr.octets()[0] != 0
+}
diff --git a/beacon_node/network/src/service/tests.rs b/beacon_node/network/src/service/tests.rs
index d78b1fe4f..f0dd0e75f 100644
--- a/beacon_node/network/src/service/tests.rs
+++ b/beacon_node/network/src/service/tests.rs
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ mod tests {
         );
 
         let mut config = NetworkConfig::default();
+        config.discv5_config.table_filter = |_| true; // Do not ignore local IPs
         config.libp2p_port = 21212;
         config.upnp_enabled = false;
         config.discovery_port = 21212;
diff --git a/beacon_node/src/cli.rs b/beacon_node/src/cli.rs
index 41e787b67..9e300d88c 100644
--- a/beacon_node/src/cli.rs
+++ b/beacon_node/src/cli.rs
@@ -187,6 +187,12 @@ pub fn cli_app<'a, 'b>() -> App<'a, 'b> {
                 .help("One or more comma-delimited trusted peer ids which always have the highest score according to the peer scoring system.")
                 .takes_value(true),
         )
+        .arg(
+            Arg::with_name("enable-private-discovery")
+                .long("enable-private-discovery")
+                .help("Lighthouse by default does not discover private IP addresses. Set this flag to enable connection attempts to local addresses.")
+                .takes_value(false),
+        )
         /* REST API related arguments */
         .arg(
             Arg::with_name("http")
diff --git a/beacon_node/src/config.rs b/beacon_node/src/config.rs
index 6e8743c05..ed2e3308a 100644
--- a/beacon_node/src/config.rs
+++ b/beacon_node/src/config.rs
@@ -765,6 +765,10 @@ pub fn set_network_config(
         config.metrics_enabled = true;
     }
 
+    if cli_args.is_present("enable-private-discovery") {
+        config.discv5_config.table_filter = |_| true;
+    }
+
     Ok(())
 }
 
diff --git a/scripts/local_testnet/beacon_node.sh b/scripts/local_testnet/beacon_node.sh
index 8151aac24..ac61b54df 100755
--- a/scripts/local_testnet/beacon_node.sh
+++ b/scripts/local_testnet/beacon_node.sh
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ exec lighthouse \
 	$SUBSCRIBE_ALL_SUBNETS \
 	--datadir $data_dir \
 	--testnet-dir $TESTNET_DIR \
+	--enable-private-discovery \
 	--staking \
 	--enr-address 127.0.0.1 \
 	--enr-udp-port $network_port \
diff --git a/testing/simulator/src/local_network.rs b/testing/simulator/src/local_network.rs
index 50604040b..3668cf006 100644
--- a/testing/simulator/src/local_network.rs
+++ b/testing/simulator/src/local_network.rs
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ impl<E: EthSpec> LocalNetwork<E> {
         beacon_config.network.libp2p_port = BOOTNODE_PORT;
         beacon_config.network.enr_udp_port = Some(BOOTNODE_PORT);
         beacon_config.network.enr_tcp_port = Some(BOOTNODE_PORT);
+        beacon_config.network.discv5_config.table_filter = |_| true;
         let beacon_node =
             LocalBeaconNode::production(context.service_context("boot_node".into()), beacon_config)
                 .await?;
@@ -103,6 +104,7 @@ impl<E: EthSpec> LocalNetwork<E> {
             beacon_config.network.libp2p_port = BOOTNODE_PORT + count;
             beacon_config.network.enr_udp_port = Some(BOOTNODE_PORT + count);
             beacon_config.network.enr_tcp_port = Some(BOOTNODE_PORT + count);
+            beacon_config.network.discv5_config.table_filter = |_| true;
         }
 
         let mut write_lock = self_1.beacon_nodes.write();