JP4902257B2 - Router device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a router device for connecting computer networks to each other, and more particularly to a router device for connecting a wide area network such as a general public line and a local area network.

  With the spread of the always-on broadband Internet environment, a single Internet line is shared by a plurality of terminals even in private use such as at home. In this case, a user makes a connection contract with an ISP (Internet Service Provider) that provides a connection service to the Internet network, and a global IP (Internet Protocol) address set by the ISP is set to a WAN (WAN ( A wide area network (Wide Area Network) port is set, and an Internet terminal such as a personal computer is connected to each LAN (Local Area Network) port of the router device. As an example of such a router device, Patent Document 1 discloses a router device capable of physically blocking a WAN port and a LAN port.

  Generally, a private-use router device is a DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) client function that accepts a global IP address assigned from an ISP to the WAN side, a DHCP server function that assigns a local IP address to an Internet terminal connected to the LAN side, Simultaneous NAT access using NAT function that converts local IP address of Internet terminal connected to LAN side to global IP address of WAN side and MAC (Media Access Control) address of multiple Internet terminals connected to LAN side It has an IP masquerade function to realize it.

  Recently, IPv6, which is an extension of IPv4, may be used in combination with IPv4, which is the conventional IP standard. For example, the use of VOD (Video On Demand) set-top boxes that use IPv4 for conventional Internet services (WWW, e-mail, etc.) and need to identify individuals using global IP addresses Wide IPv6 may be used.

  In the IPv6 environment, since the address space is vast, it is possible to assign a global IP address to all of the communication devices. Therefore, there is no need to use a local IP address, and there is a conventional router device as described above. It is not necessary to use functions such as the DHCP client function, DHCP server function, NAT function, and IP masquerade function. Conversely, when trying to communicate with a communication device using IPv6 connected to the LAN side through a router device having such a function, it is necessary to add a function of discriminating IPv6 packets and performing processing different from IPv4 packets. As a result, the communication speed decreases and the cost of the router increases.

Thus, it is conceivable to branch the WAN side line upstream of the router device by using a hub. Here, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a network configuration to which a conventional router device and a hub for branching a WAN side line are applied.
In the network configuration shown in FIG. 2, an IPv4 terminal 3 such as a personal computer is connected to the LAN port of the router device 1a, and a hub 5 is installed between the WAN 2 managed by the ISP and the router device 1a. A line on the WAN side is branched, and one is connected to the WAN port of the router apparatus 1a, and the other is connected to an IPv6 terminal 4 such as a VOD set top box. According to such a network configuration, since the IPv6 packet is directly transmitted and received between the WAN 2 and the IPv6 terminal 4 via the hub 5, the communication speed does not decrease and the cost of the router device 1a increases. There is nothing.

However, the network configuration as shown in FIG. 2 has a problem that the cost of separately installing the hub 5 increases and the connection cable becomes complicated. In particular, in private use, the beauty of the surroundings of the cable is impaired due to the separate installation of the hub and the complexity of the connection cable, and the user who wants to reduce the number of communication devices and communication cables is dissatisfied.
JP 2002-271360 A (paragraphs 0022 to 0027, FIG. 3)

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a router device capable of branching a WAN side line.

The router apparatus according to the present invention the assignment was made for solving of the WAN ports that will be connected to a WAN, a hub for branching input output from the WAN port, the IPv6 compatible device and IPv4 compatible devices and to both connectable switching port, of the input and output ports of the hub, it is connected to a port that is not connected to the WAN port, the local IP address used in the global IP address and the LAN side used in a WAN side a router function unit for converting each other, among the input and output ports of the router function unit is connected to a port which is not connected to a hub, switch to switch the IPv4 compatible connectable LAN port devices, the switching port connection destination comprising a switch, a, a router device for controlling the connection between the WAN and the LAN, the changeover switch is switched When an IPv6-compatible device is connected to the switch port, the switching port is connected to the hub so that the switching port is connected to the WAN without passing through the router function unit, and the IPv4-compatible device is connected to the switching port. In this case, the switching port is connected to the router function unit so that the switching port is connected to the WAN through the router function unit .
Thus, at the hub included in the router device, can branch the WAN side of the line.

Further , according to the router device of the present invention, the switching port can be switched to the WAN port or the LAN port and used in accordance with the user's network environment.

  According to the router device of the present invention, the router side unit can branch and output the WAN side line.

Hereinafter, a router device according to an embodiment of the present invention and a network configuration to which the router device is applied will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[Network configuration]
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a network configuration to which a router device according to the present embodiment is applied. The network configuration shown in FIG. 1 is configured by connecting the router 2, the WAN 2, the IPv4 terminal 3, and the IPv6 terminal 4 to each other by a communication cable. Hereinafter, each component of the network configuration shown in FIG. 1 will be described in detail.

The router device 1 according to the present embodiment includes a WAN port 11, a switching port 12, and three LAN ports 13 which are RJ-45 standard adapters. The WAN port 11 is a connection port (uplink) with the WAN 2, and the LAN port 13 is a connection port with the LAN. The changeover port 12 is a port that operates as the WAN port (downlink) 11 or the LAN port 13 by switching the changeover switch 17. The switching port 12 corresponds to a port and a switching port in the claims.
Further, the router device 1 is connected to the WAN port 11 and is selectively connected to the switching port 12. The router device 1 is connected to the first hub unit 14, and is connected to the DHCP client function, the DHCP server function, the NAT. And a router function unit 16 that executes each function such as an IP masquerade function, and a second hub unit 15 that is connected to the LAN side of the router function unit 16 and branches to each LAN port 13.

The first hub unit 14 has a switching function, transmits a downstream IPv6 packet having the IP address of the IPv6 terminal 4 to the switching port 12, and transmits a downstream packet having an IP address assigned to the WAN port 11 to a router function. To the unit 16.
The second hub unit 15 also has a switching function and transmits downstream packets to the IPv4 terminal 3 based on the local IP address of the IPv4 terminal 3 connected to the LAN side.
In addition, the 1st hub part 14 is corresponded to the hub of a claim. Moreover, although the 1st hub part 14 and the 2nd hub part 15 of this embodiment decided to have a switching function, neither may have a switching function or either one may have a switching function. .

  The router function unit 16 is a DHCP client function that accepts a global IP address assigned from the ISP to the WAN side, a DHCP server function that assigns a local IP address to the IPv4 terminal 3 connected to the LAN side, and an Internet terminal connected to the LAN side. This is a functional unit that implements a NAT function that converts a local IP address into a global IP address on the WAN side, an IP masquerade function for realizing simultaneous Internet access of a plurality of Internet terminals connected to the LAN side, and the like.

The change-over switch 17 is a switch for switching the connection of the change-over port 12 to the WAN side or the LAN side, and a hardware switch is provided in the router device 1 so that the user switches according to his / her own network environment. Further, the changeover switch 17 is a software switch, and the router function unit 16 displays a setting screen on the IPv4 terminal 3, and the router function unit 16 controls the WAN side or on the basis of the switching command input via this setting screen. The LAN side may be switched.
In the router device 1 shown in FIG. 1, the changeover switch 17 is switched to the WAN side.

  In the present embodiment, the first hub unit 14, the second hub unit 15, and the router function unit 16 constituting the router device 1 are shown as separate function units, but these are embodied by a one-chip semiconductor device. You can also Further, when the changeover switch 17 is a software switch, the changeover switch 17 can be included in the semiconductor device.

WAN2 is a network managed by the ISP, and transmits IPv4 packets and IPv6 packets.
When the connection form between the WAN 2 and the router device 1 is via an ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line), an ADSL modem (not shown) is inserted between the WAN 2 and the WAN side port of the router device 1. Further, when an ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) network or a public switched telephone network is used, a TA (Terminal Adapter) and a cable modem are inserted.

The IPv4 terminal 3 is a terminal device that is embodied by a general personal computer or the like and performs communication in accordance with IPv4. In the present embodiment, the case where only one personal computer is connected as the IPv4 terminal 3 is shown, but a personal computer can be connected to each LAN port 13 or a network compatible printer can be connected.
The IPv6 terminal 4 is a terminal device that is embodied by a general personal computer, a non-computer such as a set-top box, etc., and executes communication in accordance with IPv6.

[Action]
Next, the operation of the router device 1 when an IPv4 packet and an IPv6 packet are transmitted from the WAN 2 in the network configuration shown in FIG.
First, when an IPv4 packet is transmitted from the WAN 2, the IPv4 packet input to the WAN port 11 is transmitted to the router function unit 16 in the first hub unit 14, and the private IP of the IPv4 terminal 3 is transmitted by the NAT function and the IP masquerade function. It is converted into an address and transmitted from the router function unit 16 to the IPv4 terminal 3 via the second hub unit 15 and the LAN port 13. Further, the IPv4 packet transmitted by the IPv4 terminal 3 is transmitted to the WAN 2 following the reverse procedure.

  Next, when an IPv6 packet is transmitted from the WAN 2, the IPv6 packet input to the WAN port 11 is transmitted to the switching port 12 in the first hub unit 14 and is transmitted from the switching port 12 to the IPv6 terminal 4. Further, the IPv6 packet transmitted by the IPv6 terminal 4 is transmitted to the WAN 2 following the reverse procedure.

As described above, according to the router device 1 of the present embodiment described above, the WAN side line can be branched by the router device 1 alone. Thus, in an environment where IPv4 and IPv6 coexist, a terminal device using IPv6 can be connected to the branched switching port 12, and at this time, a decrease in the communication speed of the IPv6 packet can be suppressed.
Further, when branching the WAN-side line, it is not necessary to separately install a hub, and the cost for configuring the communication device can be suppressed.
Further, as in the network configuration shown in FIG. 2, a communication cable between the hub 5 and the router device 1 is not required as compared with the case where the hub side is branched using the hub 5, so that the connection of Since the complexity is reduced and the hub 5 itself is not required, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the aesthetic appearance around the cable and to increase the user's willingness to purchase.
In addition, the router device 1 of the present embodiment includes the changeover switch 17, so that even if the router device 1 has a physically limited number of ports, a predetermined port is assigned to the WAN side or the LAN according to the user's network environment. The user convenience is improved.

Further, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be implemented with various modifications. For example, the router device 1 may include at least two WAN ports 11 together with the switching port 12, and the number of WAN ports 11, LAN ports 13, and switching ports 12 can be arbitrarily changed. Further, the function of the router function unit 16 of the router device 1 is not limited to the above-described function, and can have more functions such as a wireless LAN function.
The router device 1 may be configured to include only two or more WAN ports 11 and one or more LAN ports 13 without including the switching port 12 and the switching switch 17.
Therefore, the present invention is defined by the technical idea described in the claims.

It is drawing which shows the network structure in the case of branching the line | wire on the WAN side using the router apparatus based on embodiment of this invention. 2 is a diagram showing a network configuration when a WAN-side line is branched using a hub.

Explanation of symbols

1 Router device 2 WAN
11 WAN Port 12 Switching Port 13 LAN Port 14 First Hub Part 15 Second Hub Part 16 Router Function Part 17 Changeover Switch

Claims (1)

And WAN port that will be connected to the WAN,
And a hub for splitting the input output from the WAN port,
A switching port that can be connected to either an IPv6-compatible device or an IPv4-compatible device;
Of input and output ports of the hub, which is connected to a port that is not connected to the WAN port, converts the local IP addresses and vice versa for use in the global IP address and L AN side used in the WAN side Router function part,
Of input and output ports of the router function unit is connected to a port that is not connected to the hub, and the IPv4-compatible devices can be connected LAN port,
A selector switch for switching the connection destination of the selector port;
A router device for controlling connection between the WAN and the LAN,
The changeover switch is
When the IPv6-compatible device is connected to the switching port, the switching port is connected to the hub so that the switching port is connected to the WAN without going through the router function unit,
When the IPv4-compatible device is connected to the switching port, the switching port is connected to the router function unit so that the switching port is connected to the WAN via the router function unit. ,
A router device characterized by this.

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