Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L12/00—Data switching networks
  • H04L12/28—Data switching networks characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks]
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L43/00—Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F15/00—Digital computers in general; Data processing equipment in general
  • G06F15/16—Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs
  • G06F15/177—Initialisation or configuration control
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L45/00—Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks
  • H04L45/02—Topology update or discovery
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L45/00—Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks
  • H04L45/36—Backward learning
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L61/00—Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L61/00—Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
  • H04L61/09—Mapping addresses
  • H04L61/10—Mapping addresses of different types

Definitions

• the present invention generally relates to communication systems and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for adaptively configuring a networked communication device.
• PCs personal computers
• a service provider typically sends a technician to install and connect a customer's PC to a broadband modem.
• the customer may decide to insert a router to network their PCs and/or add firewall, for example.
• PCs may be dynamically configurable, whereas other may employ a static configuration. Many customers try to configure the router, fail to do so, and then return the router after the configuration failure. This creates a high product return rate due to the difficulty of installation.
• the present invention is a method, apparatus, and computer readable medium for adaptively configuring a router.
• the present invention monitors data packets propagating in a network, such as a local area network (LAN), to detect a statically configured network device coupled to the router.
• a network interface within the router is adapted to network parameters associated with the statically configured network device to operatively couple the statically configured network device to the router.
• the router allows the statically configured network device to communicate with other devices in the network, as well as other networks coupled to the router.
• the present invention advantageously circumvents the need to manually configure the router and/or change the network settings of a statically configured network device, when coupling the statically configured network device to the router.
• Figure 1 depicts a high-level block diagram of an illustrative communication system suitable for use with the present invention
• Figure 2 depicts a high-level block diagram showing one embodiment of a router suitable for use with the present invention
• Figure 3 depicts a flow diagram showing one embodiment of a method of adaptively configuring a router to a statically configured network device in accordance with the present invention
• Figure 4 depicts a more detailed flow diagram showing one embodiment of the method of Figure 3.
• the present invention is a method and apparatus for adaptively configuring a router in a communication system.
• the present invention will be described within the context of a router coupled between a home network and a broadband Internet service provider (ISP).
• ISP Internet service provider
• the present invention has broad applicability beyond the network systems described herein.
• FIG. 1 depicts a high-level block diagram of an illustrative communication system 100 for use with the present invention.
• the communication system 100 comprises a local area network (LAN) 103, a router 106, a modem 112, and a wide area network (WAN) 114.
• the LAN 103 comprises various network devices, such as dynamically configured client devices 102 and a statically configured client device 104.
• the WAN 114 comprises, for example, a domain name server (DNS) and a gateway (not shown) for connection to another network 116, such as the Internet.
• DNS domain name server
• the dynamically configured client devices 102 are network devices that receive at least a portion of the network parameters necessary for operation from another network device, for example, the router 106.
• the statically configured client device 104 is a network device having static network parameters that do not change absent manual intervention by a user, for example.
• Exemplary network parameters associated with client devices 102 and 104 include an internet protocol (IP) address, a medium access control (MAC) address, a subnet mask, a domain name, a host name, a gateway IP address, and one or more DNS IP addresses.
• IP internet protocol
• MAC medium access control
• the term router means any device that allows network devices to communicate amongst themselves and/or other networks including, for example, a gateway server.
• the router 106 comprises a LAN interface 108 coupled to the LAN 103, and a WAN interface 110 coupled to the WAN 114.
• the LAN interface 108 comprises several physical ports for connection to the client devices 102 and 104, whereas the WAN interface 110 comprises a physical port for connection to the modem 112.
• the modem 112 comprises a cable modem, a digital subscriber line (DSL) modem, or like type broadband modem known to those skilled in the art.
• the modem 112 may also comprise a narrowband device, such as a dial-up modem.
• the router 106 allows the client devices 102 to communicate with the client device 104, and also provides an interface between the client devices 102 and 104 and the network 116, through the modem 112 and the WAN 114.
• the LAN interface 108 is configured with network parameters associated with the client devices 102 and 104.
• the LAN interface 108 provides network parameters to the dynamically configured client devices 102 via dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP), or like type dynamic configuration protocols known to those skilled in the art.
• DHCP dynamic host configuration protocol
• the statically configured client device 104 is assigned network parameters that do not change absent intervention by a user.
• the router 106 adapts the LAN interface 108 to the network parameters associated with the statically configured client device 104 by monitoring network traffic passing through the router 106.
• the present invention advantageously obviates the need for a user to manually configure the router 106, and/or to manually change the network settings of the statically configured client device 104 when coupled to the router 106.
• FIG. 2 depicts a high-level block diagram showing one embodiment of a router 106 suitable for use with the present invention.
• the router 106 comprises a processor 230 as well as a memory 220 for storing information, such as software routines for executing a method of adaptively configuring the router 106 to the statically configured network device 104.
• the processor 230 cooperates with conventional support circuitry 240, such as power supplies, clock circuits, cache memory, and the like, as well as circuits that assist in executing the software routines stored in the memory 220.
• conventional support circuitry 240 such as power supplies, clock circuits, cache memory, and the like, as well as circuits that assist in executing the software routines stored in the memory 220.
• some of the process steps discussed herein as software processes can be implemented within hardware, for example, circuitry that cooperates with the processor 230 to perform various steps.
• the router 106 also includes LAN input/output (I/O) circuitry 210 and WAN input/output circuitry 215, for forming an interface between the various functional elements communicating with the router 106.
• I/O input/output
• WAN input/output circuitry 215 for forming an interface between the various functional elements communicating with the router 106.
• the router 106 communicates with the client devices 102 and 104 of the LAN 103, as well as the WAN 114.
• router 106 of Figure 2 depicts a general-purpose processor 230 that is programmed to perform various control functions in accordance with the present invention
• the invention can be implemented in hardware, for example, as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC).
• ASIC application specific integrated circuit
• FIG. 3 depicts a flow diagram showing one embodiment of a method 300 of adaptively configuring a router to a statically configured network device in accordance with the present invention.
• the method 300 begins at step 302 and continues to step 304, where the router 106 monitors data packets propagating within the LAN 103 to detect statically configured network devices.
• the method 300 proceeds to step 306 where, for each detected statically configured network device, the method performs steps 308 and 310.
• the router 106 determines network parameters associated with the statically configured network device.
• the router 106 adapts the LAN interface 108 to the determined network parameters to operatively couple the statically configured network device to the router 106.
• the method 300 ends at step 312.
• FIG. 4 depicts a more detailed flow diagram showing one embodiment of the method 300 for a given statically configured network device.
• step 402 depicts one embodiment of step 304
• steps 404 through 414 depict one embodiment of steps 308 and 310.
• the router 106 detects the statically configured network device by detecting address resolution protocol (ARP) packets associated with the statically configured network device.
• ARP address resolution protocol
• the router 106 scans the network traffic on the LAN 103 for the presence of this ARP packet transmitted by the statically configured network device.
• the ARP packet for example, comprises a source MAC address, a source IP address, a destination IP address, and a broadcast MAC address.
• the present invention is described as detecting ARP packets, the present invention can use any type broadcast packets known in the art.
• the router 106 determines the IP and MAC addresses associated with the detected statically configured network device. In particular, the router 106 determines the IP and MAC addresses from the ARP or broadcast packet transmitted by the statically configured network device. At step 406, the router 106 compares the detected IP and MAC addresses to a list of active IP and MAC addresses in the LAN 103. At step 408, the router 106 determines whether there is a conflict between the statically configured network device and another device connected to the LAN 103. If there is a conflict, the method 300 proceeds to step 410, where the router 106 indicates the conflict. Absent a conflict, the method 300 proceeds to step 412.
• the router 106 scans the statically configured network device to determine additional network parameters associated therewith.
• these network parameters can include a subnet mask, a domain name, a host name, a gateway IP address, and one or more DNS IP addresses, these parameters being in addition to the determined IP and MAC addresses.
• the router 106 can transmit an internet control message protocol (ICMP) address mask request to the statically configured network device to determine the subnet mask.
• ICMP internet control message protocol
• the router 106 can port scan the statically configured network device to determine additional parameters, for example, whether any ports need to be opened to support servers that the device is running.
• the router 106 adds the determined IP and MAC addresses for the statically configured network device to the routing table.
• the router 106 is now configured to operatively couple the statically configured network device to the LAN 103, as well as other networks through the WAN 114.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
• Signal Processing (AREA)
• Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
• Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
• Software Systems (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Data Exchanges In Wide-Area Networks (AREA)
• Small-Scale Networks (AREA)

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Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

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Families Citing this family (17)

Citations (2)

Family Cites Families (13)

• 2002
  • 2002-08-20 US US10/223,844 patent/US7895360B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2002-12-09 ES ES02799225T patent/ES2723712T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2002-12-09 KR KR1020047009105A patent/KR100939883B1/ko not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2002-12-09 MX MXPA04005733A patent/MXPA04005733A/es active IP Right Grant
  • 2002-12-09 EP EP02799225.4A patent/EP1454256B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2002-12-09 WO PCT/US2002/039486 patent/WO2003050710A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2002-12-09 CN CNB028250117A patent/CN100377144C/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2002-12-09 AU AU2002364150A patent/AU2002364150A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2002-12-09 JP JP2003551698A patent/JP2005513832A/ja active Pending
  • 2002-12-12 MY MYPI20024650A patent/MY146319A/en unknown

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