Personal server technology with firewall detection and penetration
First Claim
1. A method of interfacing a user computer with a network comprising one or more client computing devices coupled to a server computer, the method comprising:
- transmitting a test command from the user computer to the server computer to cause the server computer to transmit a return signal to the user computer to determine whether a firewall exists between the user and server computers;
transmitting a series of messages between the user computer and the server computer using communication protocols of increasing complexity to identify the type of firewall that exists, if it is determined that a firewall exists between the user and server computers;
utilizing the communication protocol corresponding to the type of firewall identified for communications between the user computer and the server computer; and
registering a network address of the user computer with the server computer if the firewall causes the address of the user computer to change upon each new connection with the server computer.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A firewall penetration scheme is described for communication between two networked computers. A first computer within a firewall protected network initiates a connection to a second computer. The second computer is coupled to a network of remote clients that are configured to access the first computer. The first computer transmits a message to the second computer commanding the second computer to connect back to the first computer A series of tests using communication protocols of increasing complexity are executed until a communication protocol enabling communication between the first and second computers is determined. If the address of the first computer changes upon connection, the second computer registers the new address upon each change. If the connection between the first computer and second computer is unintentionally broken, the first computer re-establishes contact with the second computer and maintains the connection by transmitting periodic signals to the second computer.
156 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method of interfacing a user computer with a network comprising one or more client computing devices coupled to a server computer, the method comprising:
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transmitting a test command from the user computer to the server computer to cause the server computer to transmit a return signal to the user computer to determine whether a firewall exists between the user and server computers;
transmitting a series of messages between the user computer and the server computer using communication protocols of increasing complexity to identify the type of firewall that exists, if it is determined that a firewall exists between the user and server computers;
utilizing the communication protocol corresponding to the type of firewall identified for communications between the user computer and the server computer; and
registering a network address of the user computer with the server computer if the firewall causes the address of the user computer to change upon each new connection with the server computer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A system comprising:
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a first computer coupled to a network coupling one or more client computers;
a second computer including a connection module for communicating with the first computer;
a firewall protection mechanism disposed between the first computer and the second computer to prevent unwanted network access from the first computer to the second computer;
wherein the connection module is configured to initiate transmission of a series of messages between the first computer and the second computer using communication protocols of increasing complexity to identify the type of firewall that exists, and further configured to register an address of the first computer with the second computer if the firewall causes the address of the first computer to change upon each new connection with the second computer. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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19. A method for interfacing a first server computer to a second server computer through a network connection including a network firewall, the method comprising the steps of:
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determining if the connection between the first server computer and the second server computer is initiated by the first server computer or by the second server computer;
causing the first server computer to listen for a connection to the second server computer over a secure port accessible by the first server computer;
establishing a connection between the first server computer and the second server computer over the secure port;
registering a network address of the second server computer with the first server computer, if the connection between the first server computer and the second server computer is initiated by the first server computer; and
re-registering the network address of the second server computer with the first server computer if the connection established between the first server computer and the second server computer is broken.
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Specification