Subscriber line accommodation device and packet filtering method

• US 20050204062A1
• Filed: 02/24/2005
• Published: 09/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Sekine, Minoru, Sato, So
• Granted Patent: US 7,860,029 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/245
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2876 Handling of subscriber policies group policies management H04L41/0893
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/103 across network layers, e.g. resolution of network layer into physical layer addresses or address resolution protocol [ARP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0236 Filtering by address, protocol, port number or service, e.g. IP-address or URL

Abstract

In response to a request for acquisition of an IP address from a user terminal, a DHCP server 171B in a subscriber line accommodation device 102 allocates an IP address, registers a set of the allocated IP address, an MAC address of the user terminal, and a line number thereof in a DHCP management table 201, and sets it in an input filter section 184 as a packet passing condition. Among packets sent from user terminals, the input filter section 184 sends only those packets satisfying registered conditions toward a bridge forwarder 135, while discards those packets not satisfying the conditions. Even when access is attempted by illegally using an IP address, a packet concerned is discarded unless a line number or an MAC address agrees.

Claims

1. A subscriber line accommodation device comprising:

a subscriber line termination section that terminates a plurality of subscriber lines individually;

an address information allocating section that, when a communication terminal of any of the plurality of subscriber lines terminated by said subscriber line termination section has made a request for acquisition of own-station address information that is given to a packet when performing packet communication, allocates own-station address information to said communication terminal by limiting a usable time;

a filter condition registering section that registers a pair of the own-station address information allocated by said address information allocating section and an Identification number of the subscriber line having made said request for acquisition of the own-station address information; and

a packet communication allowing section that allows packet communication only for a packet In which a pair of own-station address information and an identification number agree to the pair thereof registered in said filter condition registering section.

3. A subscriber line accommodation device according to claim 1, wherein said packet communication allowing section discards a packet not agreeing to said pair registered in said filter condition registering section except when making a request for acquisition of the own-station address information.

5. A subscriber line accommodation device according to claim 1, wherein said packet communication allowing section discards a packet of which said usable time has expired except when making a request for acquisition of the own-station address information.

7. A subscriber line accommodation device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the identification number of the subscriber line is a number of a physical line or a number of a virtual logical communication channel that is set on the physical line.

8. A subscriber line accommodation device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the subscriber line is a DSL line.

9. A subscriber line accommodation device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the subscriber line is a line using an optical fiber cable.

10. A subscriber line accommodation device according to claim 1, wherein said address information allocating section is a DHCP server.

2. A subscriber line accommodation device comprising:

a subscriber line termination section that terminates a plurality of subscriber lines individually;

an IP address allocating section that, when a communication terminal of any of the plurality of subscriber lines terminated by said subscriber line termination section has made a request for acquisition of an IP address that is given to a packet when performing packet communication, allocates an IP address to said communication terminal by limiting a usable time;

a filter condition registering section that registers a set of the IP address allocated by said IP address allocating section, an identification number of the subscriber line having made said request for acquisition of the IP address, and an MAC address as unique information of the communication terminal having made said request for acquisition of the IP address; and

a packet communication allowing section that allows packet communication only for a packet in which a set of an IP address, an identification number, and an MAC address agree to the set thereof registered in said filter condition registering section.

4. A subscriber line accommodation device according to claim 2, wherein said packet communication allowing section discards a packet not agreeing to said set registered in said filter condition registering section except when making a request for acquisition of the IP address.

6. A subscriber line accommodation device according to claim 2, wherein said packet communication allowing section discards a packet of which said usable time has expired except when making a request for acquisition of the IP address.

11. A subscriber line accommodation device according to claim 2, wherein said IP address allocating section Is a DHCP server.

12. A packet filtering method comprising:

an address information allocating step of, when a communication terminal of any of a plurality of subscriber lines has made a request for acquisition of own-station address information that is given to a packet when performing packet communication, allocating own-station address information to said communication terminal by limiting a usable time;

a filter condition registering step of, when said address information allocating step has allocated the own-station address information, registering a pair of said own-station address information and an identification number of the subscriber line having made said request for acquisition of the own-station address information, along with said usable time; and

a packet communication allowing step of, when a packet has arrived, allowing packet communication only for such a packet that agrees to the pair of the own-station address information within said usable time and the identification number of the subscriber line having made said request for acquisition of the own-station address information.

13. A packet filtering method comprising:

an IP address allocating step of, when a communication terminal of any of a plurality of subscriber lines has made a request for acquisition of an IP address that is given to a packet when performing packet communication, allocating an IP address to said communication terminal by limiting a usable time;

a filter condition registering step of, when said IP address allocating step has allocated the IP address, registering a set of said IP address, an identification number of the subscriber line having made said request for acquisition of the IP address, and an MAC address as unique information of the communication terminal having made said request for acquisition of the IP address, along with said usable time; and

a packet communication allowing step of, when a packet has arrived, allowing packet communication only for such a packet that agrees to the set of the IP address within said usable time, the identification number, and the MAC address.