NETWORK ADDRESS TRANSLATION BYPASSING BASED ON NETWORK LAYER PROTOCOL
First Claim
1. A method for routing network traffic between a plurality of local devices and a wide area network (WAN), comprising:
- receiving an outgoing network layer packet destined for the WAN from one of the plurality of local devices;
determining if the outgoing network layer packet is associated with a local device that is configured for network communication in accordance with a first network layer protocol or a local device that is configured for network communication in accordance with a second network layer protocol;
performing a network address translation function on the outgoing network layer packet prior to transmitting the outgoing network layer packet to the WAN responsive to determining that the outgoing network layer packet is associated with a local device that is configured for network communication in accordance with the first network layer protocol; and
by passing the network address translation function and transmitting the outgoing network layer packet directly to the WAN responsive to at least determining that the outgoing network layer packet is associated with a local device that is configured for network communication in accordance with the second network layer protocol.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system, method and apparatus are described herein that allow a mix computers or other devices that are configured for communication in accordance with different network layer protocols, such as Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) and Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6), to share a single physical connection to a WAN. To achieve this, a networking device such as a router resides between a plurality of local devices and the physical connection to the WAN and routes network layer packets between the local devices and the WAN. The networking device determines whether each local device is IPv4-capable or IPv6-capable. Based on this determination, the networking device selectively applies Network Address Translation (NAT) and optional firewall functionality to network traffic originating from or destined for the IPv4-capable devices, while bypassing such functionality for IPv6 network traffic originating from or destined for the IPv6-capable devices.
65 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method for routing network traffic between a plurality of local devices and a wide area network (WAN), comprising:
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receiving an outgoing network layer packet destined for the WAN from one of the plurality of local devices; determining if the outgoing network layer packet is associated with a local device that is configured for network communication in accordance with a first network layer protocol or a local device that is configured for network communication in accordance with a second network layer protocol; performing a network address translation function on the outgoing network layer packet prior to transmitting the outgoing network layer packet to the WAN responsive to determining that the outgoing network layer packet is associated with a local device that is configured for network communication in accordance with the first network layer protocol; and by passing the network address translation function and transmitting the outgoing network layer packet directly to the WAN responsive to at least determining that the outgoing network layer packet is associated with a local device that is configured for network communication in accordance with the second network layer protocol. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus, comprising:
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a first interface configured for communication with a WAN; a plurality of second interfaces, each of the plurality of second interfaces configured for communication with a corresponding one of a plurality of local devices; network address translation (NAT) logic; and first control logic coupled to the first interface, the plurality of second interfaces and the NAT logic, wherein the first control logic is configured to receive an outgoing network layer packet from one of the plurality of local devices via a corresponding second interface and to determine if the outgoing network layer packet is associated with a local device that is configured for network communication in accordance with a first network layer protocol or a local device that is configured for network communication in accordance with a second network layer protocol; the first control logic being further configured to pass the outgoing network layer packet to the NAT logic prior to transmission of the outgoing network layer packet to the WAN via the first interface responsive to determining that the outgoing network layer packet is associated with a local device that is configured for communication in accordance with the first network layer protocol, and to bypass the NAT logic and transmit the outgoing network layer packet directly to the WAN via the first interface responsive to at least determining that the outgoing network layer packet is associated with a local device that is configured for communication in accordance with the second network layer protocol. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for enabling a processing unit to route network traffic between a plurality of local devices and a wide area network (WAN), the computer program logic comprising:
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first means for enabling the processing unit to receive an outgoing network layer packet destined for the WAN from one of the plurality of local devices; second means for enabling the processing unit to determine if the outgoing network layer packet is associated with a local device that is configured for network communication in accordance with a first network layer protocol or a local device that is configured for network communication in accordance with a second network layer protocol; third means for enabling the processing unit to perform a network address translation function on the outgoing network layer packet prior to transmitting the outgoing network layer packet to the WAN responsive to a determination that the outgoing network layer packet is associated with a local device that is configured for communication in accordance with the first network layer protocol; and fourth means for enabling the processing unit to bypass the network address translation function and transmit the outgoing network layer packet directly to the WAN responsive to at least a determination that the outgoing network layer packet is associated with a local device that is configured for communication in accordance with the second network layer protocol. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 32)
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31. An apparatus, comprising:
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a wired interface configured for communication with a WAN; a wireless interface configured for communication with a plurality of local devices; network address translation (NAT) logic; and first control logic coupled to the wired interface, the wireless interface and the NAT logic, wherein the first control logic is configured to receive an outgoing network layer packet from one of the plurality of local devices via the wireless interface and to determine if the outgoing network layer packet is associated with a local device that is configured for network communication in accordance with a first network layer protocol or a local device that is configured for network communication in accordance with a second network layer protocol; the first control logic being further configured to pass the outgoing network layer packet to the NAT logic prior to transmission of the outgoing network layer packet to the WAN via the wired interface responsive to determining that the outgoing network layer packet is associated with a local device that is configured for communication in accordance with the first network layer protocol, and to bypass the NAT logic and transmit the outgoing network layer packet directly to the WAN via the wired interface responsive to at least determining that the outgoing network layer packet is associated with a local device that is configured for communication in accordance with the second network layer protocol.
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Specification