DETECTION OF HOME NETWORK CONFIGURATION PROBLEMS
First Claim
1. A method of operating a computing device to detect that the computing device is connected to a private network comprising at least two network address translation (NAT) devices, the method comprising:
- operating at least one processor associated with the computing device to;
obtain a list of network addresses of devices coupled to the computing device over one or more hops;
send a request to devices identified by network addresses in the list of network addresses to identify devices that are part of the private network performing network address translation, the request having a first expected response when sent to a device that operates according to a protocol of a first set of protocols and a second expected response when sent to a device that operates according to a protocol of a second set of protocols, the second set of protocols being disjoint with respect to the first set of protocols; and
when responses from devices identified by network addresses in the list of network addresses indicate that at least two devices are NAT devices in the private network, provide an output indicating that the network comprises at least two network address translation devices.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A diagnostic tool for identifying a configuration of a private network that may disrupt operations involving communication between two devices on the network. The tool, when run on a device in the network, can identify a “double NAT” configuration in which the device may be separated from other devices on the private network by a NAT device. The tool, when run on a computing device, identifies a NAT device, such as a router, to which the device is connected. The tool then identifies a list containing one or more other devices that may be connected to the NAT device. The tool tests whether these other devices also perform NAT functions and are on the private network. Both the NAT device and the devices that may be connected to the NAT device are identified and a determination is made of whether those devices are on the private network by sending requests using one or more protocols that devices on a private network conventionally use but are not conventionally used by devices on other networks.
16 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of operating a computing device to detect that the computing device is connected to a private network comprising at least two network address translation (NAT) devices, the method comprising:
operating at least one processor associated with the computing device to; obtain a list of network addresses of devices coupled to the computing device over one or more hops; send a request to devices identified by network addresses in the list of network addresses to identify devices that are part of the private network performing network address translation, the request having a first expected response when sent to a device that operates according to a protocol of a first set of protocols and a second expected response when sent to a device that operates according to a protocol of a second set of protocols, the second set of protocols being disjoint with respect to the first set of protocols; and when responses from devices identified by network addresses in the list of network addresses indicate that at least two devices are NAT devices in the private network, provide an output indicating that the network comprises at least two network address translation devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A computer-readable medium encoded with a program for execution on at least one processor, the program, when executed on the at least one processor performing a method of detecting that a computing device is connected to a private network comprising at least two network address translation (NAT) devices, wherein a first NAT device provides NAT services to a second NAT device, and wherein the second NAT device provides NAT services to the computing device, the method comprising:
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obtaining a list of network addresses of devices coupled to the computing device over one or more hops; sending a request to devices identified by network addresses in the list of network addresses to identify devices performing NAT services that are part of the private network, the request having a first expected response when sent to a device that operates according to a protocol of a first set of protocols and a second expected response when sent to a device that operates according to a protocol of a second set of protocols, the second set of protocols being disjoint with respect to the first set of protocols; and when responses from devices identified by network addresses in the list of network addresses indicate that the identified NAT devices comprise at least the first NAT device and the second NAT device, then providing a notification to a user. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A system comprising:
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at least one private network; and a computing device connected to the at least one private network, the computing device comprising a computer-readable medium encoded with a program for execution on at least one processor, the program, when executed on the at least one processor performing a method of detecting that the at least one private network comprises at least two network address translation (NAT) devices, the method comprising; obtaining a list of network addresses of devices coupled to the computing device over one or more hops; sending a request to devices identified by network addresses in the list of network addresses to identify devices performing NAT services that are part of the at least one private network, the request having a first expected response when sent to a device that operates according to a protocol of a first set of protocols associated with a home NAT device and a second expected response when sent to a device that operates according to a protocol of a second set of protocols associated with an ISP NAT device, the second set of protocols being disjoint with respect to the first set of protocols; and when responses from devices identified by network addresses in the list of network addresses indicate that at least two devices are NAT devices in the at least one private network, providing an output indicating that the at least one network comprises at least two NAT devices. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification