Method and apparatus for configuring communications settings in a computer system

• US 6,314,516 B1
• Filed: 12/29/1999
• Issued: 11/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: QNAP Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Simpson, Mark, Mullapudi, Mohana Rao, Potter, Mark R., Neubauer, Wolfgang M., Cagle, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): BUTLER, DENNIS
• Application Number:
  US09/474,586
• Time in Patent Office: 678 Days
• Field of Search: 713/1, 713/2, 713/100, 709/220, 709/221, 709/222
• US Class Current: 713/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0883 Semiautomatic configuration, e.g. proposals from system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0889 Techniques to speed-up the configuration process
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/18 Delegation of network management function, e.g. customer network management [CNM]

Abstract

A method for configuring communications settings in a computer system is provided. The method includes receiving a configuration settings file. The configuration settings file includes global connection settings, a connection type, and connection type specific settings. A communications link is configured to address a service provider based on the global settings. An access device in the computer system is configured based on the connection type and the connection type specific settings.

Claims

1. A method for configuring communications settings in a computer system, comprising:

prompting a user for a configuration settings file, the configuration settings file including global connection settings, a connection type, and connection type specific settings;

accessing the configuration settings file;

configuring a communications link to address a service provider based on the global settings; and

configuring an access device in the computer system based on the connection type and the connection type specific settings.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the connection type specific settings include broadband settings, and the method further includes configuring the access device based on the broadband settings in response to the connection type being a broadband type.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein configuring the access device comprises configuring at least one of a cable modem and a digital subscriber line modem.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the connection type specific settings include dial-up settings, and the method further includes configuring the access device based on the dial-up settings in response to the connection type being a dial-up type.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the connection type specific settings further include phone number information, and the method further comprises configuring the access device based on the phone number information.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the phone number information includes a country code, and configuring the access device includes configuring the access device based on the country code.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein configuring the access device comprises configuring at least one of a dial-up modem and an ISDN device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a logo file; and

displaying the logo file and a summary of the settings in the configuration settings file on a display of the computer system.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the logo file and the configuration setting file are contained in an archive file, and the method further comprises extracting the logo file and the configuration setting file from the archive file.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving a user confirmation after displaying the summary and proceeding with the configuring of the communications link and the configuring of the access device in response to receiving the user confirmation.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration settings file includes e-mail server settings, and the method further includes configuring an e-mail server based on the e-mail server settings.

12. A computer system, comprising:

an access device for communicating with a service provider;

a processor; and

a program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by the processor, perform a method for configuring communications settings in a computer system, the method comprising;

prompting a user for a configuration settings file, the configuration settings file including global connection settings, a connection type, and connection type specific settings;

accessing the configuration settings file;

configuring a communications link to address the service provider based on the global settings; and

configuring the access device in the computer system based on the connection type and the connection type specific settings.

13. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the connection type specific settings include broadband settings, and the method further includes configuring the access device based on the broadband settings in response to the connection type being a broadband type.

14. The computer system of claim 13, wherein configuring the access device in the method comprises configuring at least one of a cable modem and a digital subscriber line modem.

15. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the connection type specific settings include dial-up settings, and the method further includes configuring the access device based on the dial-up settings in response to the connection type being a dial-up type.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the connection type specific settings further include phone number information, and the method further comprises configuring the access device based on the phone number information.

17. The computer system of claim 16, wherein the phone number information includes a country code, and configuring the access device includes configuring the access device based on the country code.

18. The computer system of claim 15, wherein configuring the access device comprises configuring at least one of a dial-up modem and an ISDN device.

19. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the global settings include at least one of a provider name, home page address, technical support phone number, customer service phone number for coverage area, post office protocol (POP) mail server name, simple mail transfer protocol (SMTP) mail server name, network news transfer protocol (NNTP) server name, primary domain name server (DNS) address, and secondary DNS address.

20. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the broadband settings include at least one of a dynamic host connection protocol (DHCP) flag, static IP address, netmask, and default gateway.

21. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the dialup settings include at least one of an automatic DNS flag, a multilink flag, an account username, and an account password.

22. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the computer system further comprises a display, and the method further comprises:

receiving a logo file; and

displaying the logo file and a summary of the settings in the configuration settings file on the display.

23. The computer system of claim 22, wherein the logo file and the configuration setting file are contained in an archive file, and the method further comprises extracting the logo file and the configuration setting file from the archive file.

24. The computer system of claim 22, further comprising receiving a user confirmation after displaying the summary and proceeding with the configuring of the communications link and the configuring of the access device in response to receiving the user confirmation.

25. A computer system, comprising:

means for prompting a user for a configuration settings file, the configuration settings file including global connection settings, a connection type, and connection type specific settings;

means for accessing the configuration settings file;

means for configuring a communications link to address a service provider based;

on the global settings; and

means for configuring an access device in the computer system based on the connection type and the connection type specific settings.

26. A program storage device programmed with instructions that, when executed by a computer system having an access device, perform a method for configuring communications settings, comprising:

prompting a user for a configuration settings file, the configuration settings file including global connection settings, a connection type, and connection type specific settings;

accessing the configuration settings file;

configuring a communications link to address a service provider based on the global settings; and

configuring the access device in the computer system based on the connection type and the connection type specific settings.