Method for addressing of passive network hosts in a data-over-cable system

• US 6,370,147 B1
• Filed: 04/23/1998
• Issued: 04/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: 3Com Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Beser, Nurettin B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Duong, Frank
• Application Number:
  US09/065,129
• Time in Patent Office: 1,447 Days
• Field of Search: 370/392, 370/400, 370/401, 370/409, 370/465, 370/480, 370/431, 370/432, 370/438, 370/437, 370/439, 370/457, 348/6, 348/7, 348/522, 375/222, 455/3.1, 455/4.1, 455/5.1
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/50 Address allocation

Abstract

A method is provided to address passive network devices in a data-over-cable system. A “passive” network device, such as a printer, facsimile machine, computer other network device, is a device that is assigned a network address by the data-over-cable system and does not have a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol stack to obtain its own network address. A network address assigned to a passive network device by the data-over-cable system is stored in a configuration file for an active network device such as a cable modem that is associated with the passive network device. An active network device has a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol Stack to obtain a network address. The active network device is initialized with the configuration file including the assigned network address of the passive network device. The active network device registers with a cable modem termination system by sending a registration message that includes the assigned network address for the passive network device. The active network device and the active network device termination system store the network address for the active network device and the assigned network address for the passive network device in internal tables. When data for the passive network device is received on the cable modem termination system it is forwarded to the active network device and then forwarded to the passive network device using the internal tables on the cable modem termination system and active network device. The active network device functions as a router or switch to forward data to the passive network device. The method allows passive network devices without a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol stack to be used in a data-over-cable system.

Claims

1. In a data-over-cable system with a plurality of network devices, a method for addressing passive network devices, the method comprising the following steps:

assigning a first network address in the data-over-cable system to a passive first network device associated with a second network device, wherein the passive first network device does not have a network address protocol stack to obtain the first network address;

adding the first network address to a configuration file for the second network device;

initializing the second network device with the configuration file including the first network address; and

sending a first message to a third network device from the second network device including the first network address and a second network address for the second network device to register the passive first network device and the second network device with the third network device,

wherein the second network address on the data-over-cable system for the second network device was obtained with a network address protocol stack.

2. A computer readable medium having stored therein instructions for causing a central processing unit to execute the method of claim 1.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

storing the first network address and the second network address in a first table entry in an internal table on the third network device;

receiving a second message on the third network device for the passive first network device, wherein the third network device has no direct connection to the passive first network device;

determining the first network address for the passive first network device using the internal table on the third network device; and

sending the second message to the second network device using the second network address from the internal table, wherein the second network device forwards the second message to the passive first network device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the passive first network device is any of a printer, facsimile machine or computer without a network address protocol stack to obtain a network address on the data-over-cable system, the second network device is a cable modem and the third network device is a cable modem termination system.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of adding the first network address to a configuration file includes adding an Internet Protocol address for the passive first network device and a Medium Access Protocol address for the second network device to the configuration file.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the first network address and the second network address are coded as a passive-host parameter in type-length-value format in the configuration file.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of sending a first message to the third network device includes storing the first network address and the second network address in an internal table on the third network device.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the internal table is an Address Resolution Protocol table.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of initializing the second network device includes storing the first network address for the first network device from the configuration file in an internal table on the second network device.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the first network address and the second network address are Medium Access Protocol addresses.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the second network device includes a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol stack for obtaining an Internet Protocol address on the data-over-cable system and the passive first network device does not include a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol stack for obtaining an Internet protocol address on the data-over-cable system.

12. In a data-over-cable system with a plurality of network devices, a method for addressing passive network devices, the method comprising the following steps:

receiving a first message on a third network device with a first network address for a first network device and a second network address for a passive second network device associated with the first network device;

storing the first network address and the second network address in a first table entry in a first internal table on the third network device;

receiving a second message on the third network device for the passive second network device, wherein the third network device has no direct connection to the passive second network device;

determining the second network address for the passive second network device using the first internal table on the third network device; and

sending the second message to the passive second network device via the first network device using the first network address from the first internal table for the passive second network device.

13. A computer readable medium having stored therein instructions for causing a central processing unit to execute the method of claim 12.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the first network device is a cable modem with a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol Stack, the passive second network device is a passive network device without a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol stack and the third network device is a cable modem termination system.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the passive second network device is any of a printer, facsimile machine or computer that does not have a network address protocol stack to obtain the second network address.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the first internal table is an Address Resolution Protocol table.

17. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

forwarding the second message from the first network device to the passive second network device at the second network address using a second internal table on the first network device.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the second internal table is an Address Resolution Protocol table.

19. The method of claim 12 wherein the first network address is a Medium Access Protocol address and the second network address is an Internet Protocol Address.

20. The method of claim 12 wherein the first network address is a Medium Protocol Address and the second network address is a Medium Protocol Address.

21. The method claim 12 wherein the first network device is any of a router or a switch that is used to forward data to the passive second network device.

22. In a data-over-cable system with a plurality of network devices, a method for addressing passive network devices, the method comprising the following steps:

assigning an Internet Protocol address in the data-over-cable system to a passive network device associated with a cable modem, wherein the passive network device does not have a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol stack for obtaining an Internet Protocol address on the data-over-cable system;

adding the Internet Protocol address to a configuration file for the cable modem;

initializing the cable modem with the configuration file including the Internet Protocol address for the passive network device, wherein the initializing includes storing the Internet Protocol address with a Medium Access Protocol address for the cable modem in a first Address Resolution Protocol table on the cable modem; and

sending a registration message to a cable modem termination system with the Internet Protocol address for the passive network device and the Medium Access Protocol address for the cable modem device to register the passive network device and the cable modem with the cable modem termination system;

storing the Internet Protocol address and the Medium Access Control address on in a second Address Resolution Protocol table on the cable modem termination system;

receiving a second message on cable modem termination system for the passive network device, wherein the cable modem termination system has no direct connection to the passive network device;

determining the Internet Protocol address for the passive network device using the second Address Resolution Protocol table on the cable modem termination system;

sending the second message to the cable modem using the Medium Access Control address from the second Address Resolution Protocol table; and

forwarding the second message from the cable modem to the passive network device using the Internet Protocol address from first Address Resolution Protocol table on the cable modem.

23. A computer readable medium having stored therein instructions for causing a central processing unit to execute the method of claim 22.