Router-based domain name system proxy agent using address translation

• US 6,480,508 B1
• Filed: 05/12/1999
• Issued: 11/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Netgear Holdings Ltd. (NETGEAR, Inc.), NETGEAR, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Westell Incorporated (Westell Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ronk, John, Saiz, Manuel Ricardo, Mwikalo, Rama, Whittington, John
• Primary Examiner(s): NGO, RICKY QUOC
• Application Number:
  US09/310,188
• Time in Patent Office: 1,280 Days
• Field of Search: 370/389, 370/400, 370/401, 370/411, 370/475, 709/201, 709/202, 709/203, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/220, 709/227, 709/229, 709/230, 709/238, 709/245, 707/3, 707/10
• US Class Current: 370/475
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/59 using proxies for addressing

Abstract

A Domain Name System (DNS) proxy agent of the present invention performs a name query relaying function by redirecting DNS queries and responses to their final destination address, which is unknown to the node which originated the query or response. The real source and destination nodes are known only to the DNS proxy agent. This allows network address of an Internet-based name server to be changed without the requirement to reconfigure the DNS addressed on the LAN-based host.

Claims

1. A computer communication system comprising

a first network having connected thereto at least one primary domain name system (DNS) server having a global primary DNS address and at least one secondary DNS server having a global secondary DNS address;

a local network having connected thereto at least one local router and a plurality of local host computers, the router configured to provide said plurality of local host computers with access to said first network;

wherein

said local router stores said global primary and secondary DNS addresses;

said local hosts each store at least one local primary and secondary DNS addresses corresponding to said global primary and secondary DNS addresses, respectively, which are stored in said local router; and

a software DNS proxy agent associated with said local router is programmed to receive a DNS look-up request from one of said local hosts specifying a local primary or secondary DNS address, and transmit said DNS look-up request to a designated primary or secondary DNS server via said first network, based on corresponding said global primary or secondary DNS address stored in said local router.

2. The computer communication system of claim 1, wherein the router supports network address translation and port address translation protocols.

3. A method of communication for a local network having at least one local host and one local router connected thereto, the method comprising:

storing in a local router, global primary and secondary domain name system (DNS) addresses of global primary and secondary DNS servers;

storing in a local host, at least one local primary and secondary DNS addresses corresponding to said global primary and secondary DNS addresses, respectively, which are stored in said local router;

receiving at the local router, a DNS look-up request from said local host specifying a local primary or secondary DNS address, and

transmitting said DNS look-up request to a designated global primary or secondary DNS server, based on corresponding said global primary or secondary DNS addresses stored in said local router.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said steps of receiving and transmitting are performed by in software.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said local router supports network address translation and port address translation.