Methods and apparatus for providing high speed connectivity to a hotel environment
First Claim
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1. A method for providing access to a private network, comprising:
- providing a plurality of network access nodes in the private network, the network access nodes each having a fixed network address assigned thereto which is unique on the private network, but not a valid Internet address a first one of the network access node having a first fixed network address assigned thereto; and
temporarily associating the first fixed network address with a first computer while the first computer is connected to the first network access node thereby providing access to the private network.
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus are described for providing access to a network via a first one of a plurality of network access nodes in the network. The network access nodes each have a network address associated therewith which is unique on the network, the first network access node having a first network address associated therewith. The first network address is associated with a first computer while the first computer is connected to the first network access node thereby providing access to the network.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method for providing access to a private network, comprising:
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providing a plurality of network access nodes in the private network, the network access nodes each having a fixed network address assigned thereto which is unique on the private network, but not a valid Internet address a first one of the network access node having a first fixed network address assigned thereto; and
temporarily associating the first fixed network address with a first computer while the first computer is connected to the first network access node thereby providing access to the private network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
monitoring communications between the first computer and the private network; and
generating a report describing the communications.
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22. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing Internet access to the first computer via the first network access node and the private network using a first one of a plurality of globally unique IP addresses by:
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associating the first globally unique IP address with the first fixed network address for conducting an Internet transaction; and
disassociating the it globally unique IP address from the first fixed network address upon termination of the Internet transaction, the first globally unique IP address then being available for association with any of the fixed network addresses.
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23. The method of claim 22 wherein associating the first globally unique IP address with the first fixed network address comprises employing a network address translation protocol.
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24. The method of claim 23 wherein the plurality of globally unique IP addresses comprises a pool comprising one of a plurality of class A, a plurality of class B, or a plurality of class C IP addresses.
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25. The method of claim 22 wherein the private network comprises a local area network and the associating and disassociating of the first globally unique IP address is done by a headend associated with the local area network.
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26. The method of claim 22 wherein the private network comprises a wide area network and the associating and disassociating of the first globally unique IP address is done by a remote server which controls the wide area network.
- 11. A private network comprising a plurality of network access nodes for providing access to the private network, each network access node having a fixed network address assigned thereto which is unique on the private network, but not a valid Internet address each network access node comprising connection circuitry and a processor, the processor being operable to temporarily associate the fixed network address with a computer while the computer is connected to the network access node via the connection circuitry thereby providing access to the private network.
Specification