Method and apparatus for redirection of domain name service (DNS) packets

• US 7,743,094 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2006
• Issued: 06/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ruckus IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Metke, Anthony R., Kumar, Surender
• Primary Examiner(s): Abdullahi, Salad
• Assistant Examiner(s): SALL, EL HADJI MALICK
• Application Number:
  US11/369,395
• Publication Number:
  US 20070211714A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,568 Days
• Field of Search: 709/200, 709/203, 709/221, 709/245, 370/238, 370/400, 370/401
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/25 of the same type
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation

Abstract

Techniques are provided which can allow a host to determine whether to send a DNS request via a distributed Domain Name Service (DNS) protocol or a regular DNS protocol.

Claims

1. A method of redirecting a Domain Name Server (DNS) request packet generated by an application, the method comprising:

reading an Internet Protocol (IP) address of an infrastructure-based Domain Name Server that is initially stored in the operating system of a client node at start up;

replacing the IP address of the infrastructure-based Domain Name Server with an IP address of the client node such that the operating system interprets the infrastructure-based Domain Name Server as being located at the IP address of the client node;

running a second application at a Transport Layer Protocol (TLP) port which listens for packets addressed to the Transport Layer Protocol (TLP) port designated for Domain Name System Servers;

generating, at the application in the client node, the DNS request packet based on a requested domain name;

redirecting the DNS request packet to the IP address of the client node;

determining, by the second application, whether to forward the DNS request packet either to the infrastructure-based Domain Name Server or at least one other node in an autonomous ad hoc network based at least in part on a network identifier associated with the requested domain name; and

forwarding the DNS request packet to either the infrastructure-based Domain Name Server or the autonomous ad hoc network.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

storing the IP address of the infrastructure-based Domain Name Server for later use.

3. A node, comprising:

an application configured to generate a Domain Name Server (DNS) request packet based on a requested domain name;

an operating system initially configured to store an Internet Protocol (IP) address of an infrastructure-based Domain Name Server; and

a first module configured to;

read an Internet Protocol (IP) address of an infrastructure-based Domain Name Server that is initially stored in the operating system of a client node at start up; and

replace the IP address of the infrastructure-based Domain Name Server with an IP address of the client node such that the operating system interprets the infrastructure-based Domain Name Server as being located at the IP address of the client node;

a second application running at a Transport Layer Protocol (TLP) port configured to listen for packets addressed to the Transport Layer Protocol (TLP) port designated for Domain Name System Servers;

the application further configured to generate the DNS request packet based on the requested domain name;

the operating system further configured to redirect the DNS request packet to the IP address of the client node;

the second application further configured to determine whether to forward the DNS request packet either to the infrastructure-based Domain Name Server or at least one other node in an autonomous ad hoc network based at least in part on a network identifier associated with the requested domain name; and

a transceiver configured to forward the DNS request packet to either the infrastructure-based Domain Name Server or the autonomous ad hoc network.

4. A node according to claim 3, wherein the first module is configured to store the IP address of the infrastructure-based Domain Name Server for later use.