Patent ID: 7281036
Filing Date: 2007-10-09
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for automatically assigning a network address to a given network node attached to a packet communication network, the method comprising the steps of: communicating with at least one other network node to collect information from inter-node communication packets containing network address information other than an address assignment to the given network node for which an available network address is to be automatically assigned, the given network node coupled to a subnet; posing as a node having an IP address considered by nodes on the subnet as being external from the subnet, communicating with the at least one other network node also coupled to the subnet as determined from the network address information in the inter-node communication packets to find an assigned IP address on the subnet; determining the available network address based on the network address information contained in collected inter-node communication packets; and assigning the available network address to the given network node.