Patent ID: 7577140
Filing Date: 2009-08-18
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method performed by a computer having a processor and a memory for determining a transmission method for a network communication, the method comprising: generating a first random number; transmitting from a client at least one packet containing the first random number to a server via a unicast transmission method, the client being of a first network and the server being of a second network, the first network and the second network being connected via a router; when it is determined that the client is configured to insist on the unicast transmission method, with a processor, configuring the client for communication with the server in accordance with the unicast transmission method and when it is determined that a response to the packet containing the first random number sent via the unicast transmission method is not received at the client, notifying a user; and when it is determined that the client is not configured to insist on the unicast transmission method, generating a second random number, transmitting from the client at least one packet to the server via a multicast transmission method, the at least one packet containing the second random number, when it is determined that a response to the packet containing the second random number sent via the multicast transmission method is received at the client, indicating that the router supports the multicast transmission method, with a processor, configuring the client for communication with the server in accordance with the multicast transmission method of the client, and when it is determined that a response to the packet containing the second random number sent via the multicast transmission method is not received at the client, indicating that the router does not support the multicast transmission method, when it is determined that the client is not configured to insist on the multicast transmission method, with a processor, configuring the client for communication with the sever in accordance with the unicast transmission method and when it is determined that a response to the packet containing the first random number sent via the unicast transmission method is not received at the client, notifying a user, and when it is determined that the client is configured to insist on the multicast transmission method, notifying the user, when it is determined that a response to the packet containing the first random number sent via the unicast transmission method is received at the client, with a processor, configuring the client for communication with the server in accordance with the multicast transmission method of the client using an address from the received response, and when it is determined that a response to the packet containing the first random number sent via the unicast transmission method is not received at the client, with a processor, configuring the client for communication with the server in accordance with the multicast transmission method of the client using an address of the client.