Patent ID: 6101189
Filing Date: 2000-08-08
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A gateway apparatus provided with a local network interface for a local network and a dial-up connection interface for establishing a dial-up connection between said local network and an outside network, the gateway apparatus routing packets between said local network and said outside network and comprising:first converting means for converting a first header of each of packets transmitted from at least one of terminals of said local network to said outside network, into a header assigned to said gateway apparatus, wherein said first header includes a source address of said at least one of the terminals, the source address being converted by said first converting means into a source address assigned to the gateway apparatus in the outside network;a conversion table for storing entries referred to by said first converting means in conversion, andsecond converting means for converting a second header of packets transmitted by said outside network to said local network into a header for the terminals of said local network by referring to one of the entries of said conversion table, wherein said second header includes a destination address of the gateway apparatus in the outside network, said destination address being converted by said second converting means into a source address stored in said one of the entries of said conversion table;said gateway apparatus operating as a Layer 3 routing apparatus for said local network and operating as a terminal for said outside network,wherein said first header includes a Layer 3 address and a host layer port ID; andsaid first converting means converts the Layer 3 address of said first header of said packets transmitted to said outside network into the Layer 3 address assigned to said gateway apparatus and converts the upper layer port ID of said first header into a dynamically determined host layer port ID.