Patent ID: 7653746
Filing Date: 2010-01-26
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for communicating with a plurality of devices behind the private side of a NAT, each through a different publicly routable network address, comprising: issuing a request from a client behind the private side of the NAT to a server on the public side of the NAT for the publicly routable network addresses; delivering the request from the client to the server through the NAT; receiving the publicly routable network addresses at the client from the server through NAT; configuring a router behind the private side of the NAT, named herein a tether router, to associate each of the devices behind the private side of the NAT with at least one of the publicly routable network addresses; configuring a tunnel through the NAT between the tether router and a router on the public side of the NAT, named herein an anchor router, through which packets can be exchanged between the tether router and the anchor router without being translated by the NAT; receiving packets at the tether router from the anchor router encapsulated within the tunnel through the NAT addressed to at least one of the publicly routable network addresses; and forwarding the received packets from the tether router to the device that is associated within the tether router to the at least one publicly routable network address to which the packets are addressed, whereby communications to the plurality of devices behind the private side of the NAT are effectuated using publicly routable network address.