Patent ID: 6108345
Filing Date: 2000-08-22
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A remote access including:at least two communication channels, including a first communication channel coupled a first network and a second communication channel coupled to a second network, and each of said at least two communication channels configured to support a transfer of a plurality of data packets;a first port that couples the first communication channel to the first network using a first protocol;a second port that couples the second communication channel to the second network using a second protocol;a first medium access controller that is coupleable to the first port and the second port to transmit and receive at least a data packet in the plurality of data packets;a second medium access controller that is coupleable to the first port and the second port to transmit and receive at least a data packet in the plurality of data packets;a bus connecting said first and said second medium access controllers to pass at least some of the plurality of data packets received by one of said first and said second medium access controllers to an other of said first and said second medium access controllers;a switch and conversion unit to selectively connect said first medium access controller to one of the first or second communication channel, and said second medium access controller to an other of the first or second communication channel,wherein the switch and conversion unit is configurable to connect the first medium access controller to the first communication channel so that a data packet in the plurality of data packets with a destination identifier corresponding to said first medium access controller is received by said first medium access controller, and transmitted by said second medium access controller to the second communication channel, said switch and conversion unit being able to convert the data packet received by the first medium access controller from the first protocol of the first port to the second protocol of the second port by first converting the data packet to an intermediate protocol; anda packet processor connected to said bus, said packet processor adapted to be forwarded said data packet received by said first medium access controller, and to pass said data packet to said second medium access controller after attaching a header to the said data packet, the header corresponding to a destination on the second network.