Patent ID: 6701437
Filing Date: 2004-03-02
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A method of operating a virtual private network unit to facilitate secure communications between virtual private network members over a public network, comprising:coupling the virtual private network unit to a first local network via a first data channel; coupling the virtual private network unit to a first public network via the first data channel; maintaining a set of addresses in the first local network that are not assigned to members of the virtual private network residing in the first local network; receiving a first data packet over the first data channel from a first member of the virtual private network in the first local network, wherein the first data packet is addressed to a second member of the virtual private network with a first address from the set of addresses; replacing the first address with a remote address corresponding to the second member; transforming the first data packet in accordance with pre-determined rules for transforming data packets sent between members of the virtual private network; and forwarding the transformed first data packet over the first data channel to the public network for delivery to the remote address.