Patent ID: 6128298
Filing Date: 2000-10-03
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A method of interfacing private and public data communications networks, through a filter node in communication with both networks, the filter node having an address known in the public network, comprising the steps of:routing from nodes in the private network, to the filter node, outgoing data packets having destination information, which includes a destination address and a destination port, corresponding to nodes in the public network and having source information, which includes a source address and a source port, of the respective private network nodes;for each outgoing data packet received from the private network, at the filter node, maintaining the source information taken from the outgoing data packet in correlation with a unique value representing a port of the filter node, and replacing in the outgoing data packet the source address with the filter node address and the source port with the filter node port value; androuting from the filter node, to nodes in the public network, the outgoing data packets having the replaced source information, according to the destination information in each, to the corresponding public network nodes.