Patent ID: 7496955
Filing Date: 2009-02-24
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A firewall, comprising: a first port configured for communication with a first device within a first network; a second port configured for communication with a second device within the first network; a third port configured for communication between the first network and a second network; and a processor configured to: determine that a first portion of the incoming packets should be bridged, the first portion having a first source address and a first destination address within the first network, wherein the step of determining that the first portion should be bridged comprises performing a bridge lookup based upon media access control address information of the incoming packets; apply a first screening process to the first portion; determine that a second portion of the incoming packets should be routed, the second portion having a second source address or a second destination address outside the first network; and apply a second screening process to the second portion.