Patent ID: 8422513
Filing Date: 2013-04-16
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: receiving, at an access controller, a first frame through a first communication network, where the first frame comprises a first destination address that identifies one of a plurality of virtual medium access control addresses associated with the access controller, the first frame further comprising a first source address that identifies a wireless access node in a second communication network; extracting a second frame that is encapsulated in the first frame, the second frame comprising a second source address identifying a station in the second communication network and a second destination address identifying a destination node; and sending the second frame for receipt by the destination node, wherein there are a plurality of access controllers each having a set of virtual medium access control addresses, the method further comprising: assigning virtual medium access control addresses between the plurality of access controllers based on at least one criterion; receiving a broadcast frame comprising a third source address; applying a function to the third source address; only if the result of applying the function results in a virtual medium access control address associated with the access controller, encapsulating the broadcast frame in a fourth frame that comprises a broadcast address and a fourth source address equal to the virtual medium access control address; and sending the fourth frame to the first communication network.