Patent ID: 11290149

Abstract:
Methods, apparatus and devices are disclosed for identifying and of controlling communications on interfering links in a local area network (20) having user-devices (22, 23, 24, 25) located therein operable to communicate via a local area network (LAN) gateway device (30, 50) with remote devices in a communications network (10,15) outside the LAN (20), communications being carried via one or more LAN links (28) for at least a portion of a path between user-devices (22, 23, 24, 25) and the gateway device (30, 50), and being carried via a digital subscriber (xDSL) line (19) for at least a portion of a path between the gateway device (30, 50) and the remote devices. The method comprises triggering performance of a signal transmission action on a LAN link during a predetermined period; monitoring digital subscriber line (DSL) performance characteristics in respect of data communications on the xDSL line (19) during said predetermined period whereby to identify changes therein; classifying the LAN link as an interfering link in the event that identified changes in DSL performance characteristics coincide with the predetermined period during which the signal transmission action has been performed; and adjusting the data flow rate in respect of data flow on a LAN link if it is classified as an interfering link.