Patent ID: 11070249

Abstract:
Methods, apparatus and devices are disclosed for controlling communications in respect of local area networks (20) having user-devices (22, 23, 24, 25) located therein operable to communicate via a local area network (LAN) gateway device (30) 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), and being carried via a digital subscriber (xDSL) line (19) for at least a portion of a path between the gateway device (30) and the remote devices. The method comprises monitoring digital subscriber line performance characteristics in respect of data communications on the xDSL line (19) whereby to identify changes therein; monitoring data flow rate in respect of data flows on LAN links (28) whereby to identify changes therein; and adjusting the data flow rate in respect of the data flows in the event that identified changes in digital subscriber line performance characteristics coincide with identified changes in data flow rate.