Patent ID: 7697556

Claim:
A telecommunications system comprising: a first device having a plurality of interfaces, with each interface having a unique MAC address, the first device using the MAC addresses for forwarding frames; at least one bridge in communication with the first device; a second device in communication with the first device through the bridge having a plurality of interfaces with each interface having a unique MAC address, the first device forwarding frames to a first interface of the plurality of interfaces of the second device using the unique MAC address of the first interface of the second device, a first end station and a second end station, wherein a second interface, having a unique MAC address of the plurality of interfaces of the first device in communication with the first end station, and a second interface having a unique MAC address of the plurality of interfaces of the second device in communication with the second end station; and a third interface of the plurality of interfaces of the first device in communication with a third interface of the plurality of interfaces of the second device through the bridge, wherein when the first device receives a frame from the first end station to be forwarded to the second end station, the first device encapsulates the frame with the unique MAC address of the second interface of the first device on which the first device received the frame from the first end station and the unique MAC address of the second interface of the second device.