Patent ID: 7894433

Claim:
A method in a default gateway router configured for providing an access connection for a host device in a multi-homed network, the method comprising: receiving, by the default gateway router, first and second routing protocol exit router messages identifying first and second distinct address prefixes having been advertised by first and second exit routers, respectively, the first and second exit routers providing respective connections between the multi-homed network and a wide area network; determining by the default gateway router a preference for reaching a destination having an address prefix distinct from the first and second address prefixes, the preference determined based on the default gateway router determining respective costs for reaching the destination relative to the first and second routers; and sending to the host device, by the default gateway router via the access connection, a third address prefix that is a subset of the first address prefix, and a fourth address prefix that is a subset of the second address prefix, including sending the third and fourth address prefixes in a determined order identifying the determined preference for using one of the third or fourth address prefixes in reaching the destination, enabling the host device to select a source address from one of the third or fourth address prefixes according to the determined order for routing a packet to the destination by the host device according to the determined preference.