Patent ID: 7584263

Claim:
A method for providing network-based access to computer applications, the method comprising: communicating with a residential communications gateway executed from a family home page; including in the family home page a link to a first application on a residential network and another link to a single second application on a service provider network; receiving a request for service from a residential user; searching a services database by a processor for services that the residential user is authorized to access; differentiating service offerings for the residential user from other users in the services database; when the residential user is not authorized to access the requested service, retrieving a destination web page from memory and redirecting the request for service to the destination web page to deny the requested service; when the residential user is authorized to access the requested service, creating an entry by the processor in the service database that links the requested service to the residential user and creating a website link on the family home page associated with the residential user, the website link accessing the first application that provides the requested service; associating the first application with the residential user; associating the second application with the residential user; determining a first address of the first application; determining a second address of the second application; and providing access to the residential user to the second address by providing a second link to the second address on the family home page.