Patent ID: 7613123

Claim:
A method of connecting a device to a network, comprising: presetting a plurality of TCP/IP addresses in the device; plugging the device into the network; determining whether any of the preset TCP/IP addresses are usable on the network; if the preset TCP/IP addresses are not usable, performing an address resolution protocol (ARP) request with at least one other device connected to the network or with another device having an address preset in the device; receiving an ARP response to the ARP request from a correspondent device, the correspondent device corresponding to one of the at least one other device and the another device; determining whether it is possible to access the network with a preset TCP/IP address having a predetermined relationship relative to a TCP/IP address included in the ARP response; if access to the network is possible with the preset TCP/IP address having said predetermined relationship relative to a TCP/IP address included in the ARP response, establishing a network connection; if access to the network is not possible with the preset TCP/IP address having said predetermined relationship relative to a TCP/IP address included in the ARP response, determining whether it is possible to access the network with another preset TCP/IP address; if access to the network is possible with the another preset TCP/IP address, establishing the network connection; and if access to the network is not possible with any preset TCP/IP address, indicating that a network connection attempt has failed.