Patent ID: 6870852

Claim:
A method for managing data packets received on a plurality of Ethernet ports in a telecommunications integrated services hub having a wide area network interface to the Internet, comprising: receiving a data packet at a first Ethernet port, comparing the media access control target address in the data packet to a) media access control addresses assigned to the first Ethernet port, and b) the broadcast MAC address, if the media access control target address in the data packet patches the media access control address of the first Ethernet port, using a routing protocol to forward the data packet to the wide area network interface to the Internet, if the media access control target address in the data packet does not match the media access control address of the fist Ethernet port, using a bridging protocol to forward the data packet to one or more of the Ethernet ports, and if the media access control address in the data packet matches the broadcast MAC address, using a bridging protocol to forward the data packet to all of the Ethernet ports and using a routing protocol to forward the data packet to the wide area network interface to the Internet.