Patent ID: 7165111

Claim:
A method for identifying customer premises equipment in a distributed network, the method comprising: generating a device identifier code that specifically identifies a product model of a customer premises equipment device in response to receiving a point-to-point over Ethernet (PPPoE) packet communicated over the distributed network; broadcasting a point-to-point over Ethernet (PPPoE) active discovery initiation (PADI) packet, wherein the PPPoE active discovery initiation (PADI) packet includes a tag, wherein the tag is based onto device identifier code; receiving a point-to-point over Ethernet (PPPoE) active discovery offer (PADO) packet; transmitting a point-to-point over Ethernet (PPPoE) active discovery request (PADR) packet in response to receiving the PADO packet, wherein the PADR packet includes a tag that specifically identifies a product model of the customer premises device; receiving a point-to-point over Ethernet (PPPoE) active discovery session (PADS) packet; and conducting an Ethernet communication session.