Patent ID: 8332491

Claim:
A network device adapted for transmitting packets via a wired network interface module and a wireless network interface module, said network device comprising: a wired network interface port adapted to be connected to the wired network interface module for enabling packet transmission between said network device and a wired network via the wired network interface module; a wireless network interface port adapted to be connected to the wireless network interface module for enabling packet transmission between said network device and a wireless network via the wireless network interface module; and a network interface selecting module including a connection status monitoring unit configured to detect a connection status of the wired network interface module, and a network interface selecting unit configured to enable said network device for packet transmission via at least one of the wireless and wired network interface modules according to the connection status as determined by said connection status monitoring unit; wherein: when said connection status monitoring unit determines that said network device is configured with a device internet protocol (IP) address and a default IP address belonging to the same subnet, said connection status monitoring unit broadcasts an address resolution protocol (ARP) request packet via the wired network interface module and determines the connection status through an ARP response packet received by said network device and corresponding to the ARP request packet; and when said connection status monitoring unit determines that said network device is configured with a device IP address and a default IP address that belong to different subnets, said connection status monitoring unit sends an internet control message protocol (ICMP) request packet associated with the default IP address and determines the connection status through an ICMP response packet received by said network device and corresponding to the ICMP request packet.