Patent ID: 8589582

Claim:
A method of handling dissimilar protocols when a Host accesses a Broadband Network, said method comprising the steps of: receiving in an Access Network Node, an initial discovery request from the Host; determining by the Access Network Node whether the initial discovery request is formatted in a protocol that allows a port identity to be conveyed to a gateway in the Broadband Network; upon determining the initial discovery request is formatted in the protocol that allows a port identity to be conveyed to the gateway, inserting the port identity into the initial discovery request and forwarding the initial discovery request with the port identity from the Access Network Node to the gateway; upon determining the initial discovery request is not formatted in the protocol that allows the port identity to be conveyed to the gateway: converting by the Access Network Node, the initial discovery request to a modified discovery request formatted in the protocol that allows the port identity to be conveyed to the gateway, inserting the port identity into the modified discovery request; and sending the modified discovery request with the port identity from the Access Network Node to the gateway.