Patent ID: RE43163

Claim:
An apparatus for linking communication stations within a geographical region in computer communication, comprising: a high speed backbone; a plurality of branching nodes connected to the high speed backbone for relaying digital communications at baseband; a plurality of communicating stations communicating over the backbone through the branching nodes, the branching nodes communicating stations each housed in different buildings; and a home connection box having connectors for connecting a communicating station with a hub associated with its branching node, the connectors including a network communications connector and a power connector for supplying power from the communicating station to the hub; wherein the branching nodes each comprise: a hub directly connected with others of the branching nodes and directly interconnecting the plurality of communicating stations in digital communication; and a power concentrator, the power concentrator receiving power from a plurality of communicating stations in communication with the branching node and powering the branching node with the received power, the received power being redundant, in that at least one of the communicating stations can go off-line without stopping power to the branching node.