Patent ID: 8089973

Claim:
An outdoor data distribution device, comprising: a first exo-modular data module, comprising: at least two data ports, each data port being externally accessible to allow manual connecting or disconnecting to one or more network transport mediums, at least two transceivers for exchanging data with the two data ports, at least two converters, each converter communicating with each transceiver respectively for converting the data to or from packet data, a data switch, in communications with the at least two converters for inspecting and routing data packets between data ports, a processor in communication with the data switch that controls the data switch, an exterior housing that is sealed and environmentally hardened to protect at least one of the data switch, the processor, converters, and transceivers, from exposure to the outdoor environment, a mid-plane connector for allowing one or more exo-modular modules to be inserted or removed from either side of a two-sided exterior housing, wherein the one or more exo-modular modules may be added to and protected by or removed from the exterior housing via exterior access without interrupting the operation of other modules, and wherein the exo-modular modules are configured to form a weather-tight seal with the exterior housing.