Patent ID: 7382778

Claim:
A method of connecting a layer 2 network device with a client through a wireless network, the wireless network comprising at least one layer 3 router, the method comprising: at least one layer 3 router of the wireless network receiving data packets, wherein the wireless network receiving data packets comprises: a first layer 3 access node receiving data packets from a client through a wireless link; a layer 3 gateway receiving the data packets from at least one of the first layer 3 access node and another layer 3 access node through another wireless link; the at least one layer 3 router of the wireless network modifying MAC addresses of the data packets so that the layer 2 network device perceives the wireless network as a layer 2 network, comprising; the layer 3 access node modifying MAC source addresses of the data packets from a MAC address of the client to a MAC address of the layer 3 access node; the layer 3 gateway modifying the MAC source addresses of the data packets from a MAC address of at least one of the first layer 3 access node and another layer 3 access node to a MAC address of the client.