Patent ID: 7873028

Claim:
A local area network router comprising: a multi-access station enclosure; a central processing apparatus included within the enclosure; wherein the central processing apparatus is configured to connect to a plurality of peripheral devices coupled through wired connections to said central processing apparatus, and wherein the central processing apparatus is configured to provide each of said plurality of peripheral devices with an IP address; an Internet interface within the enclosure coupled to said central processing apparatus to provide Internet connectivity to one or more peripheral devices; wherein a first local interface included in the enclosure with the central processing apparatus is provided to couple to a first peripheral device of said plurality of peripheral devices and a second local interface included in the enclosure with the central processing apparatus is provided to couple to a first peripheral device of said plurality of peripheral devices, said first local interface of a type different from a type said second local interface and the type of each of said first local interface and said second local interface selected from a group of local interfaces consisting essentially of USB (Universal Serial Bus), IEEE 1394, RS-232, LPT (line printer port), DSL (digital subscriber line), SCSI (small computer system interface), Ethernet, video cable, optical cable and telephone line; wherein remote users access said peripheral devices by using said IP address through said central processing apparatus; and wherein said first local interface is removable from said enclosure of said local area network router and said second local interface is removable from said enclosure of said local area network router, wherein said first local interface and said second local interface each may be replaced by a third local interface during operation of said local area network router, said third local interface, upon placement in said enclosure, is coupled to said central processing apparatus and said third local interface, and said third local interface selected from a group of local interfaces consisting essentially of USB (Universal Serial Bus), IEEE 1394, RS-232, LPT (line printer port), DSL (digital subscriber line), SCSI (small computer system interface), Ethernet, video cable, optical cable and telephone line.