Patent ID: 6990592

Claim:
A method of using a network device of a communications network to control usage of network resources of the communications network by a plurality of users, wherein the network device serves as an entry point to the communications network for the plurality of users and includes a port module, the port module connected by a transmission medium to a first user device used by a first of the plurality of users and located externally to the communications network and the port module connected by the transmission medium to a second user device used by a second of the plurality of users and located externally to the communications network, the method comprising an act of: (A-i) providing one or more packet rules to the port module wherein at least a first packet rule of the one or more packet rules is associated with the identity of the first user and at least one of the packet rules is associated with the identity of the second user; and (A-ii) configuring the port module with the one or more packet rules to control usage of any of the network resources beyond the port module before use any of the network resources beyond the port module in response to receipt of a packet by the port module from one of the plurality of users.