Patent ID: 8117290

Claim:
A method of managing a local area network (LAN) having one or more network devices, the method comprising: defining a plurality of network states, each network state representing a topology of network devices and functions thereof including: a modem adapted to bridge the local area network (LAN) with a wide area network (WAN), a wireless access point (WAP) and router adapted to connect the network devices to the modem, and a voice router adapted for connection between the modem and the wireless access point and router, the voice router adapted to provide phone services to an analog telephone using voice over Internet protocol (VoIP); identifying a current network state of the local area network (LAN) from the plurality of network states, said current network state representing an existing topology of the one or more network devices and functions thereof in the local area network (LAN); identifying a next network state of the local area network (LAN) from the plurality of network states, said next network state representing a change to the current network state, said next network state representing an enhanced topology of network devices and functions thereof in the local area network (LAN); recommending the next network state to a user; and providing the user with instructions for modifying the existing topology of the one or more network devices and functions thereof in the local area network (LAN) based on the current network state to the enhanced topology of network devices and functions thereof in the local area network (LAN) based on the next network state.