Patent ID: 7606920

Claim:
A method of controlling communication ports for an online session of a multi-user application, comprising: opening multiple communication ports on a first network computer executing the multi-user application, through which the multi-user application can send communication signals to other network computers that are participating in the online session; associating each of the communication ports of the first network computer with a protocol such that communication signals that the multi-user application sends and receives will conform to the protocol of each of the communication ports, wherein the multi-user application performs the associating; designating an active communication port through which the multi-user application will send and receive communication signals for the first network computer, wherein the designating comprises selecting one of the multiple open communication ports on the first network computer; and sending a communication signal from the first network computer to one or more of the other network computers participating in the online session, wherein the communication signal from the first network computer identifies the active communication port and the associated protocol for the first network computer.