Patent ID: 7333510

Claim:
A method for providing transparent handling of data sent between a first network and at least a second network and a third network, wherein the first network is of a first protocol and the at least second and third networks are of a second protocol and wherein the second and third networks at least partially overlap, comprising: receiving a packet transmitted from the first network to one of the at least second and third networks wherein the packet has a first address prefix of the first protocol if the packet is directed to the second network and has a second address prefix of the first protocol if the packet is directed to the third network; translating a destination address of the packet and a source address of the packet from the first protocol to the second protocol, wherein the translating the destination address and source address from the first protocol to the second protocol translates the destination address and source address from a hexadecimal protocol to a decimal protocol, using a lookup table that has an individual entry for each network to provide a prefix, so that the translation determines the prefix and converts the remainder of the address from hexadecimal to base 10, so that a lookup table with an individual entry for each device is not needed; directing the packet to the second network if the packet has the first address prefix of the first protocol; and directing the packet to the third network if the packet has the second address prefix of the first protocol.