Patent ID: 8509261

Claim:
A media converter comprising: a first media attachment interface to physically attach a first communication medium to the media converter; a second media attachment interface to physically attach a second communication medium to the media converter; a media conversion module, communicatively coupled to the first media attachment interface and to the second media attachment interface, that converts first signals received from the first communication medium via the first media attachment interface for transmission on the second communication medium via the second media attachment interface; a mounting interface to physically attach the media converter to a structure; a power media attachment interface to physically attach a third communication medium to the media converter, wherein power is injected onto the third communication medium and wherein the third communication medium is different from the first communication medium and the second communication medium; and a power interface, coupled to the power media attachment interface, that extracts power from the third communication medium and supplies power to the media converter; wherein the media converter is configured so that the mounting interface, the power media attachment interface, the first media attachment interface, and the second media attachment interface are directly attached to the structure to which the media converter is physically attached.