Patent ID: 7769865

Claim:
A method of connecting at least two users to exchange network packets via an internetwork, each user being addressable within said internetwork at a respective global address, and wherein some users of said internetwork are connected to said internetwork via a respective network address translation (NAT) firewall, said method comprising the steps of: maintaining in a central server coupled to said internetwork a database of registered users, said database including respective global addresses corresponding to said registered users; receiving a call request from a calling user to establish a connection to exchange network packets with a called user, at least said called user being a registered user; detecting whether a respective NAT firewall is in place between said called user and said internetwork; if a respective NAT firewall is not in place between said called user and said internetwork, then: transmitting said called user's respective global address to said calling user; and said calling user establishing a network session for said connection with said called user by transmitting to said called user's respective global address; and if a respective NAT firewall is in place between said called user and said internetwork, then: detecting whether a respective NAT firewall is in place between said calling user and said internetwork; and if a respective NAT firewall is not in place between said calling user and said internetwork, then: transmitting said calling user's respective global address to said called user; and said called user establishing a network session for said connection with said calling user by transmitting to said calling user's respective global address.