Multiple network connections from a single ppp link with partial network address translation

A method for establishing multiple network connections for a user having a PPP connection to a gateway, including the steps of:

• receiving a first PPP connection request from the user;
• negotiating LCP options between the user and a first network;
• establishing a primary PPP session between the user and a first network;
• receiving a first real network address for the user, said first real network address assigned by said first network;
• receiving a second PPP connection request from the user;
• negotiating LCP options between the user and a second network;
• establishing a secondary PPP session between the gateway and a second network;
• and
• receiving a second real network address for the user, said second real network address assigned by said second network.

A method for communications routing in a system in which a user is connected to a first network and a second network, the method including the steps of:

• receiving a packet sent from the user;
• examining said packet to determine if its destination is the first network or the second network;
• forwarding said packet to the first network if said packet indicates that its destination is the first network;
• performing network address translation on said packet if said packet indicates that its destination is the second network;
• and
• forwarding said translated packet to the second network if said packet indicates that its destination is the second network.

A method for network communications in a system having a user with a PPP connection to a gateway, including the steps of:

• establishing a primary PPP session between the user and a first network;
• receiving a first real network address for the user, said first real network address assigned by said first network;
• establishing a secondary network session between the gateway and a second network;
• receiving a second real network address for the user, said second real network address assigned by said second network;
• receiving a packet sent by the user;
• examining said packet to determine if its destination is said first network or said second network;
• forwarding said packet to the first network if said packet indicates that its destination is said first network;
• performing network address translation on said packet if said packet indicates that its destination is said second network;
• and
• forwarding said translated packet to said second network if said packet indicates that its destination is said second network.

A method for network communications in a system having a user with a PPP connection to a gateway, including the steps of:

• receiving a first PPP connection request from the user;
• negotiating LCP options between the user and a first network;
• establishing a primary PPP session between the user and a first network;
• receiving a first real network address for the user, said first real network address assigned by said first network;
• receiving a second PPP connection request from the user;
• negotiating LCP options between the user and a second network;
• establishing a secondary PPP session between the gateway and a second network;
• receiving a second real network address for the user, said second real network address assigned by said second network;
• receiving a packet sent by the user;
• examining said packet to determine if its destination is said first network or said second network;
• forwarding said packet to the first network if said packet indicates that its destination is said first network;
• performing network address translation on said packet if said packet indicates that its destination is said second network;
• and
• forwarding said translated packet to said second network if said packet indicates that its destination is said second network.

A network gateway for use in a system having a user with a PPP connection to the gateway, including:

• a network session initiator adapted to establish a primary PPP session between the user and a first network;
• a network address receiver adapted to receive a first real network address for the user, said first real network address assigned by said first network;
• said network session initiator further adapted to establish a secondary network session between the gateway and a second network;
• and
• said network address receiver further adapted to receive a second real network address for the user, said second real network address assigned by said second network.

A network gateway for use in a system having a user with a PPP connection to the gateway, including:

• a request receiver adapted to receive a first PPP connection request from the user;
• an LCP negotiator adapted to negotiate LCP options between the user and a first network;
• a network session initiator adapted to establish a primary PPP session between the user and a first network;
• a network address receiver adapted to receive a first real network address for the user, said first real network address assigned by said first network;
• said request receiver further adapted to receive a second PPP connection request from the user;
• said LCP negotiator further adapted to negotiate LCP options between the user and a second network;
• said network session initiator further adapted to establish a secondary PPP session between the user and a second network;
• and
• said network address receiver further adapted to receive a second real network address for the user, said second real network address assigned by said second network.

A network gateway including:

• a packet receiver adapted to receive a packet sent from a user;
• a packet examiner adapted to examine said packet to determine if its destination is a first network or a second network;
• a packet forwarder adapted to forward said packet to the first network if said packet indicates that its destination is said first network;
• a network address translator adapted to perform network address translation on said packet if said packet indicates that its destination is said second network;
• and
• said packet forwarder further adapted to forward said translated packet to said second network if said packet indicates that its destination is said second network.

A network gateway for use in a system having a user with a PPP connection to the gateway, including:

• a network session initiator adapted to establish a primary PPP session between the user and a first network;
• a network address receiver adapted to receive a first real network address for the user, said first real network address assigned by said first network;
• said network session initiator further establish a secondary network session between the user and a second network;
• said network address receiver further receive a second real network address for the user, said second real network address assigned by said second network;
• a packet receiver adapted to receive a packet sent by the user;
• a packet examiner adapted to examine said packet to determine if its destination is said first network or said second network;
• a packet forwarder adapted to forward said packet to the first network if said packet indicates that its destination is said first network;
• a network address translator adapted to perform network address translation on said packet if said packet indicates that its destination is said second network;
• and
• said packet forwarder further adapted to forward said translated packet to said second network if said packet indicates that its destination is said second network.

A network gateway for use in a system having a user with a PPP connection to the gateway, including:

• a request receiver adapted to receive a first PPP connection request from the user;
• an LCP negotiator adapted to negotiate LCP options between the user and a first network;
• a PPP session initiator adapted to establishe a primary PPP session between a user and a first network;
• a network address receiver adapted to receive a first real network address for the user, said first real network address assigned by said first network;
• said request receiver further adapted to receive a second PPP connection request from the user;
• said LCP negotiator further adapted to negotiate LCP options between the user and a second network;
• said PPP session initiator further adapted to establish a secondary PPP session between the user and a second network;
• said network address receiver further adapted to receive a second real network address for the user, said second real network address assigned by said second network;
• a packet receiver adapted to receive a packet sent by the user;
• a packet examiner adapted to examine said packet to determine if its destination is said first network or said second network;
• a packet forwarder adapted to forward said packet to the first network if said packet indicates that its destination is said first network;
• a network address translator adapted to perform network address translation on said packet if said packet indicates that its destination is said second network;
• and
• said packet forwarder further adapted to forward said translated packet to the second network if said packet indicates that its destination is said second network.

A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for establishing multiple network connections for a user having a PPP connection to a gateway, said method steps including the steps of:

• establishing a primary PPP session between the user and a first network;
• receiving a first real network address for said user, said first real network address assigned by said first network;
• establishing a secondary network session between the gateway and a second network;
• and
• receiving a second real network address for the user, said second real network address assigned by said second network.

A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for establishing multiple network connections for a user having a PPP connection to a gateway, said method steps including the steps of:

• receiving a first PPP connection request from the user;
• negotiating LCP options between the user and a first network;
• establishing a primary PPP session between the user and a first network;
• receiving a first real network address for the user, said first real network address assigned by said first network;
• receiving a second PPP connection request from the user;
• negotiating LCP options between the user and a second network;
• establishing a secondary PPP session between the gateway and a second network;
• and
• receiving a second real network address for the user, said second real network address assigned by said second network.

A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for communications routing in a system in which a user is connected to a first network and a second network, the method including the steps of:

• receiving a packet sent from the user;
• examining said packet to determine if its destination is the first network or the second network;
• forwarding said packet to the first network if said packet indicates that its destination is the first network;
• performing network address translation on said packet if said packet indicates that its destination is the second network;
• and
• forwarding said translated packet to the second network if said packet indicates that its destination is the second network.

A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for network communications in a system having a user with a PPP connection to a gateway, the method including the steps of:

• establishing a primary PPP session between the user and a first network;
• receiving a first real network address for the user, said first real network address assigned by said first network;
• establishing a secondary network session between the gateway and a second network;
• receiving a second real network address for the user, said second real network address assigned by said second network;
• receiving a packet sent by the user;
• examining said packet to determine if its destination is said first network or said second network;
• forwarding said packet to the first network if said packet indicates that its destination is said first network;
• performing network address translation on said packet if said packet indicates that its destination is said second network;
• and
• forwarding said translated packet to said second network if said packet indicates that its destination is said second network.

A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for network communications in a system having a user with a PPP connection to a gateway, the method including the steps of:

• receiving a first PPP connection request from the user;
• negotiating LCP options between the user and a first network;
• establishing a primary PPP session between the user and a first network;
• receiving a first real network address for the user, said first real network address assigned by said first network;
• receiving a second PPP connection request from the user;
• negotiating LCP options between the user and a second network;
• establishing a secondary PPP session between the gateway and a second network;
• receiving a second real network address for the user, said second real network address assigned by said second network;
• receiving a packet sent by the user;
• examining said packet to determine if its destination is said first network or said second network;
• forwarding said packet to the first network if said packet indicates that its destination is said first network;
• performing network address translation on said packet if said packet indicates that its destination is said second network;
• and
• forwarding said translated packet to said second network if said packet indicates that its destination is said second network.

A network gateway for network communications in a system having a user with a PPP connection to the gateway, including:

• means for establishing a primary PPP session between the user and a first network;
• means for receiving a first real network address for the user, said first real network address assigned by said first network;
• means for establishing a secondary network session between the gateway and a second network;
• means for receiving a second real network address for the user, said second real network address assigned by said second network;
• means for receiving a packet sent by the user;
• means for examining said packet to determine if its destination is said first network or said second network;
• means for forwarding said packet to the first network if said packet indicates that its destination is said first network;
• means for performing network address translation on said packet if said packet indicates that its destination is said second network;
• and
• means for forwarding said translated packet to said second network if said packet indicates that its destination is said second network.