Interface between standard terminal equipment unit and high speed wireless link

A method of assigning Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) sending an address request message to a network remote server over a wireless link using a point to point protocol;
• b) receiving an assignable IP address from the network remote server in response to the address request message over the wireless link;
• c) receiving a request for an IP address from a terminal equipment unit over a wireline broadcast medium;
• and
• d) locally generating a responsive IP address assignment message comprising the assignable IP address for transmission to the terminal equipment unit over the wireline broadcast medium.

A method of assigning Internet Protocol (IP) addresses in a wireless communication system comprising the steps of:

• receiving a request for an IP address from a standard terminal equipment unit over a wireline broadcast medium;
• generating a responsive IP address assignment message at a local server associated with the wireline broadcast medium, the responsive IP address assignment message comprising an assignable IP address;
• receiving an encapsulated IP message over the wireline broadcast medium from the standard terminal equipment unit;
• extracting the encapsulated IP message;
• and
• forwarding a corresponding extracted IP message over a wireless link to a network unit.

A wireless modem comprising:

• means for sending an address request message to a network remote server over a wireless link using a point to point protocol;
• means for receiving, over the wireless link, an assignable Internet Protocol (IP) address from the network remote server in response to the address request message;
• means for receiving a request for an IP address from a terminal equipment unit over a wireline broadcast medium;
• and
• means for generating a responsive IP address for transmission to the terminal equipment unit over the wireline broadcast medium.

Apparatus for assigning Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, the apparatus comprising:

• a. a local server configured to:
• i. send an address request message to a remote network server over a wireless link;
• and
• ii. receive an assignable IP address from the remote network server in response to the address request message;
• and
• b. a processor configured to:
• i. receive a request for an IP address from a terminal equipment unit over a wireline broadcast medium;
• and
• ii. generate a responsive IP address assignment message comprising the assignable IP address for transmission to the terminal equipment unit over the wireline broadcast medium.

A system comprising:

• a network infrastructure configured to assign a plurality of IP addresses;
• a wireless link connection coupled with the network infrastructure;
• a wireline broadcast medium;
• a wireless modem, coupled with the wireless link connection and the wireline broadcast medium;
• and
• a local server, coupled with the wireless modem;
• wherein,
• the wireless modem sends, over the wireless link connection to the network infrastructure, a request for the plurality of IP addresses,
• the network remote server sends, over the wireless link connection to the wireless modem, the plurality of IP addresses;
• the local server stores the plurality of IP addresses.