Addressable outlet, and a network using the same

A wall-mounted device for coupling a data unit in a building to the Internet over a telephone wire pair, the telephone wire pair being connected for carrying a digital data signal in a digital data frequency band that is distinct from, and higher than, an analog telephone frequency band, said device comprising:

• a telephone connector for connecting to the telephone wire pair;
• a telephone line modem for transmitting and receiving digital data over the telephone wire pair;
• a high pass filter coupled between said telephone connector and said telephone line modem for substantially passing only signals in the digital data frequency band;
• a first data port for coupling to a first data unit;
• a first transceiver coupled between said telephone line modem and said first data port for bi-directional packet-based digital data communication with the first data unit;
• a processor coupled to control and monitor said first transceiver and said telephone line modem;
• a first storage member coupled to said processor for storing a first address that uniquely identifies said device in a digital data network;
• and
• a single enclosure housing said telephone connector, said telephone line modem, said high pass filter, said first data port, said first transceiver, said processor and said first storage member,
• wherein said single enclosure is mountable onto a telephone outlet opening.

A system in a building for coupling a data unit to the Internet via a home network and a Wide Area Network (WAN), said system comprising:

• a telephone wire pair that forms a part of the home network and that is at least in part in walls of the building and is accessible at an outlet opening, said telephone wire pair being connected for carrying a digital data signal in a digital data frequency band that is distinct from, and higher than, an analog telephone frequency band;
• a residential gateway housed in a single enclosure and comprising a telephone connector for connecting to said telephone wire pair at a first connection point, and a WAN port couplable to a Wide Area Network (WAN) for connecting to the Internet, said gateway being operative to pass digital data between said WAN and said telephone wire pair;
• a first adapter connected to said telephone wire pair at a second connection point distinct from said first connection point and couplable to a first data unit, said first adapter being operative for passing digital data between said telephone wire pair and the first data unit;
• and
• a single enclosure housing said first adapter, wherein said residential gateway and said first adapter are each addressable in a digital data network.