System and method for configuring a customer premises equipment in a service provider network

A configured customer device operating as a customer premises equipment, comprising:

• a wide area network port;
• a local area network port, said local area network ports being coupled to a second customer device that receives a network service through said wide area network port;
• and
• an authentication module that authenticates the configured customer device as a valid network device, wherein said authentication enables said second customer device to receive said network service based on said authentication of the configured customer device.

A customer premises equipment method, comprising:

• registering a customer device with a service provider for a customer premises equipment (CPE) function, said registered customer device being capable of delivering a non-CPE function without registration;
• sending authentication information from said registered customer device to a network device via a wide area network port of said registered customer device;
• receiving network traffic on said wide area network port after authentication of said registered customer device;
• routing network service information contained in said network traffic to a second customer device through a local area network port of said registered customer device, wherein receipt of said network service information by said second customer device is based on said authentication.