Wireless ad hoc networking for set top boxes

A node in a wireless network comprising:

• a radio for operating within the wireless network;
• a backhaul access point connected to the radio;
• a processor programmed to:
• observe one or more neighbor nodes in the wireless network;
• identify a set top box attached to one of the one or more neighbor nodes;
• receive backchannel data from the set top box, the backchannel data including an Internet destination address;
• and forward the backchannel data to an internetwork for routing to the Internet destination address.

A computer program product embodied in a computer readable medium that, when executed, operates a backhaul access point by performing the steps of:

• observing one or more neighbor nodes in a wireless ad hoc network;
• identifying a set top box attached to one of the one or more neighbor nodes;
• receiving backchannel data from the set top box, the backchannel data including an Internet destination address;
• and
• forwarding the backchannel data to an internetwork for routing to the Internet destination address.

A device comprising:

• a satellite receiver configured to receive a unidirectional broadcast satellite signal from a satellite antenna and to decode at least one channel of video broadcast content from the unidirectional broadcast satellite signal based upon an authorization obtained over an Internet backchannel;
• a wireless radio;
• and
• signal processing circuitry configured to operate the wireless radio to:
• discover an ad hoc network;
• join the ad hoc network as a node;
• and
• provide the Internet backchannel through the ad hoc network, whereby the authorization can be obtained.