Open network connections

A traffic access provider comprising:

• traffic reception circuitry to receive network traffic from a network resident over a local area network (LAN), the network traffic comprising a network resident identifier;
• filter determination logic to determine whether the managed network traffic satisfies a specified network traffic filter, wherein the specified network traffic filter is included in a request communicated by the network resident;
• traffic modification logic to modify the network traffic to produce modified network traffic if the network traffic satisfies the specified network traffic filter;
• and
• traffic sending logic to send the modified network traffic to the network resident over the LAN on the established connection if the network traffic satisfies the specified network traffic filter.

A method for controlling local area networking (LAN) traffic comprising:

• receiving network traffic over the LAN, the network traffic comprising an identifier of a network resident;
• determining whether the network traffic satisfies a specified network traffic filter, wherein the specified network filter is included in a received request;
• modifying the network traffic to produce modified network traffic if the network traffic satisfies the specified network traffic filter;
• and
• sending the modified network traffic to the network resident over the LAN on any connection established with the network resident if the network traffic satisfies the specified network traffic filter.

A method for use with a local area network (LAN) comprising:

• sending a managed network connection request over the LAN to a traffic access provider, wherein the traffic access provider is to establish a managed network connection in response to receipt of the managed network connection request;
• receiving an unmanaged network traffic from an end node, wherein the end node includes an end node identifier;
• modifying the unmanaged network traffic to produce managed network traffic including the end node identifier;
• and
• transmitting the managed network traffic over the managed network connection with the traffic access provider.

A network coordinator comprising:

• registration request logic to send a request over a local area network (LAN) to register the network coordinator as a network resident with a traffic access provider;
• managed connection request logic to send a managed network connection request over the LAN, the request including a specification of a network traffic filter;
• network access logic to determine whether an end node is authorized to access the LAN;
• and
• receive traffic forwarding logic to forward the network traffic to the end node if the end node was determined to be authorized to access the LAN.

A system for monitoring network traffic in a Local Area Network (LAN), the system comprising:

• a first traffic access provider;
• a network resident comprising:
• network monitoring logic;
• first managed connection requesting logic to send a first request over the LAN for a first counter-only managed network connection, the first request including a first specification of a first network traffic filter;
• wherein the first traffic access provider comprises:
• first connection establishment logic to establish the first counter-only managed network connection between the network monitoring logic and the first traffic access provider in response to the first request;
• first traffic reception circuitry to receive first network traffic over the LAN;
• first traffic count sending logic to send, to the network monitoring logic over the first counter-only managed network connection, a first indication of a first amount of the first network traffic that satisfies the first specified network traffic filter.

A system for balancing network traffic load in a Local Area Network (LAN), the system comprising:

• a first network resident;
• a second network resident;
• a traffic access provider;
• a network coordinator;
• first connection establishment logic to establish a first managed network connection between the first network resident and the traffic access provider, wherein the first managed network connection is associated with a first network traffic filter;
• second connection establishment logic to establish a second managed network connection between the second network resident and the traffic access provider, wherein the second managed network connection is associated with a second network traffic filter;
• third connection establishment logic to establish a first counter-only managed network connection between the network coordinator and the traffic access provider, wherein the first counter-only connection is associated with the first network traffic filter;
• fourth connection establishment logic to establish a second counter-only managed network connection between the network coordinator and the traffic access provider, wherein the second counter-only connection is associated with the second network traffic filter;
• wherein the first traffic access provider comprises:
• traffic reception circuitry to receive network traffic over the LAN;
• first filter logic to determine whether the network traffic satisfies the first network traffic filter and, if the network traffic satisfies the first network traffic filter, to:
• increase a first counter associated with the first network traffic filter;
• send an indication of the first counter to the network coordinator over the first counter-only connection;
• and
• send the network traffic to the first network resident over the first managed network connection;
• and
• second filter logic to determine whether the network traffic satisfies the second network traffic filter and, if the network traffic satisfies the second network traffic filter, to:
• increase a second counter associated with the second network traffic filter;
• send an indication of the first counter to the network coordinator over the first counter-only connection;
• and
• send the network traffic to the second network resident over the second managed network connection.