Hosting a cable modem in a computer using a virtual bridge

In a computer system that is configured to host a cable modem for receiving data packets over a cable network and to connect with customer premises equipment through a system network, a method for forwarding data packets received over the cable network to one of a cable modem protocol stack that enables communication to and from the cable modem, a computer system protocol stack that enables communication to and from the operating system of the computer system, and the customer premises equipment based upon network addresses assigned to the received data packets, the method comprising the acts of:

• receiving, at the cable modem hosted by the computer system, a data packet having a network address corresponding to one of the cable modem, the computer system and customer premises equipment configured to connect with the computer system;
• forwarding the data packet from the cable modem to a cable modem driver;
• and
• based upon the network address of the data packet, forwarding the data packet from the cable modem driver to one of a cable modem protocol stack and a bridging component that is included in the computer system, such that the data packet is forwarded to the cable modem protocol stack only when the network address corresponds to the cable modem and such that the data packet is forwarded to the bridging component only when the network address does not correspond to the cable modem;
• wherein the bridging component, upon a receipt of the data packet from the cable modem driver, is configured to forward the data packet the computer system protocol stack when the network address corresponds to the computer system and to forward the data packet to the customer premises equipment when the network address corresponds to the customer premises equipment.

A computer program product for use in a computer system that is configured to host a cable modem for receiving data packets over a cable network and to connect with customer premises equipment through a system network, the computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions for implementing a method for forwarding data packets received over the cable network to one of a cable modem protocol stack that enables communication to and from the cable modem a computer system protocol stack that enables communication to and from the operating system of the computer system, and the customer premises equipment based upon network addresses assigned to the received data packets, the method comprising the acts of:

• receiving, at the cable modem hosted by the computer system, a data packet having a network address corresponding to one of the cable modem the computer system and customer premises equipment configured to connect with the computer system;
• forwarding the data packet from the cable modem to a cable modem driver;
• and
• based upon the network address of the data packet, forwarding the data packet from the cable modem driver to one of a cable modem protocol stack and a bridging component that is included in the computer system, such that the data packet is forwarded to the cable modem protocol stack only when the network address corresponds to the cable modem and such that the data racket is forwarded to the bridging component only when the network address does not correspond to the cable modem,
• wherein the bridging component, upon a receipt of the data packet from the cable modem driver, is configured to forward the data packet to the computer system protocol stack when the network address corresponds to the computer system and to forward the data packet to the customer premises equipment when the network address corresponds to the customer premises equipment.