Multiple network connections from a single PPP link with network address translation

A method for communications routing in a system in which a user is simultaneously connected to a first network and a second network, the method comprising:

• receiving a packet sent from the user;
• examining the packet to determine if its destination is the first network or the second network;
• performing network address translation on the packet generating a translated packet, the performing network address translation comprising applying a network address translation mapping scheme to source network address;
• and
• forwarding the translated packet to the first network or the second network, depending upon the packet's destination.

A method for communications routing in a system in which a user is simultaneously connected to a first network and a second network, the method comprising:

• receiving a packet sent from the user;
• examining the packet to determine if its destination is the first network or the second network;
• performing network address translation on the packet generating a translated packet, the performing network address translation comprising looking up a source network address in a network address translation table;
• and
• forwarding the translated packet to the first network or the second network, depending upon the packet's destination.

A network gateway comprising:

• a packet receiver adapted to receive a packet sent by a user simultaneously connected to a first network and a second network;
• a packet examiner adapted to examine the packet to determine if its destination is the first network or the second network, the packet examiner further comprising:
• a network address extractor adapted to extract a destination network address from the packet;
• a routing table searcher adapted to look up the destination network address in a routing table;
• a network determiner adapted to determine that the destination is the first network or the second network based upon the listing for the destination network address in the routing table;
• and
• the network determiner adapted to further determine that the destination is the first network or the second network based on a default setting if the destination network address is not listed in the routing table;
• a network address translator adapted to perform network address translation on the packet generating a translated packet;
• and
• a packet forwarder adapted to forward the translated packet to the first network or the second network, depending upon the packet's destination.

A network gateway comprising:

• a packet receiver adapted to receive a packet sent by the user simultaneously connected to a first network and a second network;
• a packet examiner adapted to examine the packet to determine if its destination is the first network or the second network;
• a network address translator adapted to perform network address translation on the packet generating a translated packet, the network address translator further adapted to apply a network address translation mapping scheme to a source network address;
• and
• a packet forwarder adapted to forward the translated packet to the first network or the second network, depending upon the packet's destination.

A network gateway comprising:

• a packet receiver adapted to receive a packet sent by a user simultaneously connected to a first network and a second network;
• a packet examiner adapted to examine the packet to determine if its destination is the first network or the second network;
• a network address translator adapted to perform network address translation on the packet generating a translated packet, the network address translator further adapted to look up a source network address in a network address translation table;
• and
• a packet forwarder adapted to forward the translated packet to the first network or the second network, depending upon the packet's destination.

A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for communications routing in a system in which a user is simultaneously connected to a first network and a second network, the method comprising:

• receiving a packet sent from the user;
• examining the packet to determine if its destination is the first network or the second network, the examining further comprising:
• extracting a destination network address from the packet;
• looking up the destination network address in a routing table;
• determining that the destination is the first or second network based upon the listing for the destination network address in the routing table;
• and
• determining that the destination is the first or second network based on a default setting if the destination network address is not listed in the routing table;
• performing network address translation on the packet generating a translated packet;
• and
• forwarding the translated packet to the first network or the second network, depending upon the packet's destination.

A program storage device readably by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for communications routing in a system in which a user is simultaneously connected to a first network and a second network, the method comprising:

• receiving a packet sent from the user;
• examining the packet to determine if its destination is the first network or the second network;
• performing network address translation on the packet generating a translated packet, the performing network address translation comprising applying a network address translation mapping scheme to a source network address;
• and
• forwarding the translated packet to the first network or the second network, depending upon the packet's destination.

A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for communications routing in a system in which a user is simultaneously connected to a first network and a second network, the method comprising:

• receiving a packet sent from the user;
• examining the packet to determine if its destination is the first network or the second network;
• performing network address translation on the packet generating a translated packet, the performing network address translation comprising looking up a source network address in a network address translation table;
• and
• forwarding the translated packet to the first network or the second network, depending upon the packet's destination.

A method for communications routing in a system in which a user is connected to a first network and a second network, the method comprising:

• receiving a packet sent from the first network or the second network, the packet having a destination address matching a virtual network address for the user stored in a network address translation table;
• retrieving a real network address corresponding to the user and to the network from which the packet is received;
• and
• forwarding the packet to the real network address.

A network gateway, comprising:

• a packet receiver adapted to receive a packet sent from a first network or a second network, the packet having a destination address matching a virtual network address for a user stored in a network address translation table;
• a network address translator adapted to retrieve a real network address corresponding to the user and to the network from which the packet is received;
• and
• a packet forwarder adapted to forward the packet to the real network address.

An apparatus for communications routing in a system in which a user is connected to a first network and a second network, the apparatus comprising:

• means for receiving a packet sent from the first network or the second network, the packet having a destination address matching a virtual network address for the user stored in a network address translation table;
• means for retrieving a real network address corresponding to the user and to the network from which the packet is received;
• and
• means for forwarding the packet to the real network address.

A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for communications routing in a system in which a user is connected to a first network and a second network, the method comprising:

• receiving a packet sent from the first network or the second network, the packet having a destination address matching a virtual network address for the user stored in a network address translation table;
• retrieving a real network address corresponding to the user and to the network from which the packet is received;
• and
• forwarding the packet to the real network address.

An apparatus for communications routing in a system in which a user is simultaneously connected to a first network and a second network, the apparatus comprising:

• means for receiving a packet sent from the user;
• means for examining the packet to determine if its destination is the first network or the second network, the means for examining further comprising:
• means for extracting a destination network address from the packet;
• means for looking up the destination network address in a routing table;
• means for determining that the destination is the first or second network based upon the listing for the destination network address in the routing table;
• and
• means for determining that the destination is the first or second network based on a default setting if the destination network address is not listed in the routing table;
• means for performing network address translation on the packet generating a translated packet;
• and
• means for forwarding the translated packet to the first network or the second network, depending upon the packet's destination.

An apparatus for communications routing in a system in which a user is simultaneously connected to a first network and a second network, the apparatus comprising:

• means for receiving a packet sent from the user;
• means for examining the packet to determine if its destination is the first network or the second network;
• means for performing network address translation on the packet generating a translated packet, the means for performing network address translation further comprising means for applying a network address translation mapping scheme to a said source network address;
• and
• means for forwarding the translated packet to the first network or the second network, depending upon the packet's destination.

An apparatus for communications routing in a system in which a user is simultaneously connected to a first network and a second network, the apparatus comprising:

• means for receiving a packet sent from the user;
• means for examining the packet to determine if its destination is the first network or the second network;
• means for performing network address translation on the packet generating a translated packet, the means for performing network address translation further comprising means for looking up a source network address in a network address translation table;
• and
• means for forwarding the translated packet to the first network or the second network, depending upon the packet's destination.