System and method for transparent virtual routing

A method for generating an IP-based routing table for use by a transparent routing device disposed within an access network configured in accordance with one or more lower-layer protocols, wherein the transparent routing device comprises a plurality of subscriber-side ports and a network-side port, and is configured to route both upstream and downstream network traffic, and wherein the IP-based routing table is associated with a transparent virtual routing group of the transparent routing device, said method comprising:

• receiving a message through a network-side interface that is defined by said transparent routing device and associated with the network-side port, the message comprising an IP packet received from an IP-based network and destined for a subscriber host within said access network;
• identifying a destination IP address of said IP packet;
• and
• if no association exists within the IP-based routing table between the destination IP address and a virtual subscriber-side interface defined by said transparent routing device:
• generating a request for identifying the subscriber host having the destination IP address;
• transmitting the request to a plurality of hosts via a plurality of virtual subscriber-side interfaces of said transparent routing device;
• receiving a reply, via one of the plurality of virtual subscriber-side interfaces, from the subscriber host having the destination IP address;
• and
• creating an association within the IP-based routing table between the destination IP address and the one of the plurality of virtual subscriber-side interfaces.