Selectively applying network address port translation to data traffic through a gateway in a communications network

A system of selectively applying Network Address Port Translation (NAPT) to data traffic in a communications network, comprising:

• a primary gateway comprising at least a first wide area network (WAN) port and a second WAN port, the primary gateway being operative to:
• receive data traffic from a client device;
• analyze the received data traffic to determine a network path;
• determine whether to apply the NAPT to the received data traffic based on whether the network path terminates at a first service provider network;
• determine whether to bridge the received data traffic to a secondary gateway based on whether the network path terminates at a second service provider network, wherein bridging comprises sending the data traffic to the second WAN port, the second WAN port configured not to support the NAPT;
• apply the NAPT upon determining that the network path for the received data traffic terminates at the first service provider network, wherein applying the NAPT comprises sending the data traffic to the first WAN port, the first WAN configured to support NAPT;
• and
• the secondary gateway comprising a third WAN port, the secondary gateway being in communication with the primary gateway and operative to:
• receive the data traffic from the primary gateway upon a determination, by the primary gateway, that the network path for the received data traffic terminates at the second service provider network;
• and
• apply the NAPT to the received data traffic from the primary gateway.

A method of selectively applying Network Address Port Translation (NAPT) to data traffic in a communications network, comprising:

• receiving the data traffic at a local area network (LAN) port in a primary gateway, the data traffic being received from a client device in communication with the primary gateway;
• analyzing the received data traffic to determine a network path, wherein determining the network path comprises analyzing for a network configuration established at the client device for routing the data traffic to at least one of a first network service provider and a second network service provider, the first network service provider providing a managed data service and the second network service provider providing an unmanaged data service;
• determining whether to apply the NAPT to the received data traffic at the primary gateway based on whether the network path terminates at the first service provider network;
• determining, at the primary gateway, whether to bridge the received data traffic to a secondary gateway based on whether the network path terminates at the second service provider network;
• applying the NAPT at the primary gateway upon determining that the network path for the received data traffic terminates at the first service provider network, wherein applying the NAPT comprises sending the data traffic to a first wide area network (WAN) port of the primary gateway, wherein the first WAN port is configured to support the NAPT;
• and
• bridging the data traffic to a secondary gateway upon determining that the network path for the received data traffic terminates at the second service provider network, wherein bridging comprises sending the data traffic to a second WAN port of the primary gateway, wherein the second WAN port is configured not to support the NAPT.