Systems and methods for facilitating a peer to peer route via a gateway

In a gateway, a method for establishing a peer to peer communication session between a first computing device on a first network and a second computing device on a second network, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) establishing a first tunneling session with the first computing device on a first network;
• (b) establishing a second tunneling session with the second computing device on the second network;
• (c) receiving a request by the first computing device to initiate a communication session with the second computing device;
• (d) providing to the first computing device a first network address for contacting the second computing device, the first network address comprising a network address of the second computing device on a private network associated with the second tunneling session;
• (e) receiving a request by the first computing device to initiate a connection with the second computing device using the first network address;
• (f) intercepting the request to initiate the connection, determining, based on the network address of the second computing device on the private network, that communication quality is to be improved with a direct connection between the first and second computing devices bypassing the gateway, and providing the first computing device a second network address for the second computing device in response to the determination, the second network address comprising a public network address associated with the second computing device;
• and
• (g) communicating to the second computing device a request to allow the connection from the first computing device to the second computing device using the second network address.

A system for establishing a peer to peer communication session between a first computing device on a first network and a second computing device on a second network via a third computing device, the system comprising:

• a first computing device on the first network;
• a second computing device on the second network;
• a third computing device configured to establish a first tunneling session with the first computing device and a second tunneling session with the second computing device;
• a server computing device accessible via the third computing device;
• wherein:
• the server computing device is configured to communicate via the third computing device to the first computing device a first network address comprising a network address of the second computing device on a private network associated with the second tunneling session;
• the first computing device is configured to communicate via the third computing device a first request to initiate a connection with the second computing device using the first network address;
• the third computing device is configured to intercept the first request, determine, based on the network address of the second computing device on the private network, that communication quality is to be improved with a direct connection between the first and second computing devices bypassing the third computing device, and provide the first computing device a second network address for the second computing device in response to the determination, the second network address comprising a public network address associated with the second computing device;
• and the third computing device is configured to communicate a second request to the second computing device to allow the direct connection from the first computing device using the second network address.

A system for establishing a peer to peer communication session between a first computing device on a first network and a second computing device on a second network, the system comprising:

• a gateway computing device configured for establishing a first tunneling session with the first computing device on a first network, and for establishing a second tunneling session with the second computing device on the second network, and configured for receiving a request by the first computing device to initiate a communication session with the second computing device;
• and
• a server computing device configured for providing to the first computing device a first network address for contacting the second computing device, the first network address comprising a network address of the second computing device on a private network associated with the second tunneling session;
• wherein the gateway computing device is configured for receiving a request by the first computing device to initiate a connection with the second computing device using the first network address, intercepting the request to initiate the connection, determining, based on the network address of the second computing device on the private network, that communication quality is to be improved with a direct connection between the first and second computing devices bypassing the gateway computing device, providing the first computing device a second network address for the second computing device in response to the determination, the second network address comprising a public network address associated with the second computing device, and communicating to the second computing device a request to allow the direct connection from the first computing device to the second computing device using the second network address.