Extending a local area network

A local area network system comprising:

• a remote residential gateway in wired communication with a remote service provider;
• and
• multiple set top boxes in wired communication with the residential gateway, each set top box comprising:
• an application-specific integrated circuit comprising and integrating thereon:
• a network extender having a wired connection to a remote residential gateway of a local area network;
• and
• a media player in communication with the network extender and having a computing processor executing instructions to format a signal received from the network extender for use by a media device;
• and
• at least one wireless transceiver in communication with the network extender, the at least one wireless transceiver configured as a WiFi access point having the same at least one service set identifier as the residential gateway, extending the local area network, the residential gateway passing the at least one service set identifier to each set top box;
• wherein each set top box is configured as an access point for the local area network of the residential gateway.

A local area network system comprising:

• a remote residential gateway in wired communication with a remote service provider;
• and
• multiple set top boxes in wired communication with the residential gateway, each set top box comprising:
• an application-specific integrated circuit comprising and integrating thereon:
• a network extender having a wired connection to a remote residential gateway of a local area network;
• a media player in communication with the network extender and having a computing processor executing instructions to format a signal received from the network extender for use by a media device;
• and
• at least one wireless transceiver in communication with the network extender, the at least one wireless transceiver configured as a WiFi access point having the same at least one service set identifier as the residential gateway, extending the local area network, the residential gateway passing the at least one service set identifier to each set top box;
• wherein each set top box is configured as an access point for the local area network of the residential gateway.

A method of extending a local area network, the method comprising:

• placing multiple set top boxes about a residence;
• and
• establishing a wired connection between each set top box and a residential gateway of the local area network;
• wherein each set top box comprises:
• an application-specific integrated circuit comprising and integrating thereon:
• a network extender having a wired connection to the residential gateway;
• and
• a media player in communication with the network extender and having a computing processor executing instructions to format a signal received from the network extender for use by a media device;
• and
• at least one wireless transceiver in communication with the network extender, the at least one wireless transceiver configured as a WiFi access point having the same at least one service set identifier as the residential gateway, extending the local area network, the residential gateway passing the at least one service set identifier to each set top box;
• wherein each set top box receives data packets from the residential gateway through the corresponding wired connections and is an access point for the local area network.