Communication apparatus

A communication apparatus comprising:

• at least one network interface coupled to a plurality of adjacent apparatuses in a core network that couples to a plurality of access networks via a plurality of edge apparatuses, each access network having each of a plurality of address ranges assigned and being coupled to the core network via each edge apparatus, wherein each of the plurality of address ranges includes a network address and a mask length corresponding to each edge apparatus to which an edge address is assigned;
• a memory configured to store a routing table including the plurality of address ranges, each address range corresponding to one of the plurality of adjacent apparatuses in the routing table;
• and
• a processor configured to:
• relay, when receiving an edge address request message designating a destination address, the received edge address request message to one of the plurality of adjacent apparatuses that corresponds to a specified address range in the routing table, the specified address range being one of the plurality of address ranges that includes the designated destination address, wherein
• the plurality of address ranges includes a first address range and a second address range, the second address range being included in the first address range, and
• when the processor detects that the designated destination address is included in a difference between the first address range and the second address range, the processor is configured to relay the received edge address request message with information relating to the second address range.

A communication apparatus comprising:

• a first network interface coupled to a core network that couples to a plurality of access networks via a plurality of edge apparatuses including the communication apparatus, each access network having each of a plurality of address ranges assigned and being coupled to the core network via each edge apparatus, wherein
• each of the plurality of address ranges includes a network address and a mask length corresponding to each edge apparatus to which an edge address is assigned, and
• the communication apparatus has a specified edge address assigned,
• a second network interface coupled to a specified access network of the plurality of access networks, the specified access network having a first address range assigned, the first address range including a specified network address and a specified mask length;
• and
• a processor configured to:
• transmit, when receiving an edge address request message designating a destination address that is included in the first address range, an edge address response message indicating an association of the specified edge address and the first address range in response to the received edge address request message, wherein
• the plurality of address ranges includes a second address range, the second address range included in the first address range, and
• when the processor detects that the edge address request message is received with information relating to the second address range, the processor is configured to transmit the edge address response message that is modified based on the second address range.