Using proxy devices as dynamic data relays

A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by a computing device cause the computing device to:

• dynamically establish a connection with a local server to join a local area network;
• dynamically identify the computing device as a data relay for the local server;
• transmit data traffic to the local server, the data traffic to be communicated to a destination server across a communication network;
• receive outbound data traffic from the local server on behalf of a plurality of computing devices that are part of the local area network;
• transmit the outbound data traffic to one or more destination servers across the communication network;
• receive inbound data traffic from the one or more destination servers over the communication network on behalf of the plurality of computing devices;
• transmit the inbound data traffic to the local server over the local area network;
• and
• receiving response data traffic from the local server in response to the data traffic transmitted to the local server.

A local area network comprising:

• a local server;
• and
• a plurality of computing devices configured to communicate directly with the local server over a local area network, wherein at least one of the plurality of computing devices is dynamically identified as a data relay;
• wherein the local server is configured to:
• receive, from each of the plurality of computing devices, ail data traffic from to be transmitted across a communication network from the plurality of computing devices, the data traffic to be communicated to one or more destination servers;
• communicate all the received data traffic to the at least one data relay;
• receive response data from the at least one data relay in response to the data traffic transmitted to the destination server;
• and
• communicate the response traffic to a corresponding one or more of the plurality of computing devices;
• and
• wherein the at least one data relay is configured to:
• receive the data traffic from local server;
• communicate the data traffic to the destination server via the communication network, wherein the communication network is a wide area network;
• receive the response data from the destination server via the communication network;
• and
• communicate the response data to the local server.