Siemens Aktiengesellschaft

Siemens Enterprise Communications Gmbh & Co. Kg

Unify Gmbh Co. Kg

Norbert Schönfeld

Claus Rist

Michael Willmann

Roland Roth

Werner Lindemann

Frank Wulf

Günter Marx

Thuy-Phuong Le

The invention relates to a method for transparently exchanging data packets with a packet-oriented network, via which a number of network elements and a network node device are connected based on a common access method. The network elements are allocated unique local addresses only within the network. The network node device connects the packet-oriented network to an external device based on a point-to-point protocol and performs an address conversion of the address of a network element, said address being allocated within the packet-oriented network, into an address valid for the external device. A verification of message header entries of the data packets exchanged between the external device and the network element permits the establishment of a temporary transparent connection of the network element to the external device in the event an entry is detected the characterizes an expanded point-to-point protocol, e.g. PPPoE, whereby the address newly allocated by the external device is transmitted to the external device without address conversion.

Method for transparently exchanging data packets

On receiving a message in a communications device, a sender or destination network address is checked to determine whether the network address is intended for address conversion. In cases in which the network address is intended for address conversion, a received virtual destination network address is converted to a communications-device-internal destination network address, or a received communications-device-internal sender network address is converted to a virtual sender network address.

Method of converting a network address

Growing community of inventors

Dortmund, Germany

Norbert Schönfeld