Methods and apparatus for supporting network access using cable and radio communications links

Abstract

Both wireless communication and communications via a cable modem are supported between a network node and a customer premises. Alternative communications links provide redundancy and the possibility to take advantage of the different types of links capacity to provide a level of service that would not be possible using a single communications link to a customer premises. In various embodiments a network node, such as a cable network node hubsite, has an optical connection to the Internet or another communications network and provides network access to one or a plurality of customer premises. The network node includes a wireless access point, e.g., pole mounted base station, as well as one or more cable modem interfaces to thereby allow for both wireless and cable modem based communications. This allows for packets of different applications to traverse different links and/or to switch between links in the event of maintenance or reliability issues.