Dynamic network configuration of a one-way adapter using a proxy agent that communicates with a resource server through a configured return path adapter

Abstract

A one-way adapter such as a cable modem is initialized to allow a personal computer to receive data from a computer network such as the Internet via a broadcast channel, while transmitting data upstream to the computer network via a telephone line. First, a two-way adapter such as a phone modem is initialized by establishing a telephone link with a terminal server of an Internet Service Provider telephone network. The terminal server obtains an IP address from a phone network address server, and assigns the IP address to the phone modem stack. Next, the cable modem stack sends out a request for session initialization to a cable modem driver. The request is processed by a packet processing relay agent (PPRA), and the IP address of the phone modem is inserted into the packet. The IP packet destination address is set to that of a cable network address server. A cable network address server receives the packet via an upstream telephone line and responds with IP address and configuration information for the relay agent address. The phone modem receives the response and passes it to the cable modem stack via the PPRA. The cable modem is thus initialized with IP address and configuration information and is ready to receive Internet data via a one-way RF channel.