Method and system for improving traffic operation in an internet environment

Abstract

A method and system for improving traffic operation in an internet environment by speeding up data packet transfers between a source host attached to a first Local Area Network (LAN), and a target host attached to a second (different) LAN, both LANs being interconnected by a router. The invention enables said router self configuring into a bridge over the path between said source and target hosts, selectively and dynamically during traffic operation. To that end, upon first packet being sent, the source host pushes said packet over the first LAN toward the router. When receiving said first packet, the router reads its IP table locating the target host on its LAN, and then runs a conventional ARP over its LAN to get the address of the target sending back its MAC address. The router stores the MAC address of the target host into an ARP table and sets an entry into a so-called transparent bridging table accordingly. The router reconfigures itself into Proxy-ARP to simulate it is the target host, and sends the first packet over the second toward the target host. The router applies then a conventional ICMP over the first LAN to get all hosts (including the source host) located on the first LAN updating their IP routing table to simulate the target host as being attached to the first LAN. Before sending next packet, the source host runs an ARP protocol over the first LAN. The router answers with MAC address for the target host. The source sends this second packet to IP address for the target host with MAC address for the target host over the first LAN, and the router bridges.