Abstract: Client and server devices identify each other over a LAN or similar network through a series of unicasts. Rather than broadcasting a service announcement or discovery request as a broadcast or multicast, for example, a device instead transmits a series of unicast messages using a finite set of recipient network addresses and port numbers. Responses to the unicast messages can be collected and tracked to thereby allow subsequent communications to occur via unicasts with only the recognized addresses, with a multicast to only the recognized addresses, and/or otherwise as desired. By allowing the clients and servers to communicate with a finite set of unicast messages, a “broadcast” type message can be sent on the network without a need for router configuration. Moreover, unicasts can be sent using different protocols (e.g., TCP) than the subsequent traffic (e.g., UDP), thereby making discovery of compatible devices on the network more reliable.

Abstract: Various arrangements are presented for relaying a secure streaming media communication session. A media relay server system may receive from a streaming media client via the Internet a first request for the secure streaming media communication session. A secure streaming media communication session may be established between a private streaming media server and the media relay server system. The media relay server system may establish a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) communication service between the media relay server system and the private streaming media server via the Internet. The media relay server system may route, via the Internet, encrypted media packets from the private streaming media server to the streaming media client without the encrypted media packets being decrypted by the media relay server system.

Abstract: Various arrangements for performing secure domain name system (DNS) routing are presented. A secure signature may be generated using an internet protocol (IP) address of an authorized device. An encoded character string may be generated that comprises the IP address. The domain name server may receive a request for an IP address mapped to the hostname. The hostname may be validated using the secure signature. The IP address of the authorized device may be decoded from the encoded character string at least partially in response to the hostname being validated by the domain name server. The IP address decoded from the encoded character string may be transmitted at least partially based on the hostname being validated and the request for the IP address.

Abstract: Various systems, device and automated processes allow video streaming hosts or other server devices to publish their internal/local addresses (e.g., addresses used on a subnet or other local area network) to a backend address server operating on a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet. Client devices attempting to subsequently contact server devices operating in the same local network can contact the address to obtain the internal address of the target server, thereby allowing direct LAN connections between clients and servers.