Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus for providing the owners of domain sites on a computer network or the owners of private remotely accessible intra networks the capability to force authorized users to disconnect from any open connections to other public or private domains or networks before a connection with the owners domain or network can be established. This forced sequential access of a specified domain or network is accomplished by inserting a sequential-only attribute into the service profile for a specified user. Upon the user initiating a log-on sequence through an access point, the user's service profile is pulled from a memory bank and an assessment is made as to whether or not the sequential-only attribute exists for the desired specified domain or network to be accessed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing single-step logon access for a subscriber to a differentiated computer network having more than one separate access area. In a method for single-step logon a network gateway interface grants a subscriber access to both one or more public network domains, such as the Internet, and one or more private domains, such as community of interest domains or intra-network domains, without requiring the subscriber to launch a separate logon application. Once the subscriber has completed a single step logon to the network interface, the service provider is able to provide the subscriber with simultaneous secure channel access to both public areas and secured private areas.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus for providing the owners of domain sites on a computer network or the owners of private remotely accessible intra networks the capability to force authorized users to disconnect from any open connections to other public or private domains or networks before a connection with the owners domain or network can be established. This forced sequential access of a specified domain or network is accomplished by inserting a sequential-only attribute into the service profile for a specified user. Upon the user initiating a log-on sequence through an access point, the user's service profile is pulled from a memory bank and an assessment is made as to whether or not the sequential-only attribute exists for the desired specified domain or network to be accessed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing computer network access points the capability for multiple-level accounting. A gateway device located at the access point is capable of generating Internet protocol accounting start and stop requests based on various events that need to be accounted for when a user accesses a network. These events include the user account logon, the service establishments and the Point to Point protocol (PPP) connections between the gateway device and public and private domains within the network. The counter is capable of tracking the duration of sessions and connections and the byte-count associated with the specified session or connection. The gateway device communicates with an accounting server which stores the accounting requests and matches start requests with subsequent stop requests.