Abstract: A method of configuring a router to provide DHCP IP address services to a number of network clients sending messages to the router to request IP addresses, the network clients connecting to a network via the router which is under the control of a control system, the method includes obtaining configuration instructions for the router by sending messages from the router to the control system to request configurations for DHCP services, sending configuration instructions from the control system to the router, and configuring the router in accordance with the configuration instructions.

Abstract: A local system including at least two VLANs may be connected to a local layer 2 switch to a wider network by providing a connection between the local switch and a router port and a single logical layer 3 interface may be assigned to the VLANs. A VLAN tag may be assigned to each connected VLAN. Outgoing data including the user's address, the intended recipient of the data and the VLAN tag assigned to the VLAN may be communicated to the router. The address of the user and the VLAN tag may be copied to a forwarding table, and the outgoing data may be forwarded to the wider network for delivery to the intended recipient. Incoming date intended for delivery to the user may be received at the assigned layer 3 interface and forwarded to the local switch for delivery to the user.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a system adapting broadband access equipment to query customer premises switches of a medium access control address located on its physical interface to the customer premises equipment. All customer premises switches are receiving a first request, hereby conducting a lookup in their medium access control address table for the medium access control address. When finding a matching table entry, the customer premises switch housing the medium access control address (MAC) in its table replies with a port name of the specific downlink port, thus identifying the port location of the accessing customer premises equipment and automatically providing a CPE with the correct service depending on which port the CPE is connected to. The customer premises switch is periodically scanning the medium access control address table, continuously transmitting table entries to broadband access equipment.