Abstract: A system and method for providing managed point-to-point services are disclosed. In one embodiment of a system incorporating teachings of the present disclosure, a services management center may be capable of receiving a request for connection to a video content source. A requesting user may be part of one managed network and the content source may be part of another network. The content source may be able output an information stream. In operation, the center may determine an address for the video content source and initiate the formation of at least a portion of a point-to-point communication link between the requesting user and the video content source. In some embodiments, the center may be able to track a metric associated with communication of the information stream and may generate a billing record at least partially based upon the metric.

Abstract: An enhanced data communication node is disclosed. The data communication node can be coupled to a local area network and a wide area network for transferring data traffic between the two networks according to a first protocol, for example, a frame relay protocol. The data communication node includes a network reporting element capable of monitoring management information of an intermediate network coupled into a data communication path to the wide area network. The management information includes service level information of the intermediate network and equipment fault information of a bridging device coupled to the data communication node and the intermediate network. The bridging device encapsulates data according to a second protocol, for example, a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) protocol. The encapsulating is transparent to the transfer of data between the local area network and the wide area network by the data communication node.

Abstract: An enhanced network management system is disclosed. The network management system is configured to receive management information via multiple virtual connections from multiple data communication nodes. The management information includes service level information for a transparent connection, for example, a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) connection carrying encapsulated frame relay packets between two networks, for example a wide area network and a local area network. The transparent connection is intermediate to the wide area network and the local area network. The management information further includes equipment failure information of customer equipment, for example, a bridging node used to encapsulate the frame relay packets. Thus, using the collected management information, a network outage caused by customer equipment failure can be differentiated from a service provider service level event.

Abstract: A method and system for use in identifying customer premises equipment (CPE) in a distributed network are presented. The method utilizes a unique identifier provided by a CPE device to an access concentrator during the discovery stage of PPPoE communications in a distributed network. The access concentrator receives the unique identifier and stores the identifier in a database for use in identifying and managing CPE devices attached to a service provider's network. A system for identifying a communications device includes an access server and a database server. The access server is configured to receive an active discovery packet from a communications device. The active discovery packet has a tag comprising a device identifier field. The device identifier field is embedded in the tag by a module in the communications device, e.g., CPE device.

Abstract: A method and system for use in identifying customer premises equipment (CPE) in a distributed network are presented. The method utilizes a unique identifier provided by a CPE device to a host server during the discovery stage of PPPoE communications in a distributed network. The server receives the unique identifier and stores the identifier for use in identifying and managing CPE devices attached to a service provider's network. The host server is configured to receive an active discovery packet from a communications device. The active discovery packet has a tag comprising a device identifier field. The device identifier includes chipset and firmware information regarding remote DSL CPE.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting an idle or inactive data port connection on a personal computer (PC) and blocking external access, e.g., Wide Area Network (WAN) access to an end-user PC is presented. The system provides for added security for unattended PCs having broadband connections. The idle time period for detection/blocking logic initiation of a blocking signal to disable communications, e.g., Ethernet port access to the PC, may be for a fixed time period or may be determined by a user of the end-user PC.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for utilizing a telephone docking apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a wireless wide area network telephone, e.g., PCS telephone, and a wireless local area telephone interface. In addition, the disclosed PCS telephone docking apparatus includes battery chargers, a speakerphone, a visual display, a USB interface, and a media reader/writer interface. To receive or make a PCS telephone call from the cordless telephone, a user places their PCS telephone in the PCS telephone docking apparatus, and uses the wireless local area telephone to receive or make calls. Text messages and images may also be transferred to/from the PCS telephone and external devices when using the PCS telephone docking apparatus.

Abstract: An access provider technician can inquire, from a remote location, a status of an upper-layer communication indicator. For example, a technician, after receiving a trouble call from an end-user, can ask the end-user the visual status of the upper-layer communication indicator. Next, the technician can enter the status into data storage, for example, an electronic job ticket. A first set of actions is performed if the status indicates valid communication. A second set of actions is performed if the status indicates invalid communication. The upper-layer communication indicator indicates a high layer communication status, for example, layer 3 of the OSI model, such as a Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet (PPPoE) authentication status.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a communication node coupled to a first data network and a second data network is disclosed. The first data network is a wide area data network. The communication node includes a first data interface to the first data network, a second data interface to the second data network, a data processor responsive to the first data interface and to the second data interface, and an encryption module coupled to the data processor. The first data interface is a telephony type interface and the second data interface is a packet data interface. The data processor receives input traffic data carried over the first data interface and generates management performance data based on measurements with respect to the input traffic data. The encryption module receives the management performance data to produce encrypted management performance data to be communicated to the second data network via the second data interface.

Abstract: Transmitting network metrics data from disparate client platforms to a service provider for the calculation of performance measurements so that the level of service may be verified. The metrics data is received by the service provider in formats associated with the subscriber's platform. When the metrics data is received by the service provider, it is converted into a host format so that it may be presented to the network subscribers.

Abstract: A system for user authentication includes a computing device, a customer premise equipment, and an authentication device. The authentication device is remotely located from the computing device and includes one or more processing resources. Embedded within the processing resource is Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet (“PPPoE”). The authentication device is operable to utilize the PPPoE to authenticate one or more users of the computing device and the customer premise equipment. The authentication device further includes a housing to enclose the processing resource, one or more Ethernet input/output ports in order to communicate with the computing device and the customer premise equipment, and an indicator to indicate to the user an operating status for the authentication device. Once the authentication device authenticates the user, the authentication device becomes transparent to the computing device with no routing or bridging functionality.

Abstract: An outage reporting method and system are disclosed for a telecommunications system. The outage reporting system includes a processor to record a data element value. The data element value indicates a type of outage that occurred in the telecommunications system, such as an administrative or network outage. The data element value can be sent to a network management system for use by the telecommunications provider, for example, to determine whether or not the telecommunications user should receive a refund.

Abstract: A method and system for implementing a virtual private network utilizes a single public IP address and avoids the use of a firewall. The method includes having a router in a private network perform one-to-one mapping of a public IP address to a private IP address such that a firewall, and the additional public IP address typically used to access the firewall, are not used. The system comprises a router having instructions for one-to-one mapping of a public IP address to a private IP address and does not include a firewall.