Abstract: An intermediate unicast network is provided for use in a multicast data network where the multicast network is a local server and a plurality of network hosts, which may be, for example, point-of-sale registers. The intermediate network includes a network device for receiving multicast data from the local server, encapsulating such data in a unicast data transfer frame, and transferring the unicast data to a plurality of dongles, each of which being associated with a corresponding network host. Each dongle is configured to decapsulate the unicast data received from the network appliance and to re-assemble the data into multicast data for transfer to the associated network host.

Abstract: An intermediate unicast network is provided for use in a multicast data network where the multicast network is a local server and a plurality of network hosts, which may be, for example, point-of-sale registers. The intermediate network includes a network device for receiving multicast data from the local server, encapsulating such data in a unicast data transfer frame, and transferring the unicast data to a plurality of dongles, each of which being associated with a corresponding network host. Each dongle is configured to decapsulate the unicast data received from the network appliance and to re-assemble the data into multicast data for transfer to the associated network host.