Abstract: The present invention is related to a method to control and to change dynamically a MAC address in an aggregation network containing at least a server computer device and a client device, comprising the steps of: Sending from said client device to a server computer device a message (1,11) containing the MAC address of said client computer device, Retrieving said MAC address from said message at said server computer device (2,12), Checking if said MAC address is already in use (by a user) in said network or if said server computer device wants to change all MAC addresses in said network, If so, sending from said server computer device to said client device a message (3,13) containing a new MAC address for said client, Overwriting said MAC address with said new MAC address in said client computer device (4,14).

Abstract: Methods for transmitting information from sources (7) via first network units (1) and networks (8) and second network units (2) to destinations (9) and using service identifiers such as service virtual local area network identifiers for routing the information through the networks (8) get a reduced complexity by making the service identifiers dependent on destination properties such as destination addresses and by making the service identifiers independent from source properties such as source addresses or customer identifiers.

Abstract: A method to grant a supplicant access to a data communication network and related devices is claimed. The supplicant is associated to a Medium Access Control address and is coupled to a port of an authenticator of the data communication network. The method includes: transmitting an authentication request by the authenticator to an authentication server being coupled thereto; making by the authentication server an authentication decision based upon predefined rules and conditions; and transmitting by the authentication server to the authenticator an authentication reply that comprises a result of the authentication decision.

Abstract: A method for control of communications from an edge device of an access network, via the provisioning or the non-provisioning of at least one layer 2 destination address of at least one other edge device of the access network to the edge device by a network management module of the access network. The at least one layer 2 destination address is delivered to the edge device on request of the edge device. In an exemplary embodiment, the edge device checks, upon arrival of a packet including at least one layer 2 destination address, whether the at least one layer 2 destination address is stored within a communications restriction filter of the edge device and generates the request including the at least one layer 2 destination address in case the at least one layer 2 destination address is not stored within the communication restriction filter.