Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus for facilitating translation of packet addresses (or ports) by one or more translation devices (e.g., NAT devices) using a specialized protocol to handle an address (or port) that is used to form part of a payload. In one implementation, this specialized protocol is referred to as Network Layer Signaling (NLS). As a packet traverses along a path containing one or more translation devices, each translation device is configured to translate an address (or port) of such packet's IP header if the packet is traversing between different domains (e.g., traversing between a private and public domain or between two different private domains). One or more of these translation devices may also be configured to implement the specialized protocol which includes translation device traversal mechanisms for detecting whether the traversal path contains a translation device that fails to implement such specialized protocol.

Abstract: Communicating packets along a control channel and a media channel includes receiving at a network address translator a first message having a first internal address from a first communication device. The first internal address is translated to a first external control address operable to route a control packet along a control channel. A second message having a first embedded media address is received from the first communication device. The first embedded media address is translated to a first external media address operable to route a media packet along a media channel.