Abstract: The invention sets forth an approach for aggregating a plurality of NICs in a computing device into a single logical NIC as seen by that computing device's operating system. The combination of the single logical NIC and a network resource manager provides a reliable and persistent interface to the operating system and to the network hardware, thereby improving the reliability and ease-of-configuration of the computing device. The invention also may improve communications security by supporting the 802.1X and the 802.1Q networking standards.

Abstract: Embodiments related to wireless access point repeaters are disclosed.

Abstract: An alternate checksum option for transmitting TCP frame data is used that does not require computing a TCP checksum. Instead, an integrity check value is computed and placed in the ESP authentication portion near the end of the frame. Transmission of a portion of the TCP frame data may begin before all of the TCP frame data is received by a TCP checksum offload device because the integrity check value is inserted at the end of the frame. Furthermore, the integrity check value is computed using a static key or a dynamic key may be computed to cover a greater portion of the frame compared with ESP authentication specified by the IPsec standard.

Abstract: A method for autonomously and dynamically optimizing transmission power of an endpoint in a wireless network includes the step of monitoring a received signal strength, a received signal quality and a transmission error rate of a signal transmitted between an access point in the wireless network and the endpoint at a given transmission power and transmission speed. The method also includes the steps of reducing the transmission power when the received signal strength, the received signal quality and the transmission error rate are at respectively acceptable operating levels and then monitoring the transmission error rate of the signal transmitted at the reduced transmission power level. The method further includes the step of adjusting one of the transmission power or the transmission speed based on whether the transmission error rate of the signal transmitted at the reduced transmission power is still at its respective acceptable operating level.

Abstract: A method for autonomously and dynamically optimizing transmission power of an endpoint in a wireless network includes the step of monitoring the signal quality associated with data transfers between an access point in the wireless network and the endpoint at a first transmission power and a first transmission speed. The method also includes the steps of determining whether the signal quality is acceptable and adjusting one of the first transmission power or the first transmission speed based on whether the signal quality is acceptable.

Abstract: Described are data structures, and methodology for forming same, for network protocol processing. A method for creating data structures for firewalling and network address translating is described. A method for creating data structures for physical layer addressing is described. A method for security protocol support using a data structure is described. A method for creating at least one data structure sized responsive to whether a firewall is activated is described. A data structure for routing packets is described. A method of forming hashing table chains is described. Additionally, method and apparatus for tracking packet states is described. More particularly, Transmission Control Protocol (“TCP”) tracking of states for packets is described. In an embodiment, a division between software states and hardware states is made as a packet is processed by both software and hardware. Additionally, method and apparatus for network protocol processing are described.

Abstract: A method and system for efficiently servicing a peripheral component event. In one embodiment of the present invention, peripheral component events are coalesced. The time interval between succeeding peripheral component events is determined. This time interval is then compared to a time threshold. This process continues until the time interval between succeeding peripheral component events meets or exceeds the time threshold. Once the time interval between succeeding peripheral component events meets or exceeds the time threshold, an interrupt is generated. By appropriately selecting a time threshold, idle periods are identified. Thus, the present invention generates interrupts when idle conditions exist, optimizing the generation of interrupts. By optimizing the generation of interrupts, the number of interrupts generated is reduced, minimizing the CPU overhead associated with the servicing of interrupts.

Abstract: A method and system for efficiently servicing a peripheral component event. In one embodiment of the present invention, peripheral component events are coalesced. The time that a peripheral component event has been stored is determined. This time interval is then compared to a storage time threshold. This process continues until the time that a peripheral component event has been stored meets or exceeds the storage time threshold. Once time that a peripheral component event has been stored meets or exceeds the storage time threshold, an interrupt is generated. By appropriately selecting a storage time threshold, the generation of interrupts is optimized. As a result, the present invention optimizes the generation of interrupts, reducing the frequency with which interrupts are generated, and minimizing the CPU overhead associated with the servicing of interrupts.

Abstract: A method and system for efficiently servicing a peripheral component event. In one embodiment of the present invention, peripheral component events are coalesced. A peripheral component such as, for example, a network interface card generates a first interrupt when the number of coalesced peripheral component events meets a quantity threshold. In the present embodiment, a peripheral component driver such as, for example, a network interface card driver then services the first peripheral component event. In one embodiment of the present invention, the peripheral component then services any existing coalesced peripheral component event (or events) that has not yet generated a respective interrupt. The service of peripheral component events is monitored for determining the quantity of peripheral component events not serviced. The number of peripheral component events not serviced is then used to vary the quantity threshold.