Abstract: Systems and methods according to these exemplary embodiments provide for methods and systems for allowing a variety of devices desiring Internet Protocol (IP) addresses from potentially different locations to all operate on the same local area network. For example, a node, e.g., a gateway device, can receive a request for an IP address and determine whether that request was issued by a locally addressable device or a wide area network (WAN) addressable device. The node can then selectively locally provide an IP address or request an IP address, e.g., from a WAN, based on the determination.

Abstract: A system and method providing for the flow of peer-to-peer traffic between end users within an access network without requiring the traffic to pass through a network gateway such as a Broadband Remote Access Server (BRAS). End user devices connect through access nodes to an aggregation network and a gateway. An Upstream Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) proxy and a Downstream ARP proxy are implemented in each access node. The Upstream ARP proxy receives an Upstream ARP request and forwards the request upstream only if peer-to-peer communications are allowed. Otherwise, a reply is sent with the MAC address of the BRAS. The Downstream ARP proxy intercepts a Downstream ARP request for a target device and determines whether the target device is in an ARP Cache in the access node. If so, the proxy sends an ARP reply giving the MAC address of the target device. If not, no ARP reply is sent.

Abstract: Systems and methods according to these exemplary embodiments provide for methods and systems for allowing a variety of devices desiring Internet Protocol (IP) addresses from potentially different locations to all operate on the same local area network. For example, a node, e.g., a gateway device, can receive a request for an IP address and determine whether that request was issued by a locally addressable device or a wide area network (WAN) addressable device. The node can then selectively locally provide an IP address or request an IP address, e.g., from a WAN, based on the determination.