Access multiplexer

Abstract

In access multiplexers (1) for multiplexing Internet Protocol packets to be exchanged between network devices (2) and subscriber devices (3-5), the Internet Protocol packets are encapsulated at each side of the access multiplexers (1). By providing the access multiplexers (1) with Internet Protocol routers (6-8) for routing the Internet Protocol packets via direction dependent routes, the access multiplexers (1) have become transparent for routing protocols at Internet Protocol level which use multicast Internet Protocol destination addresses or broadcast Internet Protocol destination addresses. Between the network devices (2) and the access multiplexers (1) Ethernet packets are exchanged via virtual local area network connections (21-23) and between the subscriber devices (3-5) and the access multiplexers (1) Asynchronous Transfer Mode packets are exchanged via permanent virtual connections (31-33). The access multiplexers (1) are digital subscriber line access multiplexers and the network devices (2) comprise edge routers and the subscriber devices (3-5) comprise customer premises equipment.

Description

technical field [0001] The invention relates to an access multiplexer for multiplexing internet protocol packets to be exchanged between network equipment and user equipment, said internet protocol packets being encapsulated , between the network device and the access multiplexer, the first packet contains the first encapsulation, and between the user equipment and the access multiplexer, the second packet contains the second encapsulation. Background technique [0002] Prior art access multiplexers are generally known. This access multiplexer interconnects network equipment and user equipment and allows bi-directional exchange of Internet Protocol packets between network equipment and user equipment. In a first direction, for example from a network device to a user device, in the network device the IP packet is encapsulated by a first encapsulation, at the network side of the access multiplexer the IP packet is decapsulated, at the access On the user side of the multiplex...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0003] The known access multiplexer has disadvantages, in particular because it does not allow routing protocols using multicast IP destination addresses or broadcast IP destination addresses to operate transparently between network devices and user devices

On the contrary, in the prior art, the access multiplexer terminates such a routing protocol and results in a situation where the routing protocol is terminated and instantiated separately in the access multiplexer

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