Relay Server Address Translation for Overlapping IP Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional virtual private networks (VPNs) face challenges when connecting Local Area Networks (LANs) with overlapping IP addresses, as it leads to communication failures and requires IP address re-setting, which can disrupt other connected devices.
Innovation Solution
A relay server system that includes a relay group information storage unit, a VPN group information storage unit, an address filter information storage unit, and a communication control unit, which creates a translated address table to manage overlapping IP addresses, allowing communication without changing actual IP addresses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If IP addresses are assigned without overlap in the same LAN, then communication within the LAN is reliable, but communication between different LANs with overlapping IP addresses fails
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a relay server as an intermediary between different LANs with overlapping IP addresses. The relay server creates a virtual tunnel through which packets are forwarded with address translation, allowing communication between LANs that would otherwise be unable to communicate due to IP address conflicts. The relay server acts as a mediator that resolves the addressing conflict without requiring changes to the actual IP addresses of devices in the LANs.
2Reliability
If IP addresses are re-set to avoid overlap, then communication between different LANs can be established, but other apparatuses connected to the same LAN are disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the communication path into two separate segments: the internal LAN segment where devices use their original IP addresses without change, and the external VPN segment where the relay server performs address translation. This segmentation allows the LAN to maintain its original addressing scheme while still enabling communication with other LANs through the relay server's translation layer.
Solution Approach 2:
The relay server serves as an intermediary that handles IP address translation between different LANs. Instead of changing the IP addresses of devices within a LAN, the relay server translates addresses only for packets passing through the VPN tunnel, thus avoiding disruption to other apparatuses connected to the same LAN while still enabling communication between overlapping LANs.
3Reliability
If VPN is terminated and re-set to handle overlapping IP addresses, then proper communication can be established, but communication interruption occurs during the process
Solution Approach 1:
The relay server performs preliminary address translation setup before communication begins. By pre-configuring the translation rules and creating the virtual tunnel in advance, the system avoids the need to terminate and re-establish VPN connections when IP address conflicts are detected, thus eliminating communication interruptions and setup delays.
Data Source
AI summary
A relay server mainly includes a VPN group information storage unit, an address filter information storage unit, and a communication control unit. The VPN group information storage unit is arranged and programmed to store information concerning routing apparatuses that define a VPN group and a routing session. The address filter information storage unit is arranged and programmed to store address filter information in association with identification information of the routing apparatus. The communication control unit is arranged and programmed to perform controls of: upon detection of that an address included in the address filter information overlaps, causing a translated address to be associated with the overlapping address, and transmitting the translated address to another routing apparatus; and performing routing based on the address filter information and the translated address.