METHOD FOR ALLOCATING INTERNET PROTOCOL ADDRESSES TO CLIENTS OF A NETWORK AND CORRESPONDING APPARATUS

• Main Authors: GRAEF Lucien, JEANNE Ludovic, VAN DEN BOSSCHE Geert, TEROL Jose
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 10.11.2016
• Subjects: ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRICITY; TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHICCOMMUNICATION; WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS

An access device and an extender access device, forming a network for network client devices. A single IP address attribution server in the network attributes IP addresses to network devices based on their MAC address. The access device providing access in a first coverage zone. The extender access device providing access in a second coverage zone. The extender access device implements MAC address translation for representing network client devices in the second zone before the access device. When a network client device roams from the second zone to the first zone, the client device keeps its IP address that was attributed to it by the IP address attribution server via the extender access device even if the client device requests an IP address with its real, non-translated MAC address.