NETWORK DEVICE, INTERFACE DEVICE AND METHOD FOR EXCHANGING PACKETS

摘要

Network devices (1) for receiving first and second packets comprising source addresses and destination addresses and codes from interface devices (2-4) via network couplings ( 12-14), which codes define couplings (15-20) between the interface devices (2-4) and terminal devices (5-10), are provided with detector units (109) for, in response to detections of codes, selecting different processes ( 101-a- 103a, 101b- 103b) for processing the packets. These network devices (1) can distinguish between different subscribers using different terminal devices (5,6) and/or between different services delivered via the different terminal devices (5,6) and all using the same network coupling (12). The different processes (101a- 103a, 101b- 103b) may comprise different routings (101a, 101b) or non-authentication and authentication processes (102a, 102b) or non-cryptographic and cryptographic processes (103a, 103b). The packets are internet protocol packets and the addresses are internet protocol addresses and the codes are port numbers. Upstream and downstream information may be exchanged to inform one of the network device (1) and the interface device (2) about the other one.