Method and system for connection verification
View Patent ↗The present invention provides a method and system for connection verification. An embodiment includes a DSL based system, with a tester resident at a central office respective to a DSLAM. When a problem is encountered by a subscriber, the tester can be readily connected to the DSLAM to allow performance of tests on the connection between the tester, the DSLAM and the Internet. If such tests are successful, then service provider can eliminate that portion of the link as the source of the connectivity problem. If unsuccessful, the service provider can repair that portion of the connection, and thereby potentially obviate the need to send a technician to the subscriber premises.
1. A method of verifying at least a portion of a connection between a subscriber station having a dynamic IP address and a network wherein a gateway resides intermediate the subscriber station and the network, the method comprising:
introducing a tester into the connection;
after introducing the tester into the connection, remotely providing the dynamic IP address to the tester via a DHCP server;
sending the dynamic IP address from the tester to a verification host connected to the tester via a virtual link through the network;
the verification host instructing the tester to perform at least one connectivity test between the gateway and the network; and
the tester generating an output to the verification host reporting a result of the at least one connectivity test.
2. The method according claim 1 wherein the gateway is a DSLAM.
3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the portion of the connection between the gateway and the subscriber station includes a copper twisted pair.
4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the network is a proprietary network belonging to an internet service provider.
5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the network is the Internet and the portion of the connection between the gateway and network is a backhaul.
6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the tester is introduced via a remote instruction.
7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the tester is introduced into the connection at the gateway.
8. The method according to claim 6 wherein the gateway is a DSLAM at a telephone central office and the tester is introduced using a manual connection.
9. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:
remotely instructing the tester to perform at least one additional connectivity test between the gateway and the subscriber station,
wherein the output includes a result of the at least one additional connectivity test.
10. The method according to claim 9 wherein the at least one additional connectivity test is a metal test of a copper twisted pair that forms at least part of the connection between the gateway and the subscriber station.
11. The method according to claim 1 wherein the at least one connectivity test comprises “pinging” the tester from the host via the Internet.
12. The method according to claim 11 wherein the report includes ping statistics delivered to the host.
13. A method of verifying at least a portion of a connection between a subscriber station and a network wherein a gateway resides intermediate the subscriber station and the network, the method comprising:
introducing a tester into the connection;
remotely instructing the tester to perform at least one connectivity test between the gateway and the network; and
generating an output reporting a result of the at least one connectivity test,
wherein the remote instructions originate from a verification host connected to the tester via a virtual link through the network and the report is outputted to the verification host, and
wherein the subscriber station has a static IP address and further comprising the step of remotely providing the static IP address to the tester via the link.
14. A system for verifying at least a portion of a pathway between a subscriber station and a network comprising:
a gateway intermediate the subscriber station and the network, the gateway operable to translate communications between the subscriber station and the network;
a tester for connection into the pathway, the tester operable to receive remote instructions to perform at least one connectivity test between the gateway and the network;
a host connected to the tester for remotely instructing the tester to perform the at least one connectivity test and to receive reports thereof from the tester, the host connected to the tester via a virtual link through the network; and
a DHCP server operable to assign an IP address to the subscriber station and further operable to assign an IP address to the tester when the tester is introduced into the pathway, the tester further operable to send the dynamic IP address from the tester to the host via the network.
15. The system according to claim 14 wherein the gateway is a DSLAM.
16. The system according to claim 15 wherein the portion of the pathway between the gateway and the subscriber station includes a copper twisted pair.
17. The system according to claim 14 wherein the network is the Internet and the portion of the pathway between the gateway and network is a backhaul.
18. The system according to claim 14 wherein the tester is further operable to be selectively connected to and disconnected from the pathway via a remote instruction from the host.
19. The system according to claim 18 wherein the tester is operable to be selectively connected to and disconnected from the pathway via a manual connection.
20. The system according to claim 18 wherein the gateway is a DSLAM at a telephone central office and the tester is connected to the DSLAM using a manual connection.
21. The system according to claim 14 wherein the tester is further operable to conduct a metal test between the gateway and the subscriber station and wherein the output includes a result of the metal test.
22. The system according to claim 14 wherein the network is the Internet.
23. The system according to claim 22 wherein the at least one connectivity test comprises “pinging” the tester from the host via the Internet.
24. The system according to claim 23 wherein the report includes ping statistics delivered to the host.
25. A system for verifying at least a portion of a pathway between a subscriber station and a network comprising:
a gateway intermediate the subscriber station and the network, the gateway operable to translate communications between the subscriber station and the network;
a tester for connection into the pathway, the tester operable to receive remote instructions to perform at least one connectivity test between the gateway and the network; and
a host connected to the tester for remotely instructing the tester to perform the at least one connectivity test and to receive reports thereof from the tester, the host connected to the tester via a virtual link through the network,
wherein the subscriber station has a static IP address and wherein the host is further operable to providing the static IP address to the tester via the link.
26. The method according claim 13 wherein the gateway is a DSLAM.
27. The method according to claim 26 wherein the portion of the connection between the gateway and the subscriber station includes a copper twisted pair.
28. The method according to claim 13 wherein the network is a proprietary network belonging to an internet service provider.
29. The method according to claim 13 wherein the network is the Internet and the portion of the connection between the gateway and network is a backhaul.
30. The method according to claim 13 wherein the tester is introduced via a remote instruction.
31. The method according to claim 13 wherein the tester is introduced into the connection at the gateway.
32. The method according to claim 31 wherein the gateway is a DSLAM at a telephone central office and the tester is introduced using a manual connection.
33. The method according to claim 13 further comprising:
remotely instructing the tester to perform at least one additional connectivity test between the gateway and the subscriber station,
wherein the output includes a result of the at least one additional connectivity test.
34. The method according to claim 33 wherein the at least one additional connectivity test is a metal test of a copper twisted pair that forms at least part of the connection between the gateway and the subscriber station.
35. The method according to claim 13 wherein the at least one connectivity test comprises “pinging” the tester from the host via the Internet.
36. The method according to claim 35 wherein the report includes ping statistics delivered to the host.
37. The system according to claim 25 wherein the gateway is a DSLAM.
38. The system according to claim 37 wherein the portion of the pathway between the gateway and the subscriber station includes a copper twisted pair.
39. The system according to claim 25 wherein the network is the Internet and the portion of the pathway between the gateway and network is a backhaul.
40. The system according to claim 25 wherein the tester is further operable to be selectively connected to and disconnected from the pathway via a remote instruction from the host.
41. The system according to claim 40 wherein the tester is operable to be selectively connected to and disconnected from the pathway via a manual connection.
42. The system according to claim 40 wherein the gateway is a DSLAM at a telephone central office and the tester is connected to the DSLAM using a manual connection.
43. The system according to claim 25 wherein the tester is further operable to conduct a metal test between the gateway and the subscriber station and wherein the output includes a result of the metal test.
44. The system according to claim 25 wherein the network is the Internet.
45. The system according to claim 44 wherein the at least one connectivity test comprises “pinging” the tester from the host via the Internet.
46. The system according to claim 45 wherein the report includes ping statistics delivered to the host.