Methods and systems for transmitting broadcast data

1. A method of transmitting broadcast data at a first communication gateway, comprising:

(a) establishing a plurality of tunnels with a second communication gateway; receiving broadcast data through a first network interface from a host or a server; wherein when the broadcast data is received from a host, the broadcast data is a service request, a response to a service advertisement, or a message; wherein the service request is displayed at a first display; wherein when the broadcast data is received from a server, the broadcast data is a service advertisement, a response to a service request, a presence indicator, or a message;

(b) determining whether the broadcast data satisfies at least one condition; wherein the at least one condition is based on source address of the broadcast data, and/or port number of the broadcast data of the broadcast data;

(c) encapsulating the broadcast data in at least one encapsulating packet;

(d) forwarding the broadcast data through at least one tunnel of the plurality of tunnels and through a second network interface to the second communication gateway if the broadcast data satisfies the at least one condition; wherein the at least one tunnel is selected according to at least one policy; wherein the at least one policy is based on capacity of the at least one tunnel, time, and/or identity of the host; wherein when the policy is based on time; the broadcast data is transmitted through the at least one tunnel only during a certain period of time; wherein a priority is assigned to each of the at least one policy;

wherein the at least one encapsulating packet is encapsulated by the second communication gateway to retrieve the broadcast data; and

wherein the broadcast data is distributed by the second communication gateway to a second network.

2. According to the method of claim 1 , wherein the broadcast data is encapsulated in an Internet Protocol packet when receiving through the first network interface.

3. According to the method of claim 1 , wherein the broadcast data is encapsulated in an Ethernet datagram when receiving through the first network interface.

4. According to the method of claim 1 , wherein the server provides at least one service to the host, the at least one service including multimedia streaming, data distribution, content distribution, multimedia data collection, video broadcasting, video multicasting, audio broadcasting, audio multicasting, game streaming, game hosting, application hosting, application distribution, encoding, decoding, and directory.

5. According to the method of claim 1 , wherein when the policy is based on capacity of the at least one tunnel: broadcast data is not transmitted or partially transmitted through the at least one tunnel when the capacity has been used to a threshold.

6. According to the method of claim 1 , wherein the broadcast data satisfies the at least one condition when the broadcast data uses Bonjour protocol.

7. According to the method of claim 1 , wherein when there is a plurality of tunnels, the tunnels are aggregated.

8. According to the method of claim 7 , further comprising duplicating broadcast data.

9. According to the method of claim 1 , herein when the policy is based on identity of the host: broadcast data is transmitted through the at least one tunnel if the broadcast data is received from a specific host.

10. According to the method of claim 1 , wherein the broadcast data is originated from a host or a node, wherein the host or the node is at a third network and the broadcast data is forwarded by a third communication gateway of the third network.

11. A first communication gateway for transmitting broadcast data, comprising:

a plurality of network interfaces;

at least one processing unit;

at least one main memory;

at least one secondary storage storing program instructions executable by the at least one processing unit for:

(a) establishing a plurality of tunnels with a second communication gateway; receiving broadcast data through a first network interface from a host or a server; wherein when the broadcast data is received from a host, the broadcast data is a service request, a response to a service advertisement, or a message; wherein the service request is displayed at a first display; wherein when the broadcast data is received from a server, the broadcast data is a service advertisement, a response to a service request, a presence indicator, or a message;

(b) determining whether the broadcast data satisfies at least one condition; wherein the at least one condition is based on source address of the broadcast data, and/or port number of the broadcast data of the broadcast data;

(c) encapsulating the broadcast data in at least one encapsulating packet;

(d) forwarding the broadcast data through at least one tunnel of the plurality of tunnels and through a second network interface to the second communication gateway if the broadcast data satisfies the at least one condition; wherein the at least one tunnel is selected according to at least one policy; wherein the at least one policy is based on capacity of the at least one tunnel, time, and/or identity of the host; wherein when the policy is based on time; the broadcast data is transmitted through the at least one tunnel only during a certain period of time; wherein a priority is assigned to each of the at least one policy;

wherein the at least one encapsulating packet is encapsulated by the second communication gateway to retrieve the broadcast data; and

wherein the broadcast data is distributed by the second communication gateway to a second network.

12. According to the first communication gateway of claim 11 , wherein the broadcast data is encapsulated in an Internet Protocol packet when receiving through the first network interface.

13. According to the first communication gateway of claim 11 , wherein the broadcast data is encapsulated in an Ethernet datagram when receiving through the first network interface.

14. According to the first communication gateway of claim 11 , wherein the server provides at least one service to the host, the at least one service including multimedia streaming, data distribution, content distribution, multimedia data collection, video broadcasting, video multicasting, audio broadcasting, audio multicasting, game streaming, game hosting, application hosting, application distribution, encoding, decoding, and directory.

15. According to the first communication gateway of claim 11 , wherein when the policy is based on capacity of the at least one tunnel: broadcast data is not transmitted or partially transmitted through the at least one tunnel when the capacity has been used to a threshold.

16. According to the first communication gateway of claim 11 , wherein the broadcast data satisfies the at least one condition when the broadcast data uses Bonjour protocol.

17. According to the first communication gateway of claim 11 , wherein when there is a plurality of tunnels, the tunnels are aggregated.

18. According to the first communication gateway of claim 17 , wherein the at least one secondary storage further storing program instructions executable by the at least one processing unit for duplicating broadcast data.

19. According to the first communication gateway of claim 17 , wherein when the policy is based on identity of the host: broadcast data is transmitted through the at least one tunnel if the broadcast data is received from a specific host.

20. According to the first communication gateway of claim 11 , wherein the broadcast data is originated from a host or a node, wherein the host or the node is at a third network and the broadcast data is forwarded by a third communication gateway of the third network.