VLAN reflection

1. A method to allow a set of devices at a first location to participate in a VLAN using a first specific VLAN ID without expressly programming the set of devices at the first location to use that first specific VLAN ID;

the set of devices at the first location including a network edge device connected to a network and a set of non-edge devices at the first location that can communicate with the network edge device;

the method comprising:

A) configuring a set of network devices in a network to handle VLAN traffic with the first specific VLAN ID so that a broadcast VLAN message with the first specific VLAN ID can reach the network edge device at the first location;

B) sending a broadcast VLAN message with the first specific VLAN ID such that the broadcast VLAN message reaches the network edge device at the first location;

C) copying the first specific VLAN ID from the broadcast VLAN message with the first specific VLAN ID as a VLAN ID into memory accessible to the network edge device;

D) reading the VLAN ID from the memory accessible to the network edge device; and

E) tagging egressing frames from the set of devices at the first location with the VLAN ID before the egressing frames egress onto the network.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the network is a carrier network.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the VLAN ID and at least one additional VLAN field are found in a VLAN header that marks frames ingressing from the network; and

the VLAN header is removed from frames ingressing from the network at the network edge device so that a first frame ingressing from the network to the network edge device, leaves the network edge device transmitted to a non-edge device without the VLAN header.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein tagging frames from the set of devices at the first location with the first specific VLAN ID before the frames transmit onto the network creates frames that are IEEE 802.1Q conformant.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one VLAN field from a VLAN header is copied along with the first specific VLAN ID from the broadcast VLAN message into memory accessible to the network edge device; and

egressing frames from the set of devices at the first location are tagged with the VLAN ID and the at least one VLAN field from the VLAN header in addition to the VLAN ID before the frames transmit onto the network.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein

frames from the set of devices at the first location are tagged with the VLAN ID and one additional VLAN field in a VLAN header, wherein a value for the one additional VLAN field is configured at a device at the first location.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the network edge device

responds to receipt of broadcast VLAN message with a second specific VLAN ID after receiving a broadcast VLAN message with the first specific VLAN ID and copies the second specific VLAN ID from the broadcast VLAN message with the second specific VLAN ID as the VLAN ID into memory accessible to the network edge device; and

begins tagging egressing frames from the set of devices at the first location with the second specific VLAN ID as the VLAN ID before the frames transmit onto the network.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein a number of times that the VLAN ID has changed can be stored and made available to operators monitoring operation of the network edge device.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the network edge device responds to receipt of a broadcast VLAN message with a second specific VLAN ID after receiving a broadcast VLAN message with the first specific VLAN ID by ignoring the broadcast VLAN message with the second specific VLAN ID; and

continues tagging egressing frames from the set of devices at the first location with the first specific VLAN ID before the frames transmit onto the network.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the network edge device continues tagging egressing frames from the set of devices at the first location with the first specific VLAN ID until:

the first specific VLAN ID stored in memory accessible to the network edge device is erased; and

a new specific VLAN ID is copied from an ingressing VLAN message with the new specific VLAN ID received at the network edge device from the network.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the first specific VLAN ID is erased by powering down the network edge device.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the first specific VLAN ID is erased by a factory reset of the network edge device.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the first specific VLAN ID is erased by operation of a user command.

14. A method to allow a network edge device at a first location to participate in a VLAN using a first specific VLAN ID without expressly programming the network edge device at the first location to use that first specific VLAN ID;

the network edge device connected to a network;

the method comprising:

A) configuring a set of network devices in a network to handle VLAN traffic with the first specific VLAN ID so that a broadcast VLAN message with the first specific VLAN ID can reach the network edge device at the first location;

B) sending a broadcast VLAN message with the first specific VLAN ID such that the broadcast VLAN message reaches the network edge device at the first location;

C) copying the first specific VLAN ID from the broadcast VLAN message as a VLAN ID into memory accessible to the network edge device;

D) reading the VLAN ID from the memory accessible to the network edge device; and

E) tagging egressing frames from the network edge device at the first location with the VLAN ID before the egressing frames egress onto the network.

15. A network edge device provided with a processor and instructions to allow the network edge device while at a first location to participate in a VLAN using a first specific VLAN ID without expressly programming the network edge device at the first location to use that first specific VLAN ID;

the network edge device adapted for connection to a network to receive ingressing frames from the network and to send egressing frames to the network;

the network edge device adapted to copy the first specific VLAN ID from a broadcast VLAN message with the first specific VLAN ID as a VLAN ID into memory accessible to the network edge device;

the network edge device adapted to subsequently read the VLAN ID from the memory accessible to the network edge device; and

the network edge device adapted to tag frames egressing from the network edge device at the first location with the VLAN ID before the frames egressing from the network edge device are transmitted onto the network.

16. The network edge device of claim 15 wherein the network edge device is connected to the network with a physical connection.

17. The network edge device of claim 15 wherein the network edge device is connected to the network by a wireless connection.

18. The network edge device of claim 15 wherein the network edge device is connected to a local network and transmits at least some frames received from the network to the local network for delivery to non-edge devices in the local network.

19. The network edge device of claim 18 wherein the network edge device is connected to the local network through at least one wireless connection.

20. The network edge device of claim 18 wherein the network edge device is connected to the local network through at least one wired connection.

21. The network edge device of claim 15 wherein the network edge device is connected to a local network and transmits at least some frames received from the local network to the network for delivery to a device at a physical location remote from the network edge device but part of a VLAN using a first specific VLAN ID.