Systems and methods for providing a plurality of network interfaces at a common location
A method for providing a plurality of network interfaces at a common location includes (1) communicatively interfacing a first local area network with a communication service provider's network via a first child gateway of a parent gateway, and (2) communicatively interfacing a second local area network with the communication service provider's network via a second child gateway of the parent gateway. Each child gateway may have a respective profile, and each child gateway may have a different respective identity with respect to the communication service provider.
1 . A method for providing a plurality of network interfaces at a common location, the method comprising:
communicatively interfacing a first local area network at a subscriber's location with a communication service provider's network via a first child gateway of a parent gateway;
communicatively interfacing a second local area network at the subscriber's location with the communication service provider's network via a second child gateway of the parent gateway;
serving each of the first child gateway and the second child gateway at the subscriber's location using a common communication link between the communication service provider's network and the parent gateway; and
using the communication service provider's network, individually provisioning each of the first child gateway and the second child gateway a respective portion of a total bandwidth of the common communication link between the communication service provider's network and the parent gateway,
wherein (i) the parent gateway is located downstream of the communication service provider's network at the subscriber's location, (ii) the second child gateway is at least partially implemented by hardware of the parent gateway, and (iii) the first child gateway is split between the parent gateway and the communication service provider's network.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
establishing a first profile for the first child gateway; and
establishing a second profile for the second child gateway.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein:
the first profile specifies one or more configurations of the first child gateway; and
the second profile specifies one or more configurations of the second child gateway.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein:
the one or more configurations of the first child gateway comprise one or more of a service set identifier (SSID), a wireless communication channel configuration, a wireless communication channel width, a wireless communication encryption setting, access controls, a user list, a device list, a firewall list, a network time protocol (NTP) setting, a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) setting, a domain name system (DNS) setting, and a quality of service (QoS) setting; and
the one or more configurations of the second child gateway comprise one or more of a SSID, a wireless communication channel configuration, a wireless communication channel width, a wireless communication encryption setting, access controls, a user list, a device list, a firewall list, a NTP setting, a DHCP setting, a DNS setting, and a QoS setting.
5 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising sending the first profile to the communication service provider for use in establishing the first child gateway at a new location.
6 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising digitally signing and encrypting the first profile before sending the first profile to the communication service provider.
7 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising sending the first profile to another communication service provider for use in establishing the first child gateway at a new location.
8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising digitally signing and encrypting the first profile before sending the first profile to the other communication service provider.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the first child gateway has a first identity with respect to the communication service provider; and
the second child gateway has a second identity with respect to the communication service provider.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the first child gateway is a first virtual gateway; and
the second child gateway is a second virtual gateway.
11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, at the first child gateway, a first digital security certificate issued by the communication service provider; and
receiving, at the second child gateway, a second digital security certificate issued by the communication service provider.
12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising signing a digital security certificate for a client of the first local area network, using the first digital security certificate at the first child gateway.
13 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
at the first child gateway, exchanging data with the communication service provider's network via the common communication link between the communication service provider's network and the parent gateway; and
at the second child gateway, exchanging data with the communication service provider's network via the common communication link between the communication service provider's network and the parent gateway.
14 . A method performed by a communication service provider for supporting a plurality of network interfaces at a common location, the method comprising:
exchanging data with a first child gateway of a parent gateway via a first communication link between a network of the communication service provider and the parent gateway, the first child gateway communicatively interfacing a first local area network at a subscriber's location with the network of the communication service provider;
exchanging data with a second child gateway of the parent gateway via the first communication link between the network of communication service provider and the parent gateway, the second child gateway communicatively interfacing a second local area network at the subscriber's location with the network of the communication service provider; and
individually provisioning each of the first child gateway and the second child gateway a respective portion of a total bandwidth of the first communication link between the network of the communication service provider and the parent gateway,
wherein:
the parent gateway is located at the subscriber's location and is downstream of the network of the communication service provider,
the second child gateway is at least partially implemented by hardware of the parent gateway, and
the first child gateway is split between the parent gateway and the network of the communication service provider.
15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
assigning a first data cap to the first child gateway; and
assigning a second data cap to the second child gateway.
16 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
sending a first digital certificate to the first child gateway; and
sending a second digital certificate to the second child gateway.
17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein:
the first child gateway has a first identity with respect to the communication service provider; and
the second child gateway has a second identity with respect to the communication service provider.