Patent attributes
A method and apparatus for implementing location-based identification in a communication network. The method comprises establishing a network connection between a host and a network, transmitting network data packets from the host through a connection port, transmitting data packets from the host through a location-specific connection port and identifying the port at an access concentrator in the form of a port identifier. The port identifier is then communicated to a network device, typically a gateway device, and stored in a database in communication with the network device. The method may include tagging the network packets at the access concentrator with a port identifier that corresponds to a media access control (MAC) address. The access concentrator and the network device will tag and communicate port numbers by assigning VLAN (Virtual Local Area Network) identifiers to the ports.
