Linh M Truong

60060905, Dec 21, 1999

Apr 28, 1993

8/053191

Arthur Bernard Coleman - Fremont CA
Linh Tien Truong - San Jose CA
Juan Grau - San Mateo CA

Proxim, Inc. - Mountain View CA

H04Q 700
G06F 1300

455432

Roaming capability is provided to mobile computers within a standard network such as a Novell network. In a computer network running under a network operating system that provides for fault-tolerant internet routing of network communications between nodes and requires that network ID of a node remain constant for the duration of session, the nodes include multiple mobile computing devices wirelessly connected to the network. The mobile computing devices are provided with the capability to roam during a session by changing access points to the network. This capability is provided by programming the mobile computing devices so as to appear to the network as routers able to change access points during a session. The routers connect one sub-net to one other sub-net, the one sub-net being connected to a mobile computing device and having a fixed network ID and the other sub-net, through fault-tolerant internet routing being connected to a selectable access point and therefore having a variable network ID. The resulting workstation/routers may be termed virtual routers in that they connect a purely logical sub-net having a fixed network ID but no physical instantiation to exactly one other sub-net.