Using an authentication server to obtain dial-out information on a network

Claim 3

The method of claim 1, wherein said obtaining step includes the steps of: removing a profile from a database; and obtaining a network number and a corresponding network mask from said profile.

Claim 4

The method of claim 2, wherein said profile from said removing step and said profile from said retrieving step are the same profile.

Claim 5

The method of claim 2, wherein said profile may contain more than one pair of network numbers and corresponding network masks.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1, further including the step of: locating dial out information in said profile.

Claim 7

The method of claim 5, further including the step of: forwarding said dial out information to an access server.

Claim 8

The method of claim 1, further including the step of: forwarding said profile to an access server.

Claim 11

The method of claim 8, wherein said retrieving step includes the steps of: removing a profile from a database; and obtaining a network number and a corresponding network mask from said profile.

Claim 12

The method of claim 9, wherein said profile from said removing step and said profile from said retrieving step are the same profile.

Claim 13

The method of claim 9, wherein said profile may contain more than one pair of network numbers and corresponding network masks.

Claim 14

The method of claim 8, further including the step of: locating dial out information in said profile.

Claim 15

The method of claim 12, further including the step of: forwarding said dial out information to an access server.

Claim 16

The method of claim 8, further including the step of: forwarding said profile to an access server.

Claim 17

An computer network including: an authentication server; an access server which passes a destination network address to an authentication server; said authentication server including: a first database searcher which obtains a network number and a corresponding network mask from a database; a de-masker which applies said network mask to said destination network address and compares the result to said network number; a second database searcher which retrieves a profile from a server, said profile corresponding to said network number and network mask from a database if said network number matches the result of applying said network mask to said destination network address, wherein said profile includes a phone number; and a repeater which activates said first database searcher, said de-masker, and said second database searcher continuously until said network number matches the result of applying said network mask to said destination network address.

Claim 18

An computer network including: an authentication server; an access server which passes a destination network address to an authentication server; said authentication server including: a first database searcher which obtains a network number and a corresponding network mask from a database; a de-masker which applies said network mask to said destination network address and compares the result to said network number; a second database searcher which retrieves a profile from a server, said profile corresponding to said network number and network mask from a database if said network number matches the result of applying said network mask to said destination network address, wherein said profile includes a phone number; and a repeater which activates said first database searcher, said de-masker, and said second database searcher continuously until said network number matches the result of applying said network mask to said destination network address.

Claim 19

The computer network of claim 15, wherein said first database searcher includes: a profile remover which removes a profile from a database; and a profile reader which obtains a network number and a corresponding network mask from said profile.

Claim 20

The computer network of claim 16, wherein said first database searcher and said second database searcher retrieve the same profile.

Claim 21

The computer network of claim 15, wherein said profile may contain more than one pair of network numbers and corresponding network masks.

Claim 22

The computer network of claim 15, wherein said authentication server further includes: a profile reader which locates dial out information in said profile.

Claim 23

The computer network of claim 19, wherein said authentication server further includes: an information forwarder which forwards said dial out information to said access server.

Claim 24

The computer network of claim 15, wherein said authentication server further includes: a profile forwarder which forwards said profile to an access server.

Claim 25

A computer network including: an authentication server; an access server which passes a destination network address to an authentication server; said authentication server including: a determiner which determines if said information is a destination network address or a username; a first database searcher which obtains a network number and a corresponding network mask from a database if said information is a destination network address; a de-masker which applies said network mask to said destination network address and compares the result to said network number if said information is a destination network address; a second database searcher which retrieves a profile from a server, said profile corresponding to said network number and network mask from a database if said network number matches the result of applying said network mask to said destination network address and if said information is a destination network address, wherein said profile includes a phone number; a repeater which activates said first database searcher, said de-masker, and said second database searcher continuously if said information is a destination network address until said network number matches the result of applying said network mask to said destination network address; and a profile extractor which extracts a profile from a server, said profile corresponding to said username from a database if said information is a username.

Claim 26

A computer network including: an authentication server; an access server which passes a destination network address to an authentication server; said authentication server including: a determiner which determines if said information is a destination network address or a username; a first database searcher which obtains a network number and a corresponding network mask from a database if said information is a destination network address; a de-masker which applies said network mask to said destination network address and compares the result to said network number if said information is a destination network address; a second database searcher which retrieves a profile from a server, said profile corresponding to said network number and network mask from a database if said network number matches the result of applying said network mask to said destination network address and if said information is a destination network address, wherein said profile includes a phone number; a repeater which activates said first database searcher, said de-masker, and said second database searcher continuously if said information is a destination network address until said network number matches the result of applying said network mask to said destination network address; and a profile extractor which extracts a profile from a server, said profile corresponding to said username from a database if said information is a username.

Claim 27

The computer network of claim 22, wherein said first database searcher includes: a profile remover which removes a profile from a database; and a profile reader which obtains a network number and a corresponding network mask from said profile.

Claim 28

The computer network of claim 23, wherein said first database searcher and said second database searcher retrieve the same profile.

Claim 29

The computer network of claim 22, wherein said profile may contain more than one pair of network numbers and corresponding network masks.

Claim 30

The computer network of claim 22, wherein said authentication server further includes: a profile reader which locates dial out information in said profile.

Claim 31

The computer network of claim 26, wherein said authentication server further includes: an information forwarder which forwards said dial out information to said access server.