VERFAHREN UND ZUGANGSMULTIPLEXER ZUM EINRICHTEN EINES PFADES, DER EINE BESTIMMTE QOS-KLASSE HAT

The present invention relates to a method for establishing a path, having a certain QOS-class, between a modem and an edge node over a communications network. The communications network comprises an Access Multiplexer and an Ethernet aggregation network, where the Access Multiplexer couples the modem to the Ethernet aggregation network. The modem is coupled to the Access Multiplexer over at least one ATM connection. The modem forwards an ARP request, that is received from a host terminal, for an address of the edge Node over an ATM having a certain QOS-class. The Access Multiplexer intercepts the ARP request that is forwarded by the modem and assigns a chosen address for the edge node based on information on the edge node that is contained in the ARP request. Subsequently, the Access Multiplexer includes this chosen address in an ARP reply. The modem receives the ARP reply that contains the address of the edge node on the ATM connection having the certain QOS class and the modem retrieves the address and subsequently stores this address together with an identification of the connection.