Method and device to determine the network environment and configure a network gateway

A method ( 20, 30, 40 ) for automatically self-configuring a network device ( 13, 17 ) being added to a network ( 8, 9 ) without user intervention operates by providing that the network device ( 13, 17 ) discover its network environment. The network device ( 13, 17 ) attempts to access each of those services it offers from the network ( 8, 9 ) to determine if any of these services are already being provided by the network ( 8, 9 ). Upon successfully accessing a particular service by the network device ( 13, 17 ), the network device disables the particular service within the network device ( 13, 17 ); and upon unsuccessfully accessing the particular service by the network device ( 13, 17 ), the network device ( 13, 17 ) activates the predetermined service within the network device ( 13, 17 ). Another technique for self-configuring the network device ( 13, 17 ) provides that the network device ( 13, 17 ) examine the IP address (or class of addresses) the network device ( 13, 17 ) acquires from the network ( 8, 9 ). Upon determining that the acquired Internet Protocol address is a private Internet Protocol address, the network device ( 17 ) configures itself to use a local area network port ( 5 ) to access the Internet ( 11 ) and the network ( 9 ) without user intervention. Alternatively, upon determining that the assigned Internet Protocol address is not a private Internet Protocol address, the network device ( 13 ) configures itself to use another port ( 6 ) (e.g., a WAN port) to access the Internet ( 11 ) and a LAN port ( 5 ) to access the network ( 9 ). Both of these configuration methods are performed entirely without user intervention to reduce the amount of setup required by a user.