The invention relates to a method and system of growing a network and distributing data using the network including one or more production nodes that send data and a plurality of consumer nodes that receive data from one or more production nodes or at least one other consumer node. The first software resides on each of the consumer nodes and the second software resides on each of the production nodes wherein a data request is not relayed and routed through several intermediate nodes in a path way but only is made to a logically adjacent node and where the logically adjacent nodes take no action to retrieve data from another node if the logically adjacent node is unable to fulfill the request itself. The invention can be implemented for mobile phones, streaming internet applications and cable television.

A distributed wireless online access system comprises a plurality of primary wireless units forming primary wireless communications network, and a plurality of secondary wireless units. Each primary wireless unit may comprise a wireless transmitter, a wireless receiver, and a programmed processor for routing data packets received by the primary wireless unit for re-transmission to another primary wireless unit or to a secondary wireless unit. Each secondary wireless unit may comprise a wireless transmitter, a wireless receiver, and a programmed processor for processing received data packets and for generating transmitted data packets. A portal unit may provide a connection or link between the primary wireless network and an external communications system (such as the Internet), thereby providing access to the external communications network to all primary and secondary wireless units. Data packets may be generated by an originating secondary wireless unit, transmitted to a primary wireless unit, routed and re-transmitted through a succession of other primary wireless units, and ultimately received by a destination unit (either a destination secondary wireless unit or a portal unit/external communications system). A data packet may follow one of several alternative network paths through the primary network connecting the originating point and the destination point, thereby enabling the system to route data packets around unavailable primary units, slower portions of the primary network, and so on. An wireless online access provider may collect access fees from subscribers having primary or secondary wireless units, and may pay provider revenue out to subscribers having primary wireless units to encourage growth of the wireless network. One or more primary wireless units may be mobile, resulting in a transient primary wireless network having a dynamically varying network topology.

A group of wireless APs, including an active primary AP and one or more inactive backup APs, responds to the failure of the active AP. Backup APs passively detect the absence of the primary AP from a coverage area and become active. If more than one Backup AP attempts to assume the role of the primary AP, contention is resolved by applying a conflict resolution algorithm.

A method and system is provided for tracking mobile devices combining packet processing technology with Global Positioning System (GPS) technology. A central network system comprising a packet processing subsystem receives transmitted GPS location data from a mobile device transmitting GPS location data, wherein the packet processing subsystem uses a table access scheme to process the GPS location data and produce responsive mapping data, and the central network processing system compares the mapping data to a map and identifies a corresponding map location. Embodiments may also correlate device identification data, tracking table entries, and/or billing zone charges. In some embodiments a look-up key is built responsive to the GPS location data and used to identify map locations. The table access scheme may be a key hashing scheme and, in particular, a longest prefix match type scheme.

The invention relates to a device for either generating or maintaining an organic data network having an dynamic topology, comprising a data processing unit at least one data connection to a data network to which several devices provided with a data processing unit are connected by means of a data connection, and software having a receiving routine for receiving data packages of at least one transmitting device in the data network, a transmission routine for transmitting data packages, received from the transmitting device or devices in the data network to at least one receiving device that is connected to the data network, independent of the transmitting device or devices. Additionally the invention relates to a method and software for data packages received from a transmitting device to at least one receiving device, independent of said transmitting device.A device according to the invention can be used in for instance mobile phones, streaming internet applications and cable television.