In the present invention a voice and data network is disclosed that has
applicability to a home or building where existing phone lines are used
to interconnect multiple phones and computers within the network. Voice
and data modules connect telephones and computers to the existing
telephone wiring in a home or building. A link to wide area network
allows phone calls to be placed between the network and the Public
Service telephone network. All devices connected to the telephone wiring
have their own ID and communicate by Tokens in Ethernet technology. This
allows Ethernet packets to perform a plurality of communications between
a plurality of devices connected to the network under the control of
tokens. The communications is accomplished by passing packets containing
voice and data signals between phones and computers internal to the
network and to an external port to connect to outside of the network. The
link to wide area network also allows connection to an ISP by converting
from Ethernet packets to Internet packets and from Internet packets to
Ethernet packets. The connection to the ISP also allows Internet
Telephony without a special telephone or the use of a computer.