A packet switch router that processes downstream digital information to
provide dedicated bandwidth to each subscriber destination on a hybrid
fiber coax (HFC) network. The router includes a network module that
terminates a network connection, a switch that forwards data from the
network module, and a channel module. The channel module includes a
switch interface, a cell processing engine, one or more modulators, and a
radio frequency (RF) transmitter network. The switch interface forwards
packetized data from the switch to the cell processing engine. The cell
processing engine organizes the packetized data into multiple data
streams, encapsulates data in each stream into data cells, and
multiplexes the data cells into a multiplexed cell stream. Each modulator
is configured to modulate a multiplexed cell stream into an analog
signal. The RF transmitter network up converts and combines a plurality
of analog signals into a combined electrical signal for transmission.