A Multi-Homing System is equipped with an Adaptive ISP Access Cloud State
Detection apparatus (ACSD) that improves the reliability of the
availability of digital connections (links) between computer sites, such
as a Computer Premises Network and the Internet, in which such
connections are made by connecting through a multiplicity of ISP Access
Clouds (links). Reliability is improved over prior art methods by using
data elements of Internet Protocol datagrams, e.g. record fields or bits
of fields, that are regularly and normally exchanged between the ISP
Access Clouds and the CPN without creating additional data traffic. Data
Elements from each ISP Access Cloud are used by processing functions of
the by the ACSD to test for conditions that indicate that it may be in a
DOWN status. when a DOWN status is suspected, other functions in the ACSD
initiate transmission of a set of PROBE packets that can reliably
determine if the suspect link is actually DOWN or merely giving a
response that would be interpreted as DOWN by prior art methods.