A network device included in a local area network is controlled with an
outside telephone. A telephone line 2 is directly connected to a router 3
incorporated in a local area network 7 including a computer 8. A server 5
is connected to the telephone line 2, and the telephone line 2 is also
used as the Internet 9. The outside telephone 4 makes a call to the router
3 through the telephone line 2 while the router 3 detects the phone call
to send a packet for activation to the computer 8 to activate the device
in the wait state. The computer 8 after the activation requests the server
5 to allow its connection to the Internet 9, obtains a network address in
the Internet 9, and notifies the network address to the outside telephone
4. Thereafter, data is exchanged between the telephone 4 and the computer
8.
