Some embodiments of a method can include: receiving in a first server a first request to register a first electrical device storing in the first server the unique identification information, the internal IP address, and the external IP address of the first electrical device receiving in the first server a first request for information regarding the first electrical device; using the first server to determine the external IP address of the first electrical device; redirecting the first request for the information to a first gateway device if an external IP address of a first client computer is identical to the external IP address of the first electrical device; and returning the external IP address of the first electrical device if the external IP address of the first client computer is different from the external IP address of the first electrical device. Other embodiments are disclosed.