Postage metering system and method on a network

A postage metering system comprising: a plurality of computers operatively connected as part of a computer network and operating as client computers on the computer network; at least one postal security device coupled to a local one of the client computers, said postal security device including unique identification, postal value storage means and digital signature means; means in said client computers for functioning as a postage metering network wherein a client computer remote from the local one of the client computers requests evidence of postage payment from the postal security device for concluding a postage metering transaction wherein the local one of the client computers functions as a meter server and the remote client computer functions as a meter client on the postage metering network wherein the remote client computer initiates a postage metering transaction in the postal security device by sending a request for evidence of postage payment to the local one of the client computers, said local one or the client computers sends the request for the evidence of postage payment to the postal security device, and wherein said local one of the client computers receives transaction information wherein the local one of the client computers prints the evidence of payment.

A transaction evidencing system comprising: a plurality of computers operatively connected as part of a computer network and operating as client computers on the computer network; at least one security device coupled to at least one of the client computers, said security device including unique identification, value storage means and digital signature means; means in said client computers for functioning as a transaction evidencing network wherein a client computer computer remote from the local one of the client computers requests and obtains transaction evidencing from the security device for concluding a transaction at the remote client computer, wherein the local one of the client computers functions as a transaction server and the remote client computer functions as a transaction client on the transaction evidencing network, wherein the remote client computer initiates transaction accounting in the security device by sending a request for transaction evidencing to the local one of the client computers, said local one of the client computers sends the request for the transaction evidencing to the security device, and wherein said local one of the client computers receives transaction information unique to the requested transaction evidencing, said transaction information including a digital signature, and wherein said local one of the client computers sends at least the digital signature to the remote client computer wherein the local one of the client computers prints the transaction evidencing.