XML schema for network device configuration

1. A method of configuring a network device using a portable, physical computer storage medium having stored thereon an Extensible Markup Language (XML) file instance conforming to an XML schema for wireless device configuration comprising:

reading in the XML schema from the portable, physical computer storage medium, wherein the XML schema includes:

a network identifier element identifying the name of the network that the network device will connect to; and

a network encryption key element used for encryption on the wireless network;

reading in a configuration setting;

generating a configuration settings XML file instance in accordance with the XML schema; and

configuring the network device using the configuration settings XML file instance.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the XML schema further comprises:

a connection type element wherein the connection type element comprises a string for indicating a network connection type;

an authentication type element wherein the authentication element further comprises a string indicating the authentication protocol used by the wireless network;

an encryption type element wherein the encryption element further comprises a string indicating the encryption protocol used by the wireless network; and

a device mode indicator element wherein the device mode indicator element comprises is a string that indicates the mode in which the wireless access point is operating.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the XML schema further comprises:

a automatic key element for indicating whether a network key is provided automatically;

an 802.1x element for indicating whether a device supports IEEE 802.1x protocol; and

a frequency indicator element wherein the frequency indication represents the channel and frequency used by the network.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the XML schema further comprises a time-to-live element for defining a time for which an instance of the schema is valid.

5. A method for configuring a network device using a physical, portable computer storage medium comprising an XML file instance conforming to an XML schema for broadband modem device configuration, the method comprising:

reading in the XML schema from the portable, physical computer storage medium, wherein the XML schema includes:

a session instance identifier element defining a unique ID for the session;

a DHCP element for indicating whether DHCP is supported; and

a link modulation element for indicating a type of broadband connection

reading in a configuration setting;

generating a configuration settings XML file instance in accordance with the XML schema; and

configuring the network device using the configuration settings XML file instance.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the XML schema further comprises:

a user name element that indicates a user name for accessing the Internet through a broadband ISP; and

a password element that indicates a password for accessing the Internet through a broadband ISP.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the XML schema further comprises an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM)

encapsulation element for indicating a type of ATM encapsulation wherein the encapsulation element indicates whether ATM encapsulation is LLC or VCMUX.

8. The method of claim 3 , further comprising a configuration schema wherein the configuration schema further comprises:

a configuration ID comprising a string for uniquely identifying the configuration;

a configuration hash comprising a number used test the integrity of the wireless setting file;

a configuration author ID comprises a string for identifying an author of the configuration; and

a configuration author comprises a string indicating the a name of a wireless settings file.

9. The method of claim 3 , further comprising an SSID wherein the SSID represents a name of the wireless network.

10. The method of claim 3 , further comprising a primary profile and an operation profile.

11. The method of claim 3 , further comprising a profile instance wherein the profile instance further comprises:

a network key element wherein the network key is used for encryption on the wireless network;

a key index element wherein the key index element further comprises an integer for indicating the location of the specific key used to encrypt messages;

an EAP method element wherein the element further comprises a string for indicating the Extensible Authentication Protocol used; and

a TTL element wherein the TTL element further comprises an integer for indicating a time-to-live that specifies the length of time a network key is valid.

12. The method of claim 3 , wherein the authentication element further comprises one selected from a group comprising open, shared, WiFi Protected Access (WPA), WPA Pre-Shared Key (PSK), WPA-none, WPA2, or WPA2 PSK.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the encryption element further comprises one selected from a group comprising none, Wireless Encryption Protocol (WEP), Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP), and Advanced Encryption Standard (AES).

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the LAP method element comprises one selected from a group comprising a value of EAP-TLS, PEAP-EAP-MSCHAPv2, or PEAP-EAP-TLS.

15. The method of claim 2 , wherein the device mode indicator has a value selected from a group comprising infrastructure, bridge, repeater, or station.

16. The method of claim 5 , wherein the XML schema further comprises a WAN connection element and a link configuration element.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the WAN connection element further comprises:

a link instance ID wherein the link instance ID comprises string for defining a unique ID for the session,

an IP address wherein the IP address comprises a number for indicating the IP address assigned to the modem, and

a connection type wherein the connection type indicates a network connection type.

18. The method of claim 5 , wherein the link configuration element further comprises a link media type wherein the link media type defines the configuration of broadband link.