Method and system for seamless SSID creation, authentication and encryption
View Patent ↗Using an identifier generation algorithm, a device coupled to a communication network generates an SSID and associated encryption key for a mobile device using its unique identifier. The encryption key and SSID are stored to a configuration database server coupled to the network. A wireless-capable device that provides access to the network receives the SSID and encryption key from the configuration database and sends a broadcast message that includes the SSID and unencrypted original information. The mobile user device receives the broadcast message when it enters the presence of the wireless access device. Using the identifier generation algorithm the mobile device generates an SSID and key from its unique identifier and encrypts the original information and sends a return message including the SSID and the encrypted original information. The mobile device is granted access if unencrypted original information from the return message matches that sent in the broadcast message.
1. A method for automatically configuring a mobile user device for operation over a communication network to be accessed, comprising:
generating a first network identifier and an access key based on a unique identifier of the mobile user device;
broadcasting the first network identifier and unencrypted original information in a broadcast message from an access point device coupled to the network to be accessed, the broadcasting being performed from the access point device operating independently of the mobile user device;
generating at the mobile user device a second network identifier and access key based on the unique identifier of the mobile user device;
receiving the broadcast message at the mobile user device;
encrypting the unencrypted original information at the mobile user device using the second access key;
transmitting the encrypted original information along with the first or second network identifier to the access point device in a return message;
decrypting the encrypted information contained in the return message using the access key;
comparing the decrypted information to the original information; and
granting the mobile user device access to the communication network to be accessed;
wherein the decrypting, comparing and/or granting are performed remotely from the mobile user device at one or more of the access device, an access network device, a headend device, or combinations thereof.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second network identifiers comprise service set identifiers.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first network identifier and the access key are generated at a device coupled to the network to be accessed.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein the first network identifier and the access key are pushed across the network to be accessed to the access point device.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the mobile user device initiates the generating of the second network identifier and the access key over a wireless network to which it can access, wherein the wireless network is coupled with the communication network to be accessed.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising using the second network identifier to identify the broadcast message by identifying a match between a service set identifier included in the broadcast message and the second network identifier.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the service set identifier included in the broadcast message comprises the first network identifier.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is operable to authenticate the mobile user device based on the mobile user device independently generating the second network identifier which matches the first network identifier used as a service set identifier for the broadcast message and use of the access key to encrypt the unencrypted original information.