Wireless extender secure discovery and provisioning
View Patent ↗According to embodiments of the invention, a first wireless access point discovers a second wireless access point, the first wireless access point tunes its radio and privacy settings, without user input, based upon parameters automatically exchanged in response to the discovery of the second wireless access point, and a secure direct wireless connection is established between the first and second wireless access points using the radio and privacy settings. Adding the first wireless to an existing mesh network includes a determination of the best available direct wireless connection.
1. A computer-implemented method to extend a wireless network, the method comprising:
discovering a first wireless access point by a second wireless access point capable of acting as a wireless extender;
automatically, in response to the discovery of the first wireless access point, exchanging parameters between the first and second wireless access points;
self-tuning, by the second wireless access point without user input, radio and privacy settings to establish a secure direct wireless connection between the first and second wireless access points based upon the exchanged parameters; and
establishing the secure direct wireless connection between the first and second wireless access points using the radio and privacy settings.
2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the discovery of the first wireless access point includes receiving, at the second wireless access point, advertisement data from the first wireless access point.
3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein:
the exchanging parameters includes
automatically transmitting discovery parameters from the second wireless access point to the first wireless access point in response to receiving the advertisement data, wherein the second wireless access point's parameters include a secret key,
generating, by the second wireless access point, a session key using the secret key,
receiving an offer from the first wireless access point including offer parameters encrypted by a session key generated by the first wireless access point, wherein the session keys generated by the first and second wireless access points are both generated using the secret key transmitted by the second access point, and wherein the offer parameters include a privacy setting for the second wireless access point,
decrypting, by the second wireless access point, the offer using the session key generated by the second wireless access point.
4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein the secret key includes a random number and version data.
5. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , further comprising:
determining if the first wireless access point is compatible with the second wireless access point using the advertisement data.
6. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , further comprising:
verifying a first public key that is included with the advertisement data.
7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein the second wireless access point's parameters are encrypted by the first public key.
8. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein the second wireless access point's parameters include a second public key, and wherein the offer is encrypted by the second public key.
9. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , further comprising:
adding the first wireless access point to a candidate list; and
determining that the first wireless access point is a best candidate in the candidate list based upon the advertisement data.
10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , wherein the determination of the best candidate is based upon one or more of the following: signal strength, hop count, or client number.
11. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein acting as a wireless extender includes the second wireless access point managing a basic service set and relaying traffic from the basic service set to the first wireless access point.
12. A first wireless access point capable of acting as a wireless extender, the first wireless access point comprising:
a processor; and
a memory coupled to the processor and storing instructions, which when executed, cause the first wireless access point to:
discover a second wireless access point;
automatically, in response to the discovery of the second wireless access point, exchange parameters with the second wireless access point;
self-tune, without user input, the first wireless access point radio and privacy settings to establish a secure direct wireless connection between the first and second wireless access points based upon the exchanged parameters; and
establish the secure direct wireless connection between the first and second wireless access points using the radio and privacy settings.
13. The first wireless access point of claim 12 , wherein:
the discovery of the second wireless access point includes receipt of advertisement data from the second wireless access point;
the exchanging parameters includes:
automatic transmission of discovery parameters from the first wireless access point to the second wireless access point in response to the advertisement data, wherein the first wireless access point's parameters include a secret key;
generation, by the first wireless access point, of a session key using the secret key;
receipt of an offer from the second wireless access point including offer parameters encrypted by a session key generated by the second wireless access point, wherein the session keys generated by the first and second wireless access points are both generated using the secret key transmitted by the first access point, and wherein the offer parameters include a privacy setting for the first wireless access point;
decryption, by the first wireless access point, of the offer using the session key generated by the first wireless access point.
14. The first wireless access point of claim 13 , wherein the secret key includes a random number and version data.
15. The first wireless access point of claim 13 , wherein the first wireless access point further determines if the second wireless access point is compatible with the first wireless access point using the advertisement data.
16. The first wireless access point of claim 13 , wherein the first wireless access point further verifies a first public key that is included with the advertisement data.
17. The first wireless access point of claim 16 , wherein first wireless access point's parameters are encrypted by the first public key.
18. The first wireless access point of claim 13 , wherein the first wireless access point's parameters include a second public key, and wherein the offer is encrypted by the second public key.
19. The first wireless access point of claim 13 , wherein the first wireless access point further:
adds the second wireless access point to a candidate list; and
determines that the second wireless access point is a best candidate in the candidate list based upon the advertisement data.
20. The first wireless access point of claim 19 , wherein the determination of the best candidate is based upon one or more of the following: signal strength, hop count, or client number.
21. The first wireless access point of claim 13 , wherein the first wireless access point acting as a wireless extender includes causing the first wireless access point to:
manage a basic service set; and
relay traffic from the basic service set to the second wireless access point.
22. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions, which when executed by a machine cause a first wireless access point to:
discover a second wireless access point;
automatically, in response to the discovery of the second wireless access point, exchange parameters with the second wireless access point;
self-tune, without user input, the first wireless access point radio and privacy settings to establish a secure direct wireless connection between the first and second wireless access points based upon the exchanged parameters; and
establish the secure direct wireless connection between the first and second wireless access points using the radio and privacy settings.
23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 22 , wherein:
the discovery of the second wireless access point includes receipt of advertisement data from the second wireless access point;
the exchanging parameters includes:
automatic transmission of discovery parameters from the first wireless access point to the second wireless access point in response to the advertisement data, wherein the first wireless access point's parameters include a secret key;
generation, by the first wireless access point, of a session key using the secret key;
receipt of an offer from the second wireless access point including offer parameters encrypted by a session key generated by the second wireless access point, wherein the session keys generated by the first and second wireless access points are both generated using the secret key transmitted by the first access point, and wherein the offer parameters include a privacy setting for the first wireless access point;
decryption, by the first wireless access point, of the offer using the session key generated by the first wireless access point.
24. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23 , wherein the first wireless access point further determines if the second wireless access point is compatible with the first wireless access point using the advertisement data.
25. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23 , wherein the first wireless access point further verifies a first public key that is included with the advertisement data and wherein the first wireless access point's parameters are encrypted by the first public key.
26. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23 , wherein the first wireless access point's parameters include a second public key, and wherein the offer is encrypted by the second public key.
27. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23 , wherein the first wireless access point further:
adds the second wireless access point to a candidate list; and
determines that the second wireless access point is a best candidate in the candidate list based upon the advertisement data that includes one or more of the following: signal strength, hop count, or client number.
28. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23 , wherein the first wireless access point further acts as a wireless extender which includes causing the first wireless access point to:
manage a basic service set; and
relay traffic from the basic service set to the second wireless access point.