Convenient WiFi network access using unique identifier value

1. A method comprising:

monitoring use of a network address to access a wireless network;

in response to detecting initial use of the network address to establish a first communication session and following subsequent use of the network address to establish a second communication session to access the wireless network within a predetermined time of the first communication session ending, at least temporarily preventing the second communication session access to the wireless network;

wherein a first communication device uses the network address to establish the first communication session with a first wireless access point in the wireless network; and

wherein a second communication device uses the network address to establish the second communication session to communicate with a second wireless access point in the wireless network, the second wireless access point disparately located with respect to the first wireless access point, the predetermined time derived based at least in part on a calculated physical distance between the second wireless access point and the first wireless access point.

2. The method as in claim 1 , wherein detecting the initial use and the following subsequent use of the network address includes:

detecting non-simultaneous use of the network address by the first communication device and the second communication device to access the wireless network.

3. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

receiving the network address as a value inputted by a subscriber during registration of the subscriber to use the wireless network, the network address assigned to the first communication device, the first communication device operated by the subscriber to access the wireless network.

4. The method as in claim 3 , wherein the wireless network is an open WiFi network; and

wherein the network address is a MAC (Media Access Control) address provided by a subscriber registering a communication device to use the open WiFi network.

5. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

receiving the network address and password information at a time of registering the first communication device to access the wireless network;

associating the password to the network address; and

in response to detecting use of the network address to access the wireless network subsequent to the registering, challenging a user to submit the password associated with the network address.

6. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a request from a subscriber for access to the wireless network, the wireless network being an open network accessible by the public;

in response to receiving the request, connecting the subscriber to a service provider portal;

via the service provider portal, receiving authorization information associated with the subscriber, the authorization information including access credentials associated with the network address.

7. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

providing a notification to an operator of the first communication device that the second communication device attempted to use the network address to access the wireless network.

8. The method as in claim 7 further comprising:

at least temporarily preventing the first communication device access to the wireless network;

challenging an operator of the first communication device to provide an appropriate password; and

in response to receiving the appropriate password, providing the first communication device access to the wireless network again.

9. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

upon detecting expiry of a time limit associated with use of the network address, requiring a next attempt by a communication resource to access the wireless network via use of the network address to input an appropriate password.

10. The method as in claim 9 further comprising:

in response to receiving the appropriate password:

resetting the time limit; and

providing the communication resource access to the wireless network based on the network address without requiring an operator of the communication device to enter the password each subsequent attempt to use the wireless network within the time limit.

11. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

detecting a time difference between the end of the first communication session and a beginning of the second communication session as being less than the predetermined time.

12. A method comprising:

storing a network address as being a valid credential to access a wireless network including multiple access points;

monitoring use of the network address to access the wireless network; and

in response to detecting misuse of the network address to access the wireless network, at least temporarily preventing a resource purporting to be assigned the network address from accessing the wireless network;

wherein detecting misuse of the network address includes:

detecting use of the network address by a first communication device to access the wireless network via a first wireless access point of the wireless network;

detecting use of the network address by the resource to access the wireless network via a second wireless access point of the wireless network, access by the first communication device and the resource occurring at non-overlapping times;

calculating a distance separating the first wireless access point and the second wireless access point;

deriving a time value based on the distance; and

determining the misuse based on detecting that the use of the first wireless access point and use of the second wireless access point occur within the derived time value.

13. A computer system comprising:

at least one processor device; and

a hardware storage resource in communication with the at least one processor device, the hardware storage resource storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor device, cause the at least one processor device to perform operations of:

monitoring use of unique identifier value to access wireless network; and

in response to detecting misuse of the unique identifier value to access the wireless network, at least temporarily preventing a resource from accessing the wireless network;

wherein detecting misuse of the network address includes:

detecting use of the network address by a first communication device to access the wireless network via a first wireless access point of the wireless network;

detecting use of the network address by a second communication device to access the wireless network via a second wireless access point of the wireless network, access by the first communication device and the second communication device occurring at non-overlapping times;

wherein detecting misuse of the unique identifier value further includes:

calculating a distance separating the first wireless access point and the second wireless access point;

deriving a time value based on the distance; and

determining the misuse based on detecting that the use of the first wireless access point and use of the second wireless access point occur within the derived time value.

14. The computer system as in claim 13 , wherein detecting misuse of the unique identifier value includes:

detecting non-simultaneous use of the unique identifier value by the first communication device and the second communication device to access the wireless network.

15. The computer system as in claim 14 , wherein the at least one processor further performs operations of:

receiving the unique identifier value as a value inputted by a subscriber during registration of the subscriber to use the wireless network, the unique identifier value assigned to a communication device operated by the subscriber to access the wireless network.

16. The computer system as in claim 15 , wherein the wireless network is an open WiFi network; and

wherein the unique identifier value is a MAC (Media Access Control) address provided by a subscriber registering a communication device to use the WiFi network.

17. The computer system as in claim 13 , wherein the unique identifier value is a network address for routing of data to the communication device.

18. The computer system as in claim 13 , wherein the at least one processor further performs operations of:

receiving the unique identifier value and password information at a time of registering a communication device to access the wireless network;

associating the password to the unique identifier value; and

in response to detecting the misuse subsequent to the registering, challenging a user to submit the password associated with the unique identifier value.

19. The computer system as in claim 13 , wherein the at least one processor further performs operations of:

receiving a request from a subscriber for access to the wireless network, the wireless network being an open WiFi network accessible by the public;

in response to receiving the request, connecting the subscriber to a service provider portal;

via the service provider portal, receiving authorization information from the subscriber, the authorization information including access credentials; and

receiving a unique identifier value associated with a communication device used by the subscriber to access the wireless network.

20. The computer system as in claim 13 , wherein the at least one processor further performs operations of:

prior to detecting the misuse of the unique identifier value to access the wireless network:

receiving the unique identifier value from a communication device requesting access to the wireless network;

prior to providing access to the wireless network:

mapping the unique identifier value to a list of valid unique identifier values;

verifying that the unique identifier value is a valid unique identifier value in the list.

21. The computer system as in claim 13 , wherein the at least one processor further performs operations of:

providing a notification to an operator of the first communication device that the second communication device attempted to use the unique identifier value to access the wireless network.

22. The computer system as in claim 21 , wherein the at least one processor further performs operations of:

at least temporarily preventing the first communication device access to the wireless network;

challenging an operator of the first communication device to provide an appropriate password; and

in response to receiving the appropriate password, providing the first communication device access to the wireless network again.

23. The computer system as in claim 13 , wherein the at least one processor further performs operations of:

upon detecting expiry of a time limit associated with use of the unique identifier value, requiring a next attempt by a communication device to access the wireless network via use of the unique identifier value to input an appropriate password.

24. The computer system as in claim 23 , wherein the at least one processor further performs operations of:

in response to receiving the appropriate password:

resetting the time limit; and

providing the communication device access to the wireless network based on the unique identifier value without requiring an operator of the communication device to enter the password each subsequent attempt to use the wireless network within the time limit.

25. The computer system as in claim 13 , wherein detecting the misuse of the unique identifier value includes:

detecting that the second communication device attempts to use the network address to access the second wireless access point within a predetermined amount of time of the first communication device ending a respective communication session with the first wireless access point.

26. The computer system as in claim 13 , wherein the at least one processor further performs operations of:

in response to detecting the misuse and preventing the resource from accessing the wireless network:

challenging a user of the resource to submit the password associated with the unique identifier value; and

providing the resource access to the wireless network in response to detecting that the user submits an appropriate password associated with the network address.

27. A computer system comprising:

at least one processor device; and

a hardware storage resource in communication with the at least one processor device, the hardware storage resource storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor device, cause the at least one processor device to perform operations of:

monitoring use of a unique identifier value to access a wireless network; and

in response to detecting misuse of the unique identifier value to access the wireless network, at least temporarily preventing a resource from accessing the wireless network;

wherein detecting misuse of the network address includes:

detecting use of the network address by a first communication device to access the wireless network via a first wireless access point of the wireless network;

detecting use of the network address by a second communication device to access the wireless network via a second wireless access point of the wireless network, access by the first communication device and the second communication device occurring at non-overlapping times;

wherein detecting the misuse of the unique identifier value includes:

detecting that the second communication device attempts to use the network address to access the second wireless access point within a predetermined amount of time of the first communication device ending a respective communication session with the first wireless access point; and

deriving the predetermined amount of time based at least in part upon a calculated physical distance between the second wireless access point and the first wireless access point.