Providing easy access to radio networks
An improved connectivity to radio access point is enabled by a server that includes a database storing data about various radio access points, and an evaluation module evaluating the quality of connection to each of the access points. Clients receive updates about relevant access points from the server and use the information to connect to the preferred access point. The clients also check connectivity to other access points in the vicinity, and report the findings to the server. The server uses the reports to update its database, and send corresponding updates to the clients.
1. A method comprising:
receiving, from a first set of mobile devices, data associated with a set of network access points, including data indicative of quality of connection, experienced by the first set of mobile devices, associated with the set of network access points, wherein the data indicative of quality of connection is determined based on one or more of a received signal strength indication, a number of occupied IP addresses, a data speed, a rate of connection drops, a ping delay, or network bandwidth;
storing, in a database, data associated with the received data including information relating to network access points that are located in the vicinity of a geographical location of each of the first set of mobile devices, the stored data including information relating to the success rate and duration of one or more phases during a connection process between the first set of mobile devices and the set of network access points;
determining, based on a location of at least one of a second set of mobile devices, a ranking of each of the set of network access points; and
transmitting, to the second set of mobile devices, the ranking of each of the set of network access points and the stored data, including information relating to network access points that are located in at least one of the vicinity of the geographical location of at least one of the second set of mobile devices or a geographical area requested by at least one of the second set of mobile devices, the transmitted information relating to at least one network access point to which the at least one of the second set of mobile devices was not previously connected.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting the stored data comprises:
receiving a request, from the second set of mobile devices, for data from the database, and transmitting the data stored in the database in response to the request.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transmitted data is associated with a location of the second set of mobile devices.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving additional data associated with the set of network access points; and
updating the database based on the additional received data.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data indicative of quality of connection is data indicative of network bandwidth associated with a network comprised of one of more of the set of access points.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the stored data is historical data.
7. A server comprising:
a receiver configured to: receive, from a first set of mobile devices, data associated with a set of network access points, including data indicative of quality of connection, experienced by the first set of mobile devices, associated with the set of network access points, wherein the data indicative of quality of connection is determined based on one or more of a received signal strength indication, a number of occupied IP addresses, a data speed, a rate of connection drops, a ping delay, or network bandwidth;
a database configured to store data associated with the received data, including information relating to network access points that are located in the vicinity of a geographical location of each of the first set of mobile devices, the stored data including information relating to the success rate and duration of one or more phases during a connection process between the first set of mobile devices and the set of network access points;
a processor configured to determine, based on a location of at least one of a second set of mobile devices different than the first set of mobile devices, a ranking of each of the set of network access points; and
a transmitter configured to transmit, to the second set of mobile devices, the ranking of each of the set of network access points and the stored data, including information relating to network access points that are located in at least one of the vicinity of the geographical location of at least one of the second set of mobile devices or a geographical area requested by at least one of the second set of mobile devices, the transmitted information relating to at least one network access point to which the at least one of the second set of mobile devices was not previously connected.
8. The server of claim 7 , wherein the transmitter selectively transmits the stored data in response to receiving a request, from the second set of mobile devices, for data from the database.
9. The server of claim 7 , wherein the transmitted data is associated with a location of the second set of mobile devices.
10. The server of claim 7 , wherein the receiver is further configured to receive additional data associated with the set of network access points, and wherein the database is further configured to be updated based on the additional received data.
11. The server of claim 7 , wherein the data indicative of quality of connection is data indicative of network bandwidth associated with a network comprised of one or more of the set of access points.
12. The server of claim 7 , wherein the stored data is historical data.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more phases during the connection process include acquiring beacon information, probing to get association information, acquiring essential network IP information, accessing a specific network location, authentication, and association.
14. The server of claim 7 , wherein the one or more phases during the connection process include acquiring beacon information, probing to get association information, acquiring essential network IP information, accessing a specific network location, authentication, and association.