Wireless network management and online signup of services
A wireless access point receives configuration information assigned to a particular service provider. The configuration information includes information indicating a wireless network identifier (such as a network name or SSID value) assigned to the service provider. The wireless network identifier is available for use by communication devices to establish a wireless connection with the wireless access point and perform multiple different functions. For example, the configuration information can include multiple resource links assigned to the particular service provider. Via use of the wireless network identifier, a communication device can establish a wireless communication link with the wireless access point. The communication device communicates a selected one of the multiple links to the wireless access point to indicate which of multiple functions (such as online sign-up or actual use of wireless network services) can is being requested.
1. A method comprising:
via computer processor hardware in a wireless access point:
receiving configuration information assigned to a particular service provider that provides access through the wireless access point, the configuration information including: i) a wireless network identifier in which to establish a wireless connection with the wireless access point, and ii) multiple resource links assigned to the particular service provider for use by a communication device to communicate over a wireless link established with the wireless access point using the wireless network identifier; and
from the wireless access point, transmitting a wireless notification to the communication device, the wireless notification indicating: i) the wireless network identifier, and ii) the multiple resource links assigned to the particular service provider.
2. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the multiple resource links includes:
a first link selectable by a user operating the communication device to subscribe to wireless network services provided by the particular service provider through the wireless access point; and
a second link selectable by existing subscribers of the particular service provider to utilize the wireless network services provided by the particular service provider through the wireless access point, the wireless network services including access to a remote network.
3. The method as in claim 2 , wherein selection of the first link in a request to establish a wireless communication link using the wireless network identifier indicates that a user of the communication device is attempting to subscribe to the wireless network services.
4. The method as in claim 2 , wherein selection of the second link in a request to associate the communication device with the wireless access point using the wireless network identifier indicates that a user of the communication device is a pre-existing subscriber attempting to use the wireless network services provided by the particular service provider.
5. The method as in claim 2 further comprising:
receiving a request from the communication device to establish the wireless link between the communication device and the wireless access point based on the wireless network identifier, the request including selection of the first link indicating that the user of the communication device requests to subscribe to the wireless network services provided by the particular service provider; and
in response to receiving the request, initiating communications with an authentication server to provide the user of the communication device access to a remote server resource as specified by the first link to sign up for the wireless network services.
6. The method as in claim 5 , wherein initiating communications with the authentication server includes:
providing notification to the authentication server that the user of the communication device is not yet a subscriber of the particular service provider; and
receiving authorization from the authentication server to temporarily provide the communication device access over the wireless communication link to the remote server resource as specified by the first link, the remote server resource accessible by the user to sign up for wireless network services provided by the particular service provider.
7. The method as in claim 6 further comprising:
subsequent to the user communicating with the remote server resource to sign up to use the wireless network services provided by the particular service provider, receiving a message from the user to communicate with a second server resource as specified by the second link; and
in response to receiving the message, authorizing the user to use the wireless network services provided by the particular service provider.
8. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the wireless network identifier is an SSID value assigned to the particular service provider.
9. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the transmitted wireless notification includes identities of multiple service providers that support communications through the wireless access point, the identities including an identity of the particular service provider.
10. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the multiple resource links includes: i) a first link indicating an address of a first server resource, and ii) a second link indicating an address of a second server resource, the method further comprising:
establishing the wireless link between the communication device and the wireless access point, the wireless link providing a user of the communication device access to: i) the first server resource via the first link, and ii) the second server resource via the second link.
11. The method as in claim 10 further comprising:
conveying communications over the wireless link to register the user as a subscriber of services provided by the particular service provider.
12. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the multiple resource links includes:
a first link indicating a server resource, the first link selectable by a user operating the communication device to subscribe to wireless network services provided by the particular service provider through the wireless access point.
13. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the multiple resource links includes a first resource link in which to communicate with a first server resource as specified by the first resource link; and
wherein the multiple resource links includes a second resource link in which to communicate with a second server resource as specified by the second resource link.
14. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:
subsequent to transmitting the wireless notification, receiving a connection request from the communication device to establish the wireless link, the connection request including one of the multiple resource links selected by a user operating the communication device.
15. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the wireless notification is a response to the communication device, the wireless notification indicating availability of the wireless access point to support wireless communications prior to establishing the wireless link.
16. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the particular service provider is a first service provider; and
wherein the wireless network identifier is a first wireless network identifier as specified by the configuration information, the configuration information further indicating: i) a second wireless network identifier in which to establish a wireless connection with the wireless access point, and ii) multiple resource links assigned to a second service provider for use by a communication device to communicate over a wireless link established with the wireless access point using the second wireless network identifier.
17. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the wireless network identifier includes text indicating an identity of the particular service provider.
18. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the particular service provider is a first service provider;
wherein the wireless network identifier is a first wireless network identifier assigned to the first service provider; and
wherein the wireless network identifier enables the communication device to establish the wireless link with the wireless access point, and: i) register with a second wireless service provider, and ii) subsequent to registering, use subscription services supported by the second service provider using a second wireless network identifier, the second wireless network identifier assigned to the second service provider.
19. A method comprising:
via computer processor hardware in a wireless access point:
receiving configuration information assigned to a particular service provider, the configuration information including: i) a wireless network identifier in which to establish a wireless connection with the wireless access point, and ii) multiple resource links assigned to the particular service provider for use over a wireless link established using the wireless network identifier;
from the wireless access point, transmitting a wireless notification to a communication device, the wireless notification indicating: i) the wireless network identifier, and ii) the multiple resource links; and
transmitting the wireless notification to include service provider information associated with the wireless access point, the service provider information indicating identities of multiple service providers that support communications through the wireless access point, the identities including an identity of the particular service provider.
20. The method as in claim 19 , wherein the wireless network identifier enables the communication device to establish a connection with the wireless access point and: i) register with the multiple service providers and ii) subsequent to registering, use subscription services supported by the multiple service providers.
21. The method as in claim 20 , wherein the wireless network identifier is an SSID.
22. A system comprising:
computer processor hardware; and
a hardware storage resource coupled to communicate with the computer processor hardware, the hardware storage resource storing instructions that, when executed by the computer processor hardware, causes the computer processor hardware to perform operations of:
receiving configuration information assigned to a particular service provider, the configuration information including: i) a wireless network identifier in which to establish a wireless connection with the wireless access point, and ii) multiple resource links assigned to the particular service provider for use over a wireless link established using the wireless network identifier; and
from the wireless access point, transmitting a wireless notification to a communication device, the wireless notification indicating: i) the wireless network identifier, and ii) the multiple resource links.
23. The computer system as in claim 22 , wherein the multiple resource links includes:
a first link selectable to subscribe to wireless network services provided by the particular service provider through the wireless access point; and
a second link selectable by existing subscribers of the particular service provider to utilize the wireless network services provided by the particular service provider through the wireless access point, the wireless network services including access to a remote network.
24. The computer system as in claim 22 , wherein selection of the first link in a request to establish a wireless communication link using the wireless network identifier indicates that a user of the communication device is attempting to subscribe to the wireless network services.
25. The computer system as in claim 22 , wherein selection of the second link in a request to associate the communication device with the wireless access point using the wireless network identifier indicates that a user of the communication device is a pre-existing subscriber attempting to use the wireless network services provided by the particular service provider.
26. The computer system as in claim 22 , wherein the computer processor hardware further performs operations of:
receiving a request from the communication device to establish a wireless communication link between the communication device and the wireless access point based on the wireless network identifier, the request including selection of the first link indicating that a user of the communication device requests to subscribe to the wireless network services provided by the particular service provider; and
in response to receiving the request, initiating communications with an authentication server to provide the user of the communication device access to a remote server resource as specified by the first link to sign up for the wireless network services.
27. The computer system as in claim 26 , wherein initiating communications with the authentication server includes:
providing notification to the authentication server that the user of the communication device is not yet a subscriber of the particular service provider; and
receiving authorization from the authentication server to temporarily provide the communication device access over the wireless communication link to the remote server resource as specified by the first link, the remote server resource accessible by the user to sign up for wireless network services provided by the particular service provider.
28. The computer system as in claim 27 , wherein the computer processor hardware further performs operations of:
subsequent to the user communicating with the remote server resource to sign up to use the wireless network services provided by the particular service provider, receiving a message from the user to communicate with a second server resource as specified by the second link; and
in response to receiving the message, authorizing the user to use the wireless network services provided by the particular service provider.
29. The computer system as in claim 22 , wherein the wireless network identifier is an SSID assigned to the particular service provider.
30. The computer system as in claim 22 , wherein the computer processor hardware further performs operations of:
transmitting the wireless notification to include service provider information associated with the wireless access point, the service provider information indicating identities of multiple service providers including the particular service provider that support communications through the wireless access point.
31. The computer system as in claim 30 , wherein the wireless network identifier enables the communication device to perform association with the wireless access point and: i) register with the multiple service providers and ii) subsequent to registering, use subscription services supported by the multiple service providers.
32. Computer-readable storage hardware having instructions stored thereon, the instructions, when carried out by computer processor hardware, causing the computer processor hardware to perform operations of:
receiving configuration information assigned to a particular service provider, the configuration information including: i) a wireless network identifier in which to establish a wireless connection with a wireless access point, and ii) multiple resource links assigned to the particular service provider for use over a wireless link established using the wireless network identifier; and
from the wireless access point, transmitting a wireless notification to a communication device, the wireless notification indicating: i) the wireless network identifier, and ii) the multiple resource links.