Automatic configuration of wireless connections between routers and wireless devices
The techniques described herein are directed to automatically configuring a wireless device (e.g., an extender or other type of CPE) to connect with and communicate with a wireless router without utilizing any in-line user pairing or input. The techniques include detecting the presence of a wireless device, determining that the wireless device is expected based on stored information (which may have been provisioned into the router), and configuring, based on the determination and the stored information, the router and/or the wireless device to communicate with each other. The router and/or the wireless device may validate the wireless device based on the stored information. A wireless device which has an established connection with the router may utilize the techniques described herein so that a chain of interconnected wireless devices may be automatically detected and auto-configured to provide wireless connectivity and service data delivery throughout a service location.
1 . A method at a wireless device, the method comprising:
transmitting, by the wireless device and via a beacon or broadcast channel, a signal indicative of a presence of the wireless device, the transmitting of the signal including at least one of:
transmitting the signal upon the wireless device booting up or restarting;
transmitting the signal via at least one of: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, ZigBee, Z-Wave, Thread, ultra-wideband (UWB), Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), Near Field Communication (NFC), infrared (IR), SparkLink, or another short-range wireless technology; or
transmitting a broadcast signal; and
exclusive of any in-line user input received by the wireless device:
responsive to the transmitting, receiving, by the wireless device and from a router, configuration data for the wireless device, the configuration data included in information indicative of a set of expected wireless devices corresponding to the router, the information stored at one or more back-end servers and obtained, by the router, from the one or more back-end servers;
comparing, by the wireless device, the received configuration data with configuration information with which the wireless device has been pre-populated; and
when the received configuration data and the pre-populated configuration information are in accordance:
transmitting, by the wireless device and to the router, an indication of a validation of the wireless device being included in the set of expected wireless devices of the router; and
establishing, by the wireless device and based on the validation, a wireless connection with the router via which service content data is delivered between the router and the wireless device.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving of the configuration data includes receiving an indication of at least one of: a serial number, a media access control (MAC) address, an Internet Protocol (IP), a node identifier (ID), a tag, an identification code, a key, a certificate, a Service Set Identifier (SSID) or other type of network ID or address, other identification information, or other configuration information.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the configuration information with which the wireless device has been pre-populated includes at least one of: a serial number, a media access control (MAC) address, an Internet Protocol (IP), a node identifier (ID), a tag, an identification code, a key, a certificate, a Service Set Identifier (SSID) or other type of network ID or address, other information indicative of the wireless device, or other information indicative of a configuration of the wireless device.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the establishing of the wireless connection with the router includes at least one of authenticating the wireless device or authorizing the wireless device via at least one of a shared key or a certificate.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the establishing of the wireless connection with the router and exclusive of any in-line user input includes establishing the wireless connection with the router without utilizing any manual pairing of the router and the wireless device.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the wireless device is a first wireless device, and the method further comprises:
detecting, by the first wireless device, a presence of a second wireless device; and
attempting to establish, by the first wireless device and exclusive of any in-line user input corresponding to the detecting of the presence of the second wireless device, a wireless connection with the second wireless device, the attempting to establish including:
obtaining, by the first wireless device and from the router, second configuration data for the second wireless device, the second configuration data included in the information indicative of the set of expected wireless devices corresponding to the router; and
transmitting, by the first wireless device, the second configuration data to the second wireless device.
7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
responsive to the transmitting of the second configuration data, receiving, from the second wireless device, an indication of a validation, by the second wireless device, of the second wireless device being included in the set of expected wireless devices; and
based on the receiving of the indication of the validation by the second wireless device:
configuring the first wireless device to communicate with the second wireless device;
establishing, by the first wireless device, the wireless connection with the second wireless device; and
transmitting, by the first wireless device, the service content data to the second wireless device via the second wireless connection.
8 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising upon failing to establish the wireless connection with the second wireless device, initiating a manual pairing procedure between the second wireless device and at least one of the router or the first wireless device.
9 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the detecting of the presence of the second wireless device includes detecting a presence of a network extender.
10 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the detecting of the presence of the second wireless device includes detecting a presence of an Internet-of-Things (IOT) device, a mobile computing device, a consumer electronics device, a household appliance, or another type of wireless device having a user interface and disposed at a location at which the router is disposed.
11 . A wireless device configured to:
wirelessly transmit, via a beacon or broadcast channel, a signal indicative of a presence of the wireless device, the wireless transmission of the signal being at least one of:
a transmission of the signal upon the wireless device booting up or restarting;
a transmission of the signal via at least one of: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, ZigBee, Z-Wave, Thread, ultra-wideband (UWB), Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), Near Field Communication (NFC), infrared (IR), SparkLink, or another short-range wireless technology; or
a transmission of a broadcast signal; and
exclusive of any in-line user input received by the wireless device:
receive, from a router and in response to the wireless transmission, configuration data for the wireless device, the configuration data included in information indicative of a set of expected wireless devices corresponding to the router, the information stored at one or more back-end servers and obtained, by the router, from the one or more back-end servers;
compare the received configuration data with configuration information with which the wireless device has been pre-populated; and
when the received configuration data and the pre-populated configuration information are in accordance:
transmit, to the router, an indication of a validation of the wireless device being included in the set of expected wireless devices of the router; and
establish, based on the validation, a wireless connection with the router via which service content data is delivered between the router and the wireless device.
12 . The wireless device of claim 11 , wherein the received configuration data includes an indication of at least one of: a serial number, a media access control (MAC) address, an Internet Protocol (IP), a node identifier (ID), a tag, an identification code, a key, a certificate, a Service Set Identifier (SSID) or other type of network ID or address, other identification information, or other configuration information.
13 . The wireless device of claim 11 , wherein the configuration information with which the wireless device has been pre-populated includes at least one of: a serial number, a media access control (MAC) address, an Internet Protocol (IP), a node identifier (ID), a tag, an identification code, a key, a certificate, a Service Set Identifier (SSID) or other type of network ID or address, other information identifying the wireless device, or other information indicative of a configuration of the wireless device.
14 . The wireless device of claim 11 , wherein the establishment of the wireless connection with the router includes at least one of an authentication of the wireless device or an authorization the wireless device via at least one of a shared key or a certificate.
15 . The wireless device of claim 11 , wherein the establishment of the wireless connection with the router and exclusive of any in-line user input includes an establishment of the wireless connection with the router without any manual pairing of the router and the wireless device.
16 . The wireless device of claim 11 , wherein the wireless device is a first wireless device, and the first wireless device is further configured to:
detect a presence of a second wireless device; and
responsive to the detection, attempt to establish, exclusive of any in-line user input corresponding to the detection, a wireless connection with the second wireless device, the attempt to establish including:
obtaining, from the router, second configuration data for the second wireless device, the second configuration data included in the information indicative of the set of expected wireless devices corresponding to the router; and
transmitting the second configuration data to the second wireless device.
17 . The wireless device of claim 16 , wherein the first wireless device is further configured to:
responsive to the transmission of the second configuration data, receive, from the second wireless device, an indication of a validation, by the second wireless device, of the second wireless device being included in the set of expected wireless devices; and
based on the reception of the indication of the validation by the second wireless device:
configure the first wireless device to communicate with the second wireless device;
establish the wireless connection with the second wireless device; and
transmit the service content data to the second wireless device via the second wireless connection.
18 . The wireless device of claim 16 , wherein the first wireless device is further configured to: upon a failure to establish the wireless connection with the second wireless device, initiate a manual pairing procedure between the second wireless device and at least one of the router or the first wireless device.
19 . The wireless device of claim 16 , wherein the second wireless device is a network extender.
20 . The wireless device of claim 16 , wherein the second wireless device is an Internet-of-Things (IOT) device, a mobile computing device, a consumer electronics device, a household appliance, or another type of wireless device having a user interface and disposed at a location at which the router is disposed.