Auto-configuration of wireless network extender

1. A method for configuration of a network extender by an access point, the method comprising:

receiving a message from the network extender, wherein the message identifies the network extender to the access point, and wherein the message comprises information identifying a network location of the network extender, wherein the network extender is associated with a server, and wherein the server comprises an HTTP-S server;

based upon the received message, determining the network location of the network extender;

establishing a secure connection between the access point and the network extender;

receiving a server secure sockets layer (SSL) certificate at the access point, wherein the SSL certificate is received from the network extender;

authenticating the digital certificate as valid using a SSL root certificate that is pre-provisioned at the access point;

outputting a configuration message to the server associated with the network extender, wherein the configuration message comprises one or more network parameters; and

wherein the access point does not receive an acknowledgement message from the network extender in response to the output of the configuration message, outputting one or more subsequent configuration messages to the server associated with the network extender.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the message received from the network extender comprises an advertisement message.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

outputting a search message from the access point; and

wherein the message received from the network extender comprises a search response message.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

retrieving device description information associated with the network extender; and

determining that the network extender supports automatic configuration based upon a comparison of the device description information associated with the network extender to device description information identifying one or more devices that support automatic configuration.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more network parameters comprise parameters associated with one or more service sets that are configured at the access point.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more network parameters comprise parameters that, when applied at the network extender, allow the network extender to pass communications between a client device and the access point.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving an update to one or more network parameters at the access point; and

outputting a subsequent configuration message to the server associated with the network extender, wherein the subsequent configuration message comprises the updated one or more network parameters.

8. One or more non-transitory computer readable media having instructions operable to cause one or more processors to perform the operations comprising:

receiving a message from a network extender, wherein the message identifies the network extender to an access point, and wherein the message comprises information identifying a network location of the network extender, wherein the network extender is associated with a server, and wherein the server comprises an HTTP-S server;

based upon the received message, determining the network location of the network extender;

establishing a secure connection between the access point and the server associated with the network extender;

receiving a server secure sockets layer (SSL) certificate at the access point, wherein the SSL certificate is received from the network extender;

authenticating the digital certificate as valid using a SSL root certificate that is pre-provisioned at the access point; and

outputting a configuration message to the server associated with the network extender, wherein the configuration message comprises one or more network parameters; and

wherein the access point does not receive an acknowledgement message from the network extender in response to the output of the configuration message, outputting one or more subsequent configuration messages to the server associated with the network extender.

9. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8 , wherein the message received from the network extender comprises an advertisement message.

10. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8 , wherein the instructions are further operable to cause one or more processors to perform the operations comprising:

outputting a search message from the access point; and

wherein the message received from the network extender comprises a search response message.

11. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8 , wherein the instructions are further operable to cause one or more processors to perform the operations comprising:

retrieving device description information associated with the network extender;

determining that the network extender supports automatic configuration based upon a comparison of the device description information associated with the network extender to device description information identifying one or more devices that support automatic configuration.

12. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8 , wherein the one or more network parameters comprise parameters associated with one or more service sets that are configured at the access point.

13. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8 , wherein the instructions are further operable to cause one or more processors to perform the operations comprising:

receiving an update to one or more network parameters at the access point; and

outputting a subsequent configuration message to the server associated with the network extender, wherein the subsequent configuration message comprises the updated one or more network parameters.