Automatic provisioning of Wi-Fi connections for trailers

1. A method, comprising:

determining, by a device of a tractor unit, that the tractor unit is connected to a trailer via physical cabling, wherein the physical cabling forms a connection between a powerline communication (PLC) module of the tractor unit and a PLC module of the trailer, wherein the PLC modules enable PLC communications between the tractor unit and trailer over the physical cabling;

sending, by the device and via the PLC communications, a PLC message to the trailer that includes a service set identifier (SSID) and password for a Wi-Fi transceiver of the tractor unit;

receiving, at the Wi-Fi transceiver of the tractor unit, an association request sent wirelessly from a Wi-Fi transceiver of the trailer that is based on the sent SSID and password;

establishing, by the device, the Wi-Fi transceiver of the trailer as a Wi-Fi client of the Wi-Fi transceiver of the tractor unit;

receiving, at the device of the tractor unit, a PLC message from the trailer that includes an identifier for the Wi-Fi transceiver of the trailer;

verifying, at the device of the tractor unit and using the received identifier, that the trailer is correctly established to the tractor unit based on an external Internet-based service; and

using, by the device, the received identifier to prevent spoofed Wi-Fi transceivers from joining the Wi-Fi transceiver of the tractor unit as clients.

2. The method as in claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, at the Wi-Fi transceiver of the tractor unit, a communication from the Wi-Fi transceiver of the trailer; and

transmitting the received communication via the Internet to a destination.

3. The method as in claim 2 , wherein the received communication is transmitted via a cellular transceiver of the tractor unit.

4. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the physical cabling is J560 cabling.

5. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the identifier for the Wi-Fi transceiver of the trailer comprises a media access control (MAC) address.

6. The method as in claim 1 , further comprising:

sending an indication of the received identifier, a timestamp, and location information to an Internet-based service.

7. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the PLC message is sent to the trailer in response to the tractor unit starting.

8. The method as in claim 1 , wherein determining that the tractor unit is connected to the trailer via the physical cabling comprises:

receiving a signal from a switch mounted to the cabling.

9. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a device of a trailer and via powerline communication (PLC) communications enabled by a connection formed between a PLC module of the trailer and a PLC module of a tractor unit over physical cabling connecting the trailer and the tractor unit, a PLC message that includes a service set identifier (SSID) and password for a Wi-Fi transceiver of the tractor unit;

sending, by a Wi-Fi transceiver of the trailer, an association request to the Wi-Fi transceiver of the tractor unit that is based on the received SSID and password;

establishing the Wi-Fi transceiver of the trailer as a Wi-Fi client of the Wi-Fi transceiver of the tractor unit;

sending a wireless communication from the Wi-Fi transceiver of the trailer to the Wi-Fi transceiver of the tractor unit, wherein the tractor unit transmits the communication via the Internet to a destination; and

sending a PLC message from the trailer that includes an identifier for the Wi-Fi transceiver of the trailer, wherein the Wi-Fi transceiver of the tractor unit verifies, using the sent identifier, that the trailer is correctly established to the tractor unit based on an external Internet-based service and prevents spoofed Wi-Fi transceivers from joining the Wi-Fi transceiver of the tractor unit as clients.

10. The method as in claim 9 , wherein the physical cabling is J560 cabling.

11. The method as in claim 9 , wherein the identifier for the Wi-Fi transceiver of the trailer comprises a media access control (MAC) address.

12. An apparatus, comprising:

a powerline communication (PLC) network interface;

a Wi-Fi transceiver;

a processor coupled to the PLC network interface and the Wi-Fi transceiver that is configured to execute one or more processes; and

a memory configured to store a process executable by the processor, the process when executed configured to:

determine that a tractor unit is connected to a trailer via physical cabling, wherein the physical cabling forms a connection between the PLC network interface of the tractor unit and a PLC module of the trailer, wherein the PLC network interface and the PLC module enable PLC communications between the tractor unit and the trailer over the physical cabling;

send, via the physical cabling and the PLC network interface, a PLC message to the trailer that includes a service set identifier (SSID) and password for the Wi-Fi transceiver of the apparatus;

receive, at the Wi-Fi transceiver of the apparatus, an association request sent wirelessly from a Wi-Fi transceiver of the trailer that is based on the sent SSID and password;

establish, by the apparatus, the Wi-Fi transceiver of the trailer as a Wi-Fi client of the Wi-Fi transceiver of the apparatus;

receive, by the apparatus, a PLC message from the trailer that includes an identifier for the Wi-Fi transceiver of the trailer;

verify, using the received identifier, that the trailer is correctly established to the tractor unit based on an external Internet-based service; and

use the received identifier to prevent spoofed Wi-Fi transceivers from joining the Wi-Fi transceiver of the tractor unit as clients.

13. The apparatus as in claim 12 , wherein the process when executed is further configured to:

receive, at the Wi-Fi transceiver of the apparatus, a communication from the Wi-Fi transceiver of the trailer; and

transmit the received communication via the Internet to a destination.

14. The apparatus as in claim 13 , wherein the received communication is transmitted via a cellular transceiver of the tractor unit.

15. The apparatus as in claim 12 , wherein the apparatus determines that the tractor unit is connected to the trailer via physical cabling by exchanging PLC-based keepalive packets with the trailer.

16. The apparatus as in claim 12 , wherein the process when executed is further configured to:

block an association request based on a range or direction associated with the blocked association request relative to the Wi-Fi transceiver.

17. The apparatus as in claim 12 , wherein the apparatus determines that the tractor unit is connected to the trailer via the physical cabling by:

receiving a signal from a switch mounted to the cabling.