Wireless extender with on-boarding SSID for simple and extensible onboarding

1. A wireless network system comprising:

an electronic apparatus including a memory having stored therein a first onboarding program, a controller comprising a processor that executes the first onboarding program to, in response to an onboarding command signal, initiate an extender onboarding process; and

an extender apparatus for establishing a wireless backhaul link with the electronic apparatus, said extender apparatus including: a wireless communication circuit, a memory having stored therein a second onboarding program and preconfigured extender onboarding credentials including an onboarding SSID (service set ID) for establishing an onboarding wireless communication link reserved for onboarding the extender apparatus with the electronic apparatus, and a controller comprising a processor that executes the second onboarding program to:

scan for signals detected by the wireless communication circuit operating as a station having extender onboarding credentials including the onboarding SSID transmitted by the electronic apparatus during the extender onboarding process that match the preconfigured extender onboarding credentials including the onboarding SSID stored in the memory of the extender apparatus;

in response to detection of the extender onboarding credentials including the onboarding SSID sent by the electronic apparatus matching the preconfigured extender onboarding credentials including the onboarding SSID stored in the memory of the extender apparatus, establish the onboarding wireless communication link reserved for onboarding the extender apparatus with the electronic apparatus;

transmit a backhaul information request to the electronic apparatus via the onboarding wireless communication link;

receive backhaul credentials, including a backhaul SSID, from the electronic apparatus via the onboarding wireless communication link;

after receiving the backhaul credentials, establish the wireless backhaul link with the electronic apparatus by disassociating the extender apparatus from the onboarding SSID, configuring a backhaul station (bSTA) according to the backhaul credentials including the backhaul SSID, and associating the bSTA of the extender apparatus with the backhaul SSID to establish the wireless backhaul link with the electronic apparatus based on the backhaul SSID, wherein the wireless backhaul link is different from the onboarding wireless communication link, and wherein use of the wireless backhaul link requires the backhaul SSID; and

after establishing the wireless backhaul link, end the extender onboarding process, and wirelessly communicate with the electronic apparatus via the wireless backhaul link.

2. The wireless network system according to claim 1 , wherein

the processor of the electronic apparatus further executes the first onboarding program to, in response to receiving the backhaul information request, generate a challenge including a nonce, and transmit the challenge via the onboarding wireless communication link to the extender apparatus;

the processor of the extender apparatus further executes the second onboarding program to receive the challenge, including the nonce, from the electronic apparatus via the onboarding wireless communication link, execute a process of digitally signing the nonce with a public key of the extender device certificate, which is stored in memory, generate a challenge response, which includes the certificate and the signed nonce, and transmit the challenge response to the electronic apparatus via the onboarding wireless communication link; and

the processor of the electronic apparatus further executes the first onboarding program to receive the challenge response, determine whether the challenge response is correct, and if correct, send the backhaul credentials, including the backhaul SSID, via the onboarding wireless communication link.

3. The wireless network system according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic apparatus includes a button, the onboarding command signal results from a push of the button, and in response to the onboarding command signal, the processor of the electronic apparatus executes the first onboarding program to initiate both the extender onboarding process and a device pairing process.

4. The wireless network system according to claim 3 , wherein the processor of the electronic apparatus further executes the first onboarding program to determine extender onboarding process failure when the wireless backhaul link is not established within a predetermined period of time, to determine pairing process failure when the pairing process is not completed within a the predetermined period of time, and to end both the onboarding process and the pairing process when either extender onboarding process failure or pairing process failure is determined.

5. The wireless network system according to claim 3 , wherein the processor of the electronic apparatus further executes the first onboarding program to determine extender onboarding process success when the wireless backhaul link is established, to determine pairing process success when the pairing process is completed, and to end both the onboarding process and the pairing process when either extender onboarding process success or pairing process success is determined.

6. The wireless network system according to claim 1 , wherein the processor of the electronic apparatus further executes the first onboarding program to determine process failure when the wireless backhaul link is not established within a predetermined period of time, and to end the onboarding process when process failure is determined.

7. The wireless network system according to claim 1 , for use with a mobile electronic device, wherein

the onboarding command signal results from receipt of a signal from the mobile electronic device; and

the electronic apparatus transmits a signal to the mobile electronic device indicating success or failure of the onboarding process.

8. The wireless network system according to claim 1 , further comprising a gateway apparatus, wherein the electronic apparatus is a second extender, which was previously onboarded to the gateway apparatus.

9. The wireless network system according to claim 8 , wherein

the gateway apparatus includes a memory having stored therein a third onboarding program, a controller comprising a processor that executes the third onboarding program;

the second extender relays information from the extender apparatus to the gateway apparatus;

the processor of the gateway apparatus executes the third onboarding program to, in response to receiving the backhaul information request, generate a challenge including a nonce, and transmit the challenge via the onboarding wireless communication link to the extender apparatus;

the processor of the extender apparatus further executes the second onboarding program to receive the challenge, including the nonce, from the gateway apparatus via the onboarding wireless communication link, execute a process of digitally signing the nonce with a public key of the extender device certificate, which is stored in memory, generate a challenge response, which includes the certificate and the signed nonce, and transmit the challenge response to the gateway apparatus via the onboarding wireless communication link; and

the processor of the gateway apparatus further executes the third onboarding program to receive the challenge response, determine whether the challenge response is correct, and if correct, send the backhaul credentials, including the backhaul SSID, via the onboarding wireless communication link.

10. The wireless network system according to claim 9 , wherein two or more of the first, second, and third onboarding programs are identical software programs.

11. The wireless network system according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second onboarding programs are identical software programs.

12. A method of establishing a backhaul wireless connection between an electronic apparatus and an extender apparatus comprising:

executing with a processor in the electronic apparatus a first onboarding program to, in response to an onboarding command signal, initiate an extender onboarding process; and

executing with a processor in the extender apparatus a second onboarding program to:

scan for signals detected by a wireless communication circuit of the extender apparatus operating as a station having extender onboarding credentials including an onboarding SSID transmitted by the electronic apparatus during the extender onboarding process that match preconfigured extender onboarding credentials including the onboarding SSID stored in the memory of the extender apparatus;

in response to detection of the extender onboarding credentials including the onboarding SSID sent by the electronic apparatus matching the preconfigured extender onboarding credentials including the onboarding SSID stored in the memory of the extender apparatus, establish an onboarding wireless communication link reserved for onboarding the extender apparatus with the electronic apparatus;

transmit a backhaul information request to the electronic apparatus via the onboarding wireless communication link;

receive backhaul credentials, including a backhaul SSID, from the electronic apparatus via the onboarding wireless communication link;

after receiving the backhaul credentials, establish a wireless backhaul link with the electronic apparatus by disassociating the extender apparatus from the onboarding SSID, configuring a backhaul station (bSTA) according to the backhaul credentials including the backhaul SSID, and associating the bSTA of the extender apparatus with the backhaul SSID to establish the wireless backhaul link with the electronic apparatus based on the backhaul SSID, wherein the wireless backhaul link is different from the onboarding wireless communication link, and wherein use of the wireless backhaul link requires the backhaul SSID; and

after establishing the wireless backhaul link, end the extender onboarding process, and wirelessly communicate with the electronic apparatus via the wireless backhaul link.

13. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising:

further executing, with the processor of the electronic apparatus, the first onboarding program to, in response to receiving the backhaul information request, generate a challenge including a nonce, and transmit the challenge via the onboarding wireless communication link to the extender apparatus;

further executing, with the processor of the extender apparatus, the second onboarding program to receive the challenge, including the nonce, from the electronic apparatus via the onboarding wireless communication link, execute a process of digitally signing the nonce with a public key of the extender device certificate, which is stored in memory, generate a challenge response, which includes the certificate and the signed nonce, and transmit the challenge response to the electronic apparatus via the onboarding wireless communication link; and

further executing, with the processor of the electronic apparatus, the first onboarding program to receive the challenge response, determine whether the challenge response is correct, and if correct, send the backhaul credentials, including the backhaul SSID, via the onboarding wireless communication link.

14. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the onboarding command signal results from a push of a button, said method further comprising, in response to the onboarding command signal, executing, with the processor of the electronic apparatus, the first onboarding program to initiate both the extender onboarding process and a device pairing process.

15. The method according to claim 14 , further comprising:

further executing, with the processor of the electronic apparatus, the first onboarding program to determine extender onboarding process failure when the wireless backhaul link is not established within a predetermined period of time, to determine pairing process failure when the pairing process is not completed within a the predetermined period of time, and to end both the onboarding process and the pairing process when either extender onboarding process failure or pairing process failure is determined.

16. The method according to claim 14 , further comprising:

further executing, with the processor of the electronic apparatus, the first onboarding program to determine extender onboarding process success when the wireless backhaul link is established, to determine pairing process success when the pairing process is completed, and to end both the onboarding process and the pairing process when either extender onboarding process success or pairing process success is determined.

17. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising further executing, with the processor of the electronic apparatus, the first onboarding program to determine process failure when the wireless backhaul link is not established within a predetermined period of time, and to end the onboarding process when process failure is determined.

18. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the onboarding command signal results from receipt of a signal from a mobile electronic device, said method further comprising transmitting, with the electronic apparatus, a signal to the mobile electronic device indicating success or failure of the onboarding process.

19. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the electronic apparatus is a second extender, which was previously onboarded to a gateway apparatus, and the second extender relays information from the extender apparatus to the gateway apparatus, said method further comprising:

executing, with the gateway apparatus, a third onboarding program to, in response to receiving the backhaul information request, generate a challenge including a nonce, and transmit the challenge via the onboarding wireless communication link to the extender apparatus;

further executing, with the processor of the extender apparatus, the second onboarding program to receive the challenge, including the nonce, from the gateway apparatus via the onboarding wireless communication link, execute a process of digitally signing the nonce with a public key of the extender device certificate, which is stored in memory, generate a challenge response, which includes the certificate and the signed nonce, and transmit the challenge response to the gateway apparatus via the onboarding wireless communication link; and

further executing, with the processor of the gateway apparatus, the third onboarding program to receive the challenge response, determine whether the challenge response is correct, and if correct, send the backhaul credentials, including the backhaul SSID, via the onboarding wireless communication link.

20. The wireless network system according to claim 19 , wherein two or more of the first, second, and third onboarding programs are identical software programs.

21. The wireless network system according to claim 12 , wherein the first and second onboarding programs are identical software programs.

22. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a program for establishing a backhaul wireless connection between an electronic apparatus and an extender apparatus, the program being executed by processors on the electronic apparatus and the extender apparatus, respectively, to perform at least:

executing with a processor in the electronic apparatus a first onboarding program to, in response to an onboarding command signal, initiate an extender onboarding process; and

executing with a processor in the extender apparatus a second onboarding program to:

scan for signals detected by a wireless communication circuit of the extender apparatus operating as a station having extender onboarding credentials including an onboarding SSID transmitted by the electronic apparatus during the extender onboarding process that match the preconfigured extender onboarding credentials including the onboarding SSID stored in the memory of the extender apparatus;

in response to detection of the extender onboarding credentials including the onboarding SSID sent by the electronic apparatus matching the preconfigured extender onboarding credentials including the onboarding SSID stored in the memory of the extender apparatus, establish an onboarding wireless communication link reserved for onboarding the extender apparatus with the electronic apparatus;

transmit a backhaul information request to the electronic apparatus via the onboarding wireless communication link;

receive backhaul credentials, including a backhaul SSID, from the electronic apparatus via the onboarding wireless communication link;

after receiving the backhaul credentials, establish a wireless backhaul link with the electronic apparatus by disassociating the extender apparatus from the onboarding SSID, configuring a backhaul station (bSTA) according to the backhaul credentials including the backhaul SSID, and associating the bSTA of the extender apparatus with the backhaul SSID to establish the wireless backhaul link with the electronic apparatus based on the backhaul SSID, wherein the wireless backhaul link is different from the onboarding wireless communication link, and wherein use of the wireless backhaul link requires the backhaul SSID; and

after establishing the wireless backhaul link, end the extender onboarding process, and wirelessly communicate with the electronic apparatus via the wireless backhaul link.