Authentication for wireless networks
A network system includes a processor and memory encoded with instructions that, when executed, cause the system to receive an offered pre-shared key from a wireless device via a wireless network; access a mapped key-user pair comprising a unique pre-shared key and a user profile; and determine whether the offered pre-shared key corresponds to the unique pre-shared key. The instructions further permit the wireless device to connect to the wireless network according to a network policy associated with the mapped key-user pair in response to determining that the offered pre-shared key corresponds to the unique pre-shared key, or reject a network connection between the wireless device and the wireless network in response to determining that the offered pre-shared key does not correspond to the unique pre-shared key. The unique pre-shared key is used to encrypt and decrypt data transmitted between the wireless device and the wireless network.
1 . A network system comprising:
a processor; and
computer-readable memory encoded with instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the network system to:
receive an offered pre-shared key from a wireless device via a wireless network;
access a mapped key-user pair, the mapped key-user pair comprising a unique pre-shared key and a user profile;
determine whether the offered pre-shared key corresponds to the unique pre-shared key of the mapped key-user pair; and
permit the wireless device to connect to the wireless network according to a network policy associated with the mapped key-user pair in response to determining that the offered pre-shared key corresponds to the unique pre-shared key of the mapped key-user pair, or reject a network connection between the wireless device and the wireless network in response to determining that the offered pre-shared key does not correspond to the unique pre-shared key of the mapped key-user pair;
wherein the unique pre-shared key is used to encrypt and decrypt data transmitted between the wireless device and the wireless network.
2 . The network system of claim 1 , wherein the unique pre-shared key is a sequence of alphanumeric and/or special characters.
3 . The network system of claim 2 , wherein the unique pre-shared key is human-readable.
4 . The network system of claim 1 , wherein the mapped key-user pair represents an individual association between the network policy, the unique pre-shared key, and the user profile.
5 . The network system of claim 1 , wherein the mapped key-user pair is included in a mapped key-user pair group that represents a grouped association between the network policy and multiple key-user pairs of the mapped key-user pair group.
6 . The network system of claim 1 , wherein the network policy includes at least one of:
a policy for limiting a bandwidth rate of the wireless device over the wireless network;
a policy for permitting the wireless device to connect to a plurality of wireless devices on the wireless network that are connected using a same unique pre-shared key; and
a policy for limiting a number of devices that can connect to the wireless network using the same unique pre-shared key.
7 . The network system of claim 1 , wherein the network policy includes at least one of:
a policy for permitting only internet access;
a policy for permitting access to specific network resources; and
a policy for restricting access to specific network resources.
8 . The network system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions that cause the network system to determine whether the offered pre-shared key corresponds to the unique pre-shared key of the mapped key-user pair further cause the network system to determine whether the offered pre-shared key and the unique pre-shared key are identical.
9 . The network system of claim 1 , wherein the network system further communicates an indication to the wireless device in response to determining that the offered pre-shared key does not correspond to the unique pre-shared key of the mapped key-user pair.
10 . The network system of claim 1 , wherein the mapped key-user pair is stored in a remote database.
11 . A method of authentication for a managed wireless network comprising:
receiving an offered pre-shared key from a wireless device;
accessing a mapped key-user pair, the mapped key-user pair comprising a unique pre-shared key and a user profile;
determining whether the offered pre-shared key corresponds to the unique pre-shared key of the mapped key-user pair;
permitting the wireless device to connect to the wireless network according to a network policy associated with the mapped key-user pair in response to determining that the offered pre-shared key corresponds to the unique pre-shared key of the mapped key-user pair, or rejecting a network connection between the wireless device and the wireless network in response to determining that the offered pre-shared key does not correspond to the unique pre-shared key of the mapped key-user pair; and
encrypting and decrypting data transmitted between the wireless device and the wireless network using the unique pre-shared key.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the unique pre-shared key is a sequence of alphanumeric and/or special characters.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the unique pre-shared key is human-readable.
14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the mapped key-user pair represents an individual association between the network policy, the unique pre-shared key, and the user profile.
15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the mapped key-user pair is included in a mapped key-user pair group that represents a grouped association between the network policy and multiple key-user pairs of the mapped key-user pair group.
16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the network policy includes at least one of:
a policy for limiting a bandwidth rate of the wireless device over the wireless network;
a policy for permitting the wireless device to connect to a plurality of wireless devices on the wireless network that are connected using a same unique pre-shared key; and
a policy for limiting a number of devices that can connect to the wireless network using the same unique pre-shared key.
17 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the network policy includes at least one of:
a policy for permitting only internet access;
a policy for permitting access to specific network resources; and
a policy for restricting access to specific network resources.
18 . The method of claim 11 , wherein determining whether the offered pre-shared key corresponds to the unique pre-shared key of the mapped key-user pair further comprises determining whether the offered pre-shared key and the unique pre-shared key are identical.
19 . The method of claim 11 and further comprising:
communicating an indication to the wireless device in response to determining that the offered pre-shared key does not correspond to the unique pre-shared key of the mapped key-user pair.
20 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the mapped key-user pair is stored in a remote database.