Wireless network steering
First Claim
1. A system comprising:
- one or more processors; and
at least one computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to;
receive one or more probe requests sent from a wireless client, the one or more probe requests requesting wireless network information from the system, the system being associated with a preferred wireless network and a non-preferred wireless network;
withhold a first probe response associated with the preferred wireless network until a first predetermined number of probe requests are received from the wireless client and a second probe response associated with the non-preferred wireless network until a second predetermined number of probe requests are received from the wireless client, the second predetermined number being greater than the first predetermined number; and
in response to receiving the first predetermined number of probe requests from the wireless client, send the first probe response associated with the preferred wireless network to the wireless client;
receive the second predetermined number of probe requests from the wireless client; and
in response to receiving the second predetermined number of probe requests from the wireless client, send the second probe response associated with the non-preferred wireless network;
determine that the wireless client is authorized to access the preferred wireless network;
detect a request by the wireless client to access the non-preferred wireless network; and
in response to detecting the request by the wireless client to access the non-preferred wireless network and determining that the wireless client is authorized to access the preferred wireless network, intercept the request by the wireless client to access the non-preferred wireless network and redirect the wireless client to a splash page comprising a notification indicating that the wireless client has a network configuration problem;
wherein receiving the second predetermined number of probe requests after the first predetermined number of probe requests reflects a failure of the wireless client to connect with the preferred wireless network such that the system continues to receive probe requests after sending the first probe response.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for steering authorized wireless clients to preferred or restricted wireless networks. In some examples, an access point associated with a preferred wireless network and a non-preferred wireless network can receive one or more probe requests from a wireless client. The access point can withhold a response to the one or more probe requests from the wireless client until a probe response triggering event is detected. In response to detecting the probe response triggering event, the access point can steer the wireless client towards the wireless network by sending, to the wireless client, a first probe response associated with the preferred wireless network and withholding a second probe response associated with the non-preferred wireless network.
174 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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one or more processors; and at least one computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to; receive one or more probe requests sent from a wireless client, the one or more probe requests requesting wireless network information from the system, the system being associated with a preferred wireless network and a non-preferred wireless network; withhold a first probe response associated with the preferred wireless network until a first predetermined number of probe requests are received from the wireless client and a second probe response associated with the non-preferred wireless network until a second predetermined number of probe requests are received from the wireless client, the second predetermined number being greater than the first predetermined number; and in response to receiving the first predetermined number of probe requests from the wireless client, send the first probe response associated with the preferred wireless network to the wireless client; receive the second predetermined number of probe requests from the wireless client; and in response to receiving the second predetermined number of probe requests from the wireless client, send the second probe response associated with the non-preferred wireless network; determine that the wireless client is authorized to access the preferred wireless network; detect a request by the wireless client to access the non-preferred wireless network; and in response to detecting the request by the wireless client to access the non-preferred wireless network and determining that the wireless client is authorized to access the preferred wireless network, intercept the request by the wireless client to access the non-preferred wireless network and redirect the wireless client to a splash page comprising a notification indicating that the wireless client has a network configuration problem; wherein receiving the second predetermined number of probe requests after the first predetermined number of probe requests reflects a failure of the wireless client to connect with the preferred wireless network such that the system continues to receive probe requests after sending the first probe response. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions which, when executed by one or more processors associated with an access point, cause the access point to perform operations comprising:
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receive one or more probe requests from a wireless client requesting wireless network information from the access point, the access point being associated with a preferred wireless network and a non-preferred wireless network; withhold, from the wireless client, a first probe response associated with the preferred wireless network and a second probe response associated with the non-preferred wireless network; receive one or more additional probe requests from the wireless client; when a total number of probe requests received from the wireless client is greater than a first predetermined number of probe requests and less than a second predetermined number of probe requests; send the first probe response associated with the preferred wireless network to the wireless client; and continue to withhold from the wireless client the second probe response associated with the non-preferred wireless network; and in response to the total number of probe requests received from the wireless client is greater than the second predetermined number of probe requests, send the second probe response associated with the non-preferred wireless network to the wireless client; determine that the wireless client is authorized to access the preferred wireless network; detect a request by the wireless client to access the non-preferred wireless network; and in response to detecting the request by the wireless client to access the non-preferred wireless network and determining that the wireless client is authorized to access the preferred wireless network, intercept the request by the wireless client to access the non-preferred wireless network and redirect the wireless client to a splash page comprising a notification indicating that the wireless client has a network configuration problem; wherein receiving more than the second predetermined number of probe requests after receipt of the first predetermined number of probe requests reflects a failure of the wireless client to connect with the preferred wireless network such that the access point continues to receive probe requests after sending the first probe response. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method comprising:
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receiving one or more probe requests sent from a wireless client, the one or more probe requests requesting wireless network information from a system, the system being associated with a preferred wireless network and a non-preferred wireless network; withholding a first probe response associated with the preferred wireless network until a first predetermined number of probe requests are received from the wireless client and a second probe response associated with the non-preferred wireless network until a second predetermined number of probe requests are received from the wireless client, the second predetermined number being greater than the first predetermined number; and in response to receiving the first predetermined number of probe requests from the wireless client, sending the first probe response associated with the preferred wireless network to the wireless client; receiving the second predetermined number of probe requests from the wireless client; and in response to receiving the second predetermined number of probe requests from the wireless client, sending the second probe response associated with the non-preferred wireless network; determining that the wireless client is authorized to access the preferred wireless network; detecting a request by the wireless client to access the non-preferred wireless network; and in response to detecting the request by the wireless client to access the non-preferred wireless network and determining that the wireless client is authorized to access the preferred wireless network, intercepting the request by the wireless client to access the non-preferred wireless network and redirect the wireless client to a splash page comprising a notification indicating that the wireless client has a network configuration problem; wherein receiving the second predetermined number of probe requests after the first predetermined number of probe requests reflects a failure of the wireless client to connect with the preferred wireless network such that the system continues to receive probe requests after sending the first probe response. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification