Security enhancement arrangement

• US 20060179300A1
• Filed: 02/04/2005
• Published: 08/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Kearney, Philip F. III, Newberry, Robert Dale Jr., Saxton, John A., Woodyatt, James
• Granted Patent: US 8,838,963 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/162
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a system for enhancing the security of wireless networks. In one aspect, a wireless access point that functions as a bridge between two networks is provided. The wireless access point is configured to establish separate associations for itself and each device connected to it. This provides for enhanced security in that each device connected to the wireless access point may be separately authenticated and in that separate encryption tunnels are established for each device connected to the wireless access point.

Claims

1. A wireless station comprising:

a radio transceiver;

at least one network interface connected to the radio transceiver and configured to establish a connection to a wireless access point connected to a first network across a radio link established by the transceiver;

at least one network interface configured to connect to one or more devices on a second network;

wherein the wireless station is configured to bridge the first and second networks by establishing a plurality of associations with the wireless access point, each association uniquely corresponding to one of the wireless station and the one or more devices on the second network.

2. The wireless station of claim 1 wherein the at least one network interface configured to connect to one or more devices on a second network comprises a wired network interface.

3. The wireless station of claim 1 wherein the at least one network interface configured to connect to one or more devices on a second network comprises a second wireless network interface.

4. The wireless station of claim 3 wherein the wireless station is configured to act as a wireless repeater.

5. The wireless station of claim 1 wherein the wireless station is further configured to establish an encryption tunnel for each of the plurality of associations.

6. The wireless station of claim 5 wherein the encryption tunnel is established in accordance with one or more protocols selected from the group consisting of WPA protocol and 802.11i.

7. The wireless access point of claim 1 wherein the plurality of associations are established such that the first network can individually authenticate each of the wireless station and the one or more devices on the second network.

8. The wireless station of claim 5 wherein the plurality of associations are established such that the first network can individually authenticate each of the wireless station and the one or more devices on the second network.

9. The wireless station of claim 7 wherein the authentication is performed in accordance with the WPA protocol.

10. The wireless station of claim 8 wherein the authentication is performed in accordance with the WPA protocol.

11. A network comprising:

a first network comprising one or more devices and a first wireless access point; and

a second network comprising one or more devices and a second wireless access point;

wherein the second wireless access point is configured to bridge the first and second networks by establishing a plurality of associations with the first wireless access point, each association uniquely corresponding to one of the second wireless access point and the one or more devices on the second network.

12. The network of claim 11 wherein the second wireless access point is further configured to establish an encryption tunnel for each of the plurality of associations.

13. The network of claim 12 wherein the encryption tunnel is established in accordance with one or more protocols selected from the group consisting of WPA protocol and 802.11i.

14. The network of claim 11 wherein the plurality of associations are established such that the first network can individually authenticate each of the wireless access point and the one or more devices on the second network.

15. The network of claim 12 wherein the plurality of associations are established such that the first network can individually authenticate each of the wireless access point and the one or more devices on the second network.

16. The network of claim 14 wherein the authentication is performed in accordance with the WPA protocol.

17. The network of claim 15 wherein the authentication is performed in accordance with the WPA protocol.

18. A method of connecting a plurality of computer devices on a first network to a second network using a first wireless access point configured to act as a wireless bridge, the method comprising:

establishing an association between the first wireless access point and a second wireless access point connected to the second network, wherein the association corresponds to the first wireless access point;

establishing at least one additional association between the first wireless access point and the second wireless access point, each of the at least one additional associations uniquely corresponding to one or more devices on the first network.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising establishing an encryption tunnel for each of the associations.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the encryption tunnel is established in accordance with the WPA protocol.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein the associations are established such that the first network can individually authenticate each of the wireless access point and the one or more devices on the second network.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein the plurality of associations are established such that the first network can individually authenticate each of the wireless access point and the one or more devices on the second network.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the authentication is performed in accordance with the WPA protocol.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the authentication is performed in accordance with the WPA protocol.