Method, system and apparatus for layer 3 roaming in wireless local area networks (WLANs)
First Claim
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1. A wireless local area network, comprising:
- a home wireless switch configured to support a first subnet;
a visited wireless switch configured to support a second subnet;
a UDP/IP tunnel between the home wireless switch and the visited wireless switch; and
a client, initially associated with the home wireless switch and having a client IP address from within the first subnet, wherein the client maintains the client IP address when the client roams from the home wireless switch to the visited wireless switch, and wherein the visited wireless switch is configured to receive an IP packet from the client and forwards the IP packet through the UDP/IP tunnel to the home wireless switch.
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Abstract
Techniques are provided for allowing a client, initially associated with a home wireless switch and having a client IP address from within a first subnet, to layer 3 roam from the home wireless switch to a visited wireless switch configured to support a second subnet. These techniques can be implemented, for example, in a wireless local area network.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. A wireless local area network, comprising:
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a home wireless switch configured to support a first subnet;
a visited wireless switch configured to support a second subnet;
a UDP/IP tunnel between the home wireless switch and the visited wireless switch; and
a client, initially associated with the home wireless switch and having a client IP address from within the first subnet, wherein the client maintains the client IP address when the client roams from the home wireless switch to the visited wireless switch, and wherein the visited wireless switch is configured to receive an IP packet from the client and forwards the IP packet through the UDP/IP tunnel to the home wireless switch. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. In a wireless local area network a method for allowing a client, initially associated with a home wireless switch and having a client IP address from within a first subnet, to roam from the home wireless switch to a visited wireless switch configured to support a second subnet, the method comprising:
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creating a UDP/IP tunnel between the home wireless switch and the visited wireless switch; and
maintaining the client IP address of the client when the client roams from the home wireless switch to the visited wireless switch;
receiving an IP packet from the client at the visited wireless switch; and
forwarding the IP packet through the UDP/IP tunnel to the home wireless switch. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A registration server coupled to a home wireless switch configured to support a first subnet and a visited wireless switch configured to support a second subnet in wireless local area network comprising a UDP/IP tunnel between the home wireless switch and the visited wireless switch and a client, initially associated with the home wireless switch and having a client IP address from within the first subnet, comprising:
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a receiver configured to receive registration information associated with each client from each of the wireless switches;
a processor configured to create an active client list using the registration information from each client, wherein the registration information from each client comprises a MAC address of the client, the client IP address of the client, the home wireless switch of the client, the visited wireless switch of the client, inactivity timers for the home wireless switch and the visited wireless switch; and
a transmitter configured to send a copy of the active client list to each wireless switch in the wireless local area network.
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24. A visited wireless switch configured to support a second subnet in a wireless local area network comprising a home wireless switch configured to support a first subnet, a UDP/IP tunnel between the home wireless switch and the visited wireless switch, and a client, initially associated with the home wireless switch and having a client IP address from within the first subnet, wherein the client maintains the client IP address when the client roams from the home wireless switch and the visited wireless switch, comprising:
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a receiver configured to receive, after the client has roamed from the home wireless switch to the visited wireless switch, an IP packet sent from the client; and
a transmitter configured to send, after the client has roamed from the home wireless switch to the visited wireless switch, the IP packet through the UDP/IP tunnel to the home wireless switch. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A home wireless switch configured to support a first subnet in a wireless local area network comprising a visited wireless switch configured to support a second subnet, a UDP/IP tunnel between the home wireless switch and the visited wireless switch, and a client, initially associated with the home wireless switch and having a client IP address from within the first subnet, wherein the client maintains the client IP address when the client roams from the home wireless switch and the visited wireless switch, comprising:
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a plurality of ports, wherein a first one of the ports is configured to be coupled to the UDP/IP tunnel;
a receiver coupled to the first port and configured to receive, after the client has roamed from the home wireless switch to the visited wireless switch, an IP packet sent from the visited wireless switch through the UDP/IP tunnel, wherein the IP packet originates at the client, and wherein the receiver is configured to receive a second IP packet addressed to the client; and
a transmitter coupled to the first port and configured to send, after the client has roamed from the home wireless switch to the visited wireless switch, the second IP packet to the visited wireless switch through the UDP/IP tunnel, wherein the visited wireless switch sends the second IP packet to the client. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification