CONFIGURING A WIRELESS ROUTER

• US 20090147700A1
• Filed: 11/13/2008
• Published: 06/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CradlePoint Incorporated (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: CradlePoint Incorporated (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Johnson, David Alan, Sewall, Patrick
• Granted Patent: US 9,294,353 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0253 using browsers or web-pages for accessing management information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/00 Communication routing or communication path finding
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A method for configuring a wireless router includes electronically reading information that is unique to the wireless router. A code is automatically generated from the information. The generated code is automatically set as one or more of a network name and a device password for the wireless router.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a wireless router, comprising:

electronically reading information that is unique to the wireless router;

automatically generating a code from the information;

automatically setting the automatically generated code as one or more of a network name and a password for the wireless router.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein reading, generating, and setting are performed by the wireless router.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein generating comprises generating a first code and a second code different from the first code and wherein setting comprises automatically setting the first code as the network name and automatically setting the second code as the device password.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein electronically reading comprises electronically reading one of a hardware address assigned to the wireless router and data from a data capable cellular device in communication with the wireless router.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the information is a hardware address of the wireless router, the method further comprising marking the wireless router with a physical representation of the code.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein marking comprises:

remotely reading the information that is unique to the wireless router;

automatically generating the code from the remotely read information;

generating a label that includes the physical representation of the code; and

affixing the label to the wireless router.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein marking comprises:

causing the wireless router to broadcast the code that was set as the network name;

receiving the broadcasted code;

generating a label that includes the physical representation of the code; and

affixing the label to the wireless router.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein marking comprises:

causing a wireless network interface to broadcast the information that is unique to the wireless router;

receiving the broadcasted information;

automatically generating the code from the received information generating a label that includes the physical representation of the code; and

affixing the label to the wireless router.

9. The method of claim 1:

further comprising automatically determining if one or more of the network name and the device password for the wireless router has been manually set prior to setting the generated code as the network name or device password for the wireless router; and

wherein the acts of electronically reading, automatically generating, and automatically setting are performed only if the act of determining reveals that one or both of the network name and the device password for the wireless router has not been manually set.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising broadcasting the network name automatically or manually set for the wireless router.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically generating a code from the information comprises one of:

combining at least a portion of the information with a predetermined data string to generate the code;

applying an algorithm to the information to generate the code; and

applying an algorithm to the information to generate a unique data string and combining the unique data string with a predetermined static data string to generate the code.

12. A computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions that when executed implement a method for configuring a wireless router, the medium including instructions for:

electronically reading information unique to the wireless router;

automatically generating a code from the information;

automatically setting the automatically generated code as one or more of a network name and a device password for the wireless router.

13. The medium of claim 14, wherein the instructions for generating include instructions for automatically generating a first code and a second code different from the first code and wherein the instructions for setting include instructions for automatically setting the first code as the network name and automatically setting the second code as the device password.

14. The medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions for electronically reading include instructions for electronically reading one of a hardware address of the wireless router and data from a data capable cellular device in communication with the wireless router.

15. The medium of claim 12 having further instructions for:

automatically determining if one or more of the network name and the device password for the wireless router has been manually set prior to setting the generated code as the network name or the wireless password for the wireless router;

preventing execution of the instructions for automatically setting the code as the network name if execution of the instructions for determining reveals that the network name for the wireless router has been manually set; and

preventing execution of the instructions for automatically setting the code as the device password if execution of the instructions for determining reveals that the device password for the wireless router has been manually set.

16. The medium of claim 15 having further instructions for broadcasting the network name automatically or manually set for the wireless router.

17. The medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions for automatically generating a code from the information include instructions for one of:

combining at least a portion of the information with a predetermined data string to generate the code;

applying an algorithm to the information to generate the code; and

applying an algorithm to the information to generate a unique data string and combining the unique data string with a predetermined static data string to generate the code.

18. A wireless router, comprising:

a wireless network interface;

a code manager configured to read information that is unique to the wireless router, generate a code from the information, and automatically set the generated code as one or more of a network name and a device password for the wireless router;

a network manager configured to cause the wireless network interface to broadcast the network name and to establish a local area network with one or more clients requesting a wireless connection to the wireless router using the network name;

a router configure to utilize the wireless network interface to broadcast data to and receive data from the one or more clients connected to the wireless router; and

a device manager to configured to utilize the device password to limit access to the wireless router.

19. The wireless router of claim 18, wherein the code manager is configured to generate a first code and a second code different from the first code, to set the first code as the network name and to set the second code as the device password.

20. The device of claim 18, wherein the information is one of a hardware address of the wireless router and data from a data capable cellular device in communication with the wireless router.

21. The device of claim 18, wherein the code manager is configured to enable a user to manually set one or more of the network name and the device password, the device further comprising an initialization engine configured, upon initialization of the wireless router, to:

determine if one or more of the network name and the device password has been manually set;

to cause the code manager to generate the code and set the generated code as one or more of the network name and the device password upon a determination that one or more of the network name and the device password has not been manually set.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the network manager is configured to cause the wireless network interface to broadcast the network name automatically or manually set for the wireless router.

23. The device of claim 18, wherein the code manager is configured to generate the code by one of:

combining at least a portion of the information with a predetermined data string to generate the code;

applying an algorithm to the information to generate the code; and

applying an algorithm to the information to generate a unique data string and combining the unique data string with a predetermined static data string to generate the code.

24. A system for configuring a wireless router, comprising:

means for electronically reading a physical hardware address of the wireless router;

means for automatically generating a code from the hardware address;

means for automatically setting the automatically generated code as one or more of a network name and a device password for the wireless router.