System and Method for Configuring a Network

• US 20100027441A1
• Filed: 02/11/2008
• Published: 02/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Curtis, William, Lo, Yuan-Chang, Quinn, Liam
• Granted Patent: US 8,411,587 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/73 Access point logical identity

Abstract

A system and method for configuring a network are disclosed. A method may include storing identifying information associated with one or more network devices on a computer-readable medium in an information handling system prior to delivery of the information handling system to a user. The method may also include determining whether the identifying information stored on the information handling system is associated with the network access point. The method may further include automatically configuring network parameters for communication between the network access point and the information handling system in response to a determination that the identifying information stored on the information handling system is associated with the network access point.

Claims

1. A system for configuring a network, comprising:

a network access point; and

an information handling system communicatively coupled to the network access point and including a computer-readable medium having stored thereon identifying information associated with one or more network devices, the identifying information being stored in the computer-readable medium prior to delivery to a user;

wherein at least one of the network access point and the information handling system determines whether the identifying information handling system is associated with the network access point; and

wherein the network access point and the information handling system cooperate to automatically configure network parameters for communication between the network access point and the information handling system in response to a determination that the identifying information stored on the information handling system is associated with the network access point.

2. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

the network access point further operable to;

encrypt a challenge message based on identifying information associated with the network access point; and

communicate the encrypted challenge message to the information handling system;

the information handling system further operable to;

decrypt the encrypted challenge message based on the identifying information stored on the computer-readable medium; and

communicate the decrypted challenge message to the network access point.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein:

the network access point is further operable to;

determine whether the decrypted challenge message matches the challenge message communicated by the network access point; and

communicate a message to the information handling system indicating that the decrypted challenge message matches the challenge message communicated by the network access point; and

the information handling system is further operable to automatically configure network parameters for communication between the network access point and the information handling system in response to the message indicating that the decrypted challenge message matches the challenge message communicated by the network access point.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the network parameters for communication between the network access point and the information handling system comprise at least one of a service set identifier (SSID) and a wireless encryption protocol (WEP) key.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the identifying information is based at least on one or more of a Media Access Control (MAC) address of the network access point, a serial number of the network access point, a manufacturer of the network access point, a model number of the network access point.

6. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a network device communicatively coupled to the network access point, wherein:

the information handling system is operable to communicate the identifying information stored on the computer-readable medium to the network access point; and

the network access point and the network device are operable to automatically configure network parameters for communication between the network access point and the network device in response to a determination that the identifying information communicated from the information handling system to the network access point is associated with the network device.

7. A system according to claim 6, further comprising:

the network device further operable to;

encrypt a challenge message based on identifying information associated with the network device; and

communicate the encrypted challenge message to the network access point;

the network access point further operable to;

decrypt the encrypted challenge message based on the identifying information communicated from the information handling system to the network access point; and

communicate the decrypted challenge message to the network device.

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein:

the network device is further operable to;

determine whether the decrypted challenge message matches the challenge message communicated by the network device; and

communicate a message to the network access point indicating that the decrypted challenge message matches the challenge message communicated by the network device; and

the network access point is further operable to automatically configure network parameters for communication between the network access point and the network device in response to the message indicating that the decrypted challenge message matches the challenge message communicated by the network device.

9. A system according to claim 6, wherein at least one of the information handling system, the network access point, and the network device is configured to communicate via wireless transmissions.

10. A method for configuring a network, comprising:

storing identifying information associated with one or more network devices on a computer-readable medium in an information handling system prior to delivery of the information handling system to a user; and

determining whether the identifying information stored on the information handling system is associated with the network access point; and

automatically configuring network parameters for communication between the network access point and the information handling system in response to a determination that the identifying information stored on the information handling system is associated with the network access point.

11. A method according to claim 10, further comprising:

receiving an encrypted challenge message at the information handling system from the network access point;

decrypting the encrypted challenge message based on the identifying information stored on the computer-readable medium;

communicating the decrypted challenge message to the network access point; and

automatically configuring network parameters for communication between the network access point and the information handling system in response to the message indicating that the decrypted challenge message matches the challenge message communicated by the network access point.

12. A method according to claim 10, wherein the network parameters for communication between the network access point and the information handling system comprise at least one of a service set identifier (SSID) and a wireless encryption protocol (WEP) key.

13. A method according to claim 10, wherein the identifying information is based at least on one or more of a Media Access Control (MAC) address of the network access point, a serial number of the network access point, a manufacturer of the network access point, a model number of the network access point.

14. A method according to claim 10, further comprising:

communicating the identifying information stored on the computer-readable medium to the network access point; and

automatically configuring network parameters for communication between the network access point and the network device in response to a determination that the identifying information communicated from the information handling system to the network access point is associated with the network device.

15. A method according to claim 14, further comprising:

receiving an encrypted challenge message at the network access point from the network devices;

decrypting the encrypted challenge message based on the identifying information communicated from the information handling system;

communicating the decrypted challenge message to the network device; and

automatically configuring network parameters for communication between the network access point and the network device in response to the message indicating that the decrypted challenge message matches the challenge message communicated by the network access point.

16. An information handling system comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable medium communicatively coupled to the processor and having data stored thereon prior to delivery to a user, the data including;

identifying information associated with one or more network devices; and

a program of instructions operable to, when executed, automatically configure network parameters for communication between the network access point and the information handling system in response to a determination that the identifying information stored on the information handling system is associated with the network access point.

17. An information handling system according to claim 16, the program of instructions further operable to:

receive an encrypted challenge message at the information handling system from the network access point;

decrypt the encrypted challenge message based on the identifying information stored on the computer-readable medium;

communicate decrypted challenge message to the network access point; and

automatically configure network parameters for communication between the network access point and the information handling system in response to the message indicating that the decrypted challenge message matches the challenge message communicated by the network access point.

18. An information handling system according to claim 16, wherein the network parameters for communication between the network access point and the information handling system comprise at least one of a service set identifier (SSID) and a wireless encryption protocol (WEP) key.

19. An information handling system according to claim 16, wherein the identifying information is based at least on one or more of a Media Access Control (MAC) address of the network access point, a serial number of the network access point, a manufacturer of the network access point, a model number of the network access point.

20. An information handling system according to claim 16, the program of instructions further operable to communicate the identifying information stored on the computer-readable medium to the network access point.