SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SIMPLIFYING SECURE NETWORK SETUP

• US 20110235549A1
• Filed: 03/26/2010
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ahlers, Timothy F., Marl, Coyle B., Furlan, John L. W., Kaplan, Jonathan, Owens, John-Anthony, Averbuch, Aaron H., Braunstein, Ariel
• Granted Patent: US 8,649,297 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/255
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/08 Configuration management of networks or network elements address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies

Abstract

A method in one example implementation includes discovering a networking device within a wireless connectivity range from a first computing device. The networking device may be configured for wireless connectivity by sending new network configuration settings to the networking device to be stored in a memory element. The method also includes configuring the first computing device to initiate a wireless connection to the networking device, such that the wireless connection is created without requiring the user to provide any configuration settings associated with the wireless connection. In more specific embodiments, if it is determined that the networking device is unconfigured, then the new network configuration settings are automatically generated. In other more specific embodiments, the new network configuration settings include a new network identifier and a new network password.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

discovering a networking device within a wireless connectivity range from a first computing device;

configuring the networking device for wireless connectivity including sending new network configuration settings to the networking device to be stored in a memory element of the networking device; and

configuring the first computing device to initiate a wireless connection to the networking device, wherein the wireless connection is created without requiring any configuration settings associated with the wireless connection to be provided by a user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuring of the networking device further includes:

determining whether the networking device is unconfigured; and

generating the new network configuration settings if the networking device is unconfigured.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the configuring the first computing device further includes creating a wireless profile for the first computing device, wherein the wireless profile includes one or more of the new configuration settings.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the new network configuration settings include a new network identifier and a new network password.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the unconfigured networking device includes a network identifier with a predetermined format.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the predetermined format of the network identifier includes at least a portion of a predefined character string assigned to the networking device.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the unconfigured networking device is enabled with wireless security encryption protocols.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing one or more of the new network configuration settings in a configuration settings file of a transportable computer readable medium, wherein the computer readable medium is a read-writable medium.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the configuration settings file includes one or more elements indicating a state of the transportable computer readable medium, wherein a first state indicates the networking device is unconfigured and a second state indicates the networking device is configured.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

providing the transportable computer readable medium to a new computing device; and

establishing a second connection between the new computing device and the networking device using the one or more new network configuration settings stored on the transportable computer readable medium, wherein the second connection is created without requiring any configuration settings associated with the second connection to be provided by the user.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the networking device has made an operative connection to a wide area network, wherein packets of data can be exchanged between the networking device and the wide area network.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuring the first computing device further includes:

determining whether a wireless adapter of the first computing device is disabled; and

automatically enabling the wireless adapter if the wireless adapter is disabled.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

launching an administrative component having a plurality of interactive display screens to be displayed on a user interface of the first computing device, wherein the plurality of interactive display screens includes one or more connect computer display screens providing instructions to guide the user to connect a new computing device to the networking device;

detecting the new computing device after a second connection has been established between the new computing device and the networking device;

sending a new name for the new computing device to the networking device; and

storing the new name in the first computing device.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

installing the administrative component in the first computer by a process selected from a group of processes, the group consisting of copying from a computer readable medium and downloading from a web server.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the plurality of interactive display screens includes one or more connect other devices display screens providing instructions to guide the user to connect another wireless device to the networking device, and

wherein one of the one or more connect other devices display screens provides one or more of the new configuration settings to be used to connect the other wireless device to the networking device.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuring of the networking device further includes:

detecting whether the first computing device includes an enabled wired connection to a second networking device;

determining whether a network address of the networking device is the same as a network address of the second networking device; and

changing the network address of the networking device if the network addresses of the networking device and the second networking device are the same.

17. Logic encoded in one or more tangible media that includes code for execution and when executed by one or more processors is operable to perform operations comprising:

discovering a networking device within a wireless connectivity range from a first computing device;

configuring the networking device for wireless connectivity including sending new network configuration settings to the networking device; and

configuring the first computing device to initiate a wireless connection to the networking device, wherein the wireless connection is created without requiring any configuration settings associated with the wireless connection to be provided by a user.

18. The logic of claim 17, wherein the configuring of the networking device further includes:

determining whether the networking device is unconfigured; and

generating the new network configuration settings if the networking device is unconfigured.

19. The logic of claim 18, wherein the configuring the first computing device further includes creating a wireless profile for the first computing device, wherein the wireless profile includes one or more of the new configuration settings.

20. The logic of claim 18, wherein the new network configuration settings include a new network identifier and a new network password.

21. The logic of claim 18, wherein the unconfigured networking device includes a network identifier with a predetermined format.

22. The logic of claim 21, wherein the predetermined format of the network identifier includes at least a portion of a predefined character string assigned to the networking device.

23. The logic of claim 18, wherein the unconfigured networking device is enabled with wireless security encryption protocols.

24. The logic of claim 17, the one or more processors being operable to perform operations further comprising:

storing one or more of the new network configuration settings in a configuration settings file of a transportable computer readable medium, wherein the computer readable medium is a read-writable medium.

25. The logic of claim 24, wherein the configuration settings file includes one or more elements indicating a state of the transportable computer readable medium, wherein a first state indicates the networking device is unconfigured and a second state indicates the networking device is configured.

26. The logic of claim 24, the one or more processors being operable to perform operations further comprising:

launching a connect computer component from the transportable computer readable medium on a new computing device; and

establishing a second connection between the new computing device and the networking device using the one or more new network configuration settings stored on the transportable computer readable medium, wherein the second connection is created without requiring any configuration settings associated with the second connection to be provided by the user.

27. The logic of claim 17, the one or more processors being operable to perform operations further comprising:

determining whether the networking device has made an operative connection to a wide area network, wherein packets of data can be exchanged between the networking device and the wide area network.

28. The logic of claim 17, wherein the configuring the first computing device further includes:

determining whether a wireless adapter of the first computing device is disabled; and

automatically enabling the wireless adapter if the wireless adapter is disabled.

29. The logic of claim 17, the one or more processors being operable to perform operations further comprising:

launching an administrative component having a plurality of interactive display screens to be displayed on a user interface of the first computing device, wherein the plurality of interactive display screens includes one or more connect computer display screens providing instructions to guide the user to connect a new computing device to the networking device;

detecting the new computing device after a second connection has been established between the new computing device and the networking device;

sending a new name for the new computing device to the networking device; and

storing the new name in the first computing device.

30. The logic of claim 29, further comprising:

installing the administrative component in the first computer by a process selected from a group of processes, the group consisting of copying from a computer readable medium and downloading from a web server.

31. The logic of claim 29, wherein the plurality of interactive display screens includes one or more connect other devices display screens providing instructions to guide the user to connect another wireless device to the networking device, and

wherein one of the one or more connect other devices display screens provides one or more of the new configuration settings to be used to connect the other wireless device to the networking device.

32. The logic of claim 17, wherein the configuring of the networking device further includes:

detecting whether the first computing device includes an enabled wired connection to a second networking device;

determining whether a network address of the networking device is the same as a network address of the second networking device; and

changing the network address of the networking device if the network addresses of the networking device and the second networking device are the same.

33. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory element configured to store data;

a configuration settings file stored in the memory element; and

a network application element configured to interface with the memory element and the configuration settings file, the network application element being configured to;

discover a networking device within a wireless connectivity range from a first computing device;

configure the networking device for wireless connectivity including sending new network configuration settings to the networking device; and

configure the first computing device to initiate a wireless connection to the networking device, wherein the wireless connection is created without requiring any configuration settings associated with the wireless connection to be provided by a user.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the network application element is further configured to:

determine whether the networking device is unconfigured; and

generate the new network configuration settings if the networking device is unconfigured.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the network application element is further configured to:

create a wireless profile for the first computing device, wherein the wireless profile includes one or more of the new network configuration settings.

36. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the new network configuration settings include a new network identifier and a new network password.

37. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the unconfigured networking device includes a network identifier with a predetermined format.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the predetermined format of the network identifier includes at least a portion of a predefined character string assigned to the networking device.

39. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the unconfigured networking device is enabled with wireless security encryption protocols.

40. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the network application element is further configured to store one or more of the new network configuration settings in the configuration settings file in the memory element, wherein the memory element is a transportable computer readable medium and wherein the computer readable medium is a read-writable medium.

41. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the configuration settings file includes one or more elements indicating a state of the transportable computer readable medium, wherein a first state indicates the networking device is unconfigured and a second state indicates the networking device is configured.

42. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein network application element is further configured to:

launch a computer connect component on a new computing device; and

establish a second connection between the new computing device and the networking device using the one or more new network configuration settings stored in the configuration settings file, wherein the second connection is created without requiring any configuration settings associated with the second connection to be provided by the user.

43. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the network application element is further configured to:

determine whether the networking device has made an operative connection to a wide area network, wherein packets of data can be exchanged between the networking device and the wide area network.

44. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the network application element is further configured to:

determine whether a wireless adapter of the first computing device is disabled; and

automatically enable the wireless adapter if the wireless adapter is disabled.

45. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the network application element is further configured to:

launch an administrative component having a plurality of interactive display screens to be displayed on a user interface of the first computing device, wherein the plurality of interactive display screens includes one or more connect computer display screens providing instructions to guide the user to connect a new computing device to the networking device;

detect the new computing device after a second connection has been established between the new computing device and the networking device;

send a new name for the new computing device to the networking device; and

store the new name in the first computing device.

46. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the network application element is further configured to install the administrative component in the first computing device by a process selected from a group of processes, the group consisting of copying from the memory element and downloading from a web server.

47. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the plurality of interactive display screens includes one or more connect other devices display screens providing instructions to guide the user to connect another wireless device to the networking device, and

wherein one of the one or more connect other devices display screens provides one or more of the new configuration settings to be used to connect the other wireless device to the networking device.

48. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein network application element is further configured to:

detect whether the first computing device includes an enabled wired connection to a second networking device;

determine whether a network address of the networking device is the same as a network address of the second networking device; and

change the network address of the networking device if the network addresses of the networking device and the second networking device are the same.