FACILITATING WIRELESS NETWORK ACCESS BY USING A UBIQUITOUS SSID

• US 20140196126A1
• Filed: 12/05/2013
• Published: 07/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Peterson, Jason P., Simons, M. Terry
• Granted Patent: US 9,826,399 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/5
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/37 Managing security policies for mobile devices or for controlling mobile applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/73 Access point logical identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation

Abstract

The disclosed embodiments provide a system that facilitates wireless network access. The system includes a trusted network access and tunneling service (TNATS) associated with a ubiquitous static service set identifier (SSID). The system also includes a proximate wireless access point (WAP). During operation, the system enables the TNATS on the proximate WAP, which then broadcasts the ubiquitous static SSID. Next, the proximate WAP receives a request from a guest device to access the TNATS through the proximate WAP. The proximate WAP then initiates an authentication process with the TNATS for a user of the guest device. If the authentication succeeds, the proximate WAP allows the guest device to access a network through the proximate WAP.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating wireless network access, comprising:

enabling a trusted network access and tunneling service (TNATS) on a proximate wireless access point (WAP), wherein the TNATS is associated with a ubiquitous static service set identifier (SSID);

broadcasting the ubiquitous static SSID;

receiving a request from a guest device to access the TNATS through the proximate WAP;

initiating an authentication process with the TNATS for a user of the guest device; and

if the authentication process succeeds, allowing the guest device to access a network through the proximate WAP.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein allowing the guest device to access the network includes:

establishing a secure tunnel between the guest device or proximate WAP and a remote home WAP, wherein the remote home WAP is a home WAP for the user of the guest device which use the same authentication credentials as each other to establish a secure tunnel; and

allowing traffic from the guest device to travel through the secure tunnel to the remote home WAP and then through an interface on the remote home WAP to access the network.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein prior to establishing the secure tunnel, the remote home WAP is configured to broadcast the ubiquitous static SSID and to create a tunnel for a future guest device to access.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the configuration process includes using credentials belonging to the user of the guest device to authenticate with the TNATS.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein allowing the guest device to access the network involves allowing the guest device to access the network through a second secure tunnel from the proximate WAP to the TNATS by:

establishing the second secure tunnel between the guest device and the TNATS through the proximate WAP; and

allowing traffic for the guest device to travel through the second secure tunnel and then through an interface associated with the TNATS to access the network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein enabling the TNATS on the proximate WAP involves authenticating the proximate WAP with the TNATS to enable the ubiquitous static SSID on the proximate WAP.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating the authentication process with the TNATS involves transmitting credentials associated with an administrator for the proximate WAP to the TNATS.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the TNATS includes an Apple iCloud™

service, and wherein the ubiquitous static SSID includes an Apple iCloud™

ID.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the credentials of the user of the guest device include an Apple ID™

and Apple iCloud™

credentials.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein allowing the guest device to access the network involves granting the guest device local access to the proximate WAP'"'"'s local area network while allowing the guest device to access the network.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein allowing the guest device to access the network involves disallowing the guest device local access to the proximate WAP'"'"'s local area network while allowing the guest device to access the network.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the guest device is a mobile wireless device.

13. A system that facilitates wireless network access, comprising:

a trusted network access and tunneling service (TNATS) associated with a ubiquitous static service set identifier (SSID); and

a proximate wireless access point (WAP) configured to;

enable the TNATS and the ubiquitous static SSID;

broadcast the ubiquitous static SSID;

receive a request from a guest device to access the TNATS; and

initiate an authentication process with the TNATS for a user of the guest device;

wherein the TNATS is configured to allow the guest device to access a network through the proximate WAP if the authentication succeeds.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the system further comprises a remote home WAP which is a home WAP for the user of the guest device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein while allowing the guest device to access the network, the TNATS is configured to:

establish a secure tunnel between the proximate WAP and the remote home WAP; and

allow traffic from the guest device to travel through the secure tunnel to the remote home WAP and then through an interface on the remote home WAP to access the network.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein prior to establishing the secure tunnel, the remote home WAP is configured to broadcast the ubiquitous static SSID and to create a tunnel for a future guest device to access.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the configuration process includes using credentials belonging to the user of the guest device to authenticate with the TNATS.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the TNATS is configured to allow the guest device to access the network through a second secure tunnel from the proximate WAP to the TNATS by:

establishing the second secure tunnel between the guest device and the TNATS through the proximate WAP; and

allowing traffic for the guest device to travel through the second secure tunnel and then through an interface associated with the TNATS to access the network.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein while enabling the TNATS on the proximate WAP, the proximate WAP is configured to authenticate with the TNATS to enable the ubiquitous static SSID on the proximate WAP.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the proximate WAP is configured to initiate the authentication process with the TNATS by transmitting credentials associated with an administrator for the proximate WAP to the TNATS.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the TNATS includes an Apple iCloud™

service, and wherein the ubiquitous static SSID includes an Apple iCloud™

ID.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the credentials of the user of the guest device include an Apple ID™

and Apple iCloud™

credentials.

23. The system of claim 13, wherein the guest device is a mobile wireless device.

24. The system of claim 13, wherein the proximate WAP is configured to grant the guest device local access to the proximate WAP while allowing the guest device to access the network.

25. The system of claim 13, wherein the proximate WAP is configured to disallow the guest device local access to the proximate WAP while allowing the guest device to access the network.

26. A wireless access point (WAP), comprising:

an enabling mechanism configured to enable a TNATS and a ubiquitous static service set identifier (SSID) associated with the TNATS;

a broadcasting mechanism configured to broadcast the ubiquitous static SSID;

a receiving mechanism configured to receive a request from a guest device to access the TNATS; and

an initiating mechanism configured to initiate an authentication process with the TNATS for a user of the guest device,

wherein the enabling mechanism is further configured to allow the guest device to access a network if the authentication succeeds.

27. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for facilitating wireless network access, the method comprising:

enabling a trusted network access and tunneling service (TNATS) on a proximate wireless access point (WAP), wherein the TNATS is associated with a ubiquitous static service set identifier (SSID);

broadcasting the ubiquitous static SSID;

receiving a request from a guest device to access the TNATS through the proximate WAP;

initiating an authentication process with the TNATS for a user of the guest device; and

if the authentication process succeeds, allowing the guest device to access a network through the proximate WAP.

28. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 27, wherein allowing the guest device to access the network includes:

establishing a secure tunnel between the proximate WAP and a remote home WAP, wherein the remote home WAP is a home WAP for the user of the guest device; and

allowing traffic from the guest device to travel through the secure tunnel to the remote home WAP and then through an interface on the remote home WAP to access the network.

29. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 28, prior to establishing the secure tunnel, the remote home WAP is configured to broadcast the ubiquitous static SSID and to create a tunnel for a future guest device to access.

30. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 29, wherein the configuration process includes using credentials belonging to the user of the guest device to authenticate with the TNATS.

31. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 27, wherein allowing the guest device to access the network involves allowing the guest device to access the network through a second secure tunnel from the proximate WAP to the TNATS by:

establishing the second secure tunnel between the guest device and the TNATS through the proximate WAP; and

allowing traffic for the guest device to travel through the second secure tunnel and then through an interface associated with the TNATS to access the network.

32. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 27, wherein enabling the TNATS on the proximate WAP involves authenticating the proximate WAP with the TNATS to enable the ubiquitous static SSID on the proximate WAP.

33. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 27, wherein initiating the authentication process with the TNATS involves transmitting credentials associated with an administrator for the proximate WAP to the TNATS.

34. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 33, wherein the TNATS includes an Apple iCloud™

service, and wherein the ubiquitous static SSID includes an Apple iCloud™

ID.

35. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 34, wherein the credentials of the user of the guest device include an Apple ID™

and Apple iCloud™

credentials.

36. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 27, wherein allowing the guest device to access the network involves granting the guest device local access to the proximate WAP'"'"'s local area network while allowing the guest device to access the network.

37. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 27, wherein allowing the guest device to access the network involves disallowing the guest device local access to the proximate WAP'"'"' local area network while allowing the guest device to access the network.