Network configuration method and system for a window-based operating system environment

• US 6,493,751 B1
• Filed: 02/24/1999
• Issued: 12/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: 3Com Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Badami, Vinay, Tate, Randy S., Raines, William M., Smith, Randy C., Baker, Jennifer
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Zarni
• Assistant Examiner(s): LIN, WEN TAI
• Application Number:
  US09/256,153
• Time in Patent Office: 1,385 Days
• Field of Search: 709/327, 709/321, 709/310, 709/221, 709/220, 709/200, 709/227, 709/228, 370/254, 707/1, 707/7, 707/9, 707/103
• US Class Current: 709/221
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0843 based on generic templates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing

Abstract

A mobile configuration manager application is provided for managing network configuration parameters essential for the configuration of a computer for operable interaction in a local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN) environment. The network configuration parameters are partitioned into intuitive profiles that may be re-used in additional network configurations including LAN and WAN environments. The population of the profile parameters is facilitated by the application through the use of intuitive menus and windows with competed configurations being stored and selectively activated by a user without requiring subsequent parametric input by the user when selecting a different network environment. The transfer and exchange of network configuration parameters between different computers is also presented.

Claims

1. Computer executable instructions stored on a computer readable medium, the executable instructions for setting communications network parameters to connect a communications device to a communications network, the executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

initiating a user interface dialog for input of at least one of a plurality of network configuration profiles, including;

(a) a location profile that includes at least one parameter needed to connect the communications device to a wide area network (WAN) communications network;

(b) a dial-up network profile that includes at least one parameter needed to connect the communications device to a remote network node via the WAN;

(c) a local area network (LAN) profile that includes at least one parameter needed to connect the communications device directly to a local area network (LAN) communications network; and

(d) a general networking profile that includes at least one parameter that identifies a network resource that can be accessed by the communications device via the WAN or the LAN;

storing at least one network configuration profile inputted via the user interface dialog into a data storage location;

configuring the communications device in accordance with the contents of the data storage location, whereby the communications device is thereafter enabled to communicate via the communications network; and

automatically calculating a dialing parameter based upon the contents of the location profile and the dial-up network profile, the dialing parameter thereafter being used to establish a connection between the communications device and the remote network node via the WAN communications network.

2. Computer executable instructions as defined in claim 1, wherein the communications device is selected from one of the following:

a modem; and

a network interface card.

3. Computer executable instructions as defined in claim 1, wherein the location profile includes at least one of the following parameters:

country identifier;

area code;

outside line access sequence identifier;

long distance access identifier;

call waiting disable sequence; and

calling card sequence.

4. Computer executable instructions as defined in claim 1, wherein the dial-up network profile includes at least one of the following parameters:

remote network node identifier;

remote network node area code;

remote network node telephone number;

remote network node country identifier;

network protocol identifier; and

remote network node address identifier.

5. Computer executable instructions as defined in claim 1, wherein the LAN profile includes at least one of the following parameters:

a unique communications device identifier;

communications device LAN address identifier;

LAN gateway identifier; and

LAN domain name service identifier.

6. Computer executable instructions as defined in claim 1, wherein the general networking profile includes at least one of the following parameters:

default printer identifier;

file storage access parameters;

printer access parameters; and

proxy printer identifier.

7. Computer executable instructions as defined in claim 1, wherein the calculated dialing parameter includes at least one of the following:

a foreign country dialing prefix;

a country dialing code; and

a long-distance dialing parameter.

8. Computer executable instructions as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one network configuration profile is stored into a data storage location selected from one of the following:

a local area network (LAN) mobile configuration data structure containing the LAN profile and the general networking profile, wherein the contents of the LAN mobile configuration data structure can be used to configure and enable the communications device to communicate via a LAN communications network; and

a wide area network (WAN) mobile configuration data structure containing the location profile, the dial-up network profile, and the general networking profile, wherein the contents of the WAN mobile configuration data structure can be used to configure and enable the communications device to communicate with the remote network node via a WAN communications network.

9. Computer executable instructions as defined in claim 8, further comprising executable instructions for performing the step of associating a unique graphical icon with the LAN mobile configuration data structure and a unique graphical icon with the WAN mobile configuration data structure, so that selection of either of the unique graphical icons by a user will cause the communications device to be configured in accordance with the profiles stored within the corresponding data structure.

10. Computer executable instructions as defined in claim 1, wherein the the plurality of network configuration profiles are stored into a dedicated operating system data space via a predefined operating system programming interface.

11. A method for setting network configuration parameters to enable a computer to communicate via a selected communications network, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying a graphical user interface dialog on a computer display;

from the graphical user interface dialog, prompting a user to select the type of communications network for which a configuration data structure is to be generated, wherein the communications network type can include a remotely connected wide area network (WAN) or a directly connected local area network (LAN);

from the graphical user interface dialog, prompting a user to input a plurality of network configuration parameters, including at least a location profile having at least one parameter needed to connect a computer to the communications network and a dial-up network profile that includes at least one parameter needed to connect a computer to the communications network;

automatically calculating a dialing parameter based upon the contents of the location profile and the dial-up network profile, the dialing parameter capable of being used to establish a connection between a computer and the communications network;

creating a mobile configuration data structure that contains the plurality of network configuration parameters and the dialing parameter needed for communications on the selected communications network;

exporting the configuration data structure to a computer-readable medium;

importing the configuration data structure from the computer-readable medium at a second computer; and

configuring the second computer in accordance with the contents of the configuration data structure, whereby the second computer is thereafter enabled to communicate via the selected communications network.

12. A method as defined in claim 11, further comprising the step of associating a unique graphical icon with the configuration data structure so that selection of the unique graphical icon by a user at the second computer will cause the second computer to be configured in accordance with the contents of the data structure and thereafter be enabled to communicate via the selected communications network.

13. A method as defined in claim 11, wherein in the step of importing, the configuration data structure is stored in a dedicated operating system data space area via a predefined operating system programming interface at the second computer.