Method for grouping 802.11 stations into authorized service sets to differentiate network access and services
First Claim
1. An access point, comprising:
- a wireless transceiver; and
a lookup table containing service set identifier that the access point is configured to support;
wherein the access point is responsive to an association request, the association request comprising an identifier for the wireless station making the request and a service set identifier indicative of a service set that identifies a type of service for the wireless station, received by the wireless transceiver;
search the lookup table for the service set identifier received in the association request to determine whether the access point is configured to support the service set;
wherein the access point is responsive to accept the association request upon a determination that the access point is configured to support the service set;
wherein the access point is responsive to deny the association request upon a determination that the access point is not configured to support the service set; and
wherein the type of service is selected from a group consisting of a proxy mobile internet protocol service and a virtual local area network.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for associating a WSTA to a service set, wherein the service set is configurable at the AP. Each service set is an arbitrary grouping of one or more network service parameters, and is typically configured for either VLAN or proxy mobile IP host. When a wireless station desires to associate with an access point, the wireless station sends a message to the access point, the message containing a SSID. The access point then matches the SSID to a service set and associates the WSTA to either a home subnet or a VLAN based on the SSID. By locally configuring the service set, the default VLAN and home subnet for a WSTA may be different at each AP the WSTA encounters. A security server is configured with a list of allowed SSIDs for each wireless station to prevent unauthorized access to a VLAN or home subnet.
69 Citations
15 Claims
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1. An access point, comprising:
- a wireless transceiver; and
a lookup table containing service set identifier that the access point is configured to support;
wherein the access point is responsive to an association request, the association request comprising an identifier for the wireless station making the request and a service set identifier indicative of a service set that identifies a type of service for the wireless station, received by the wireless transceiver;
search the lookup table for the service set identifier received in the association request to determine whether the access point is configured to support the service set;
wherein the access point is responsive to accept the association request upon a determination that the access point is configured to support the service set;
wherein the access point is responsive to deny the association request upon a determination that the access point is not configured to support the service set; and
wherein the type of service is selected from a group consisting of a proxy mobile internet protocol service and a virtual local area network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
- a wireless transceiver; and
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8. A method for an access point to determine whether to allow a wireless station to associate, comprising:
- receiving an association request, the association request comprising an identifier for the wireless station making the request and a service set identifier indicative of a service set that identifies a type of service for the wireless station determining whether the access point is configured to support the service set;
denying the association request upon a determination that the access point is not configured to support the service set;
authenticating the association request with an authentication server to determine whether the wireless station is authorized for the service set contained in the association request; and
denying the association request upon a determination that the wireless station is not authorized for the service set;
wherein the type of service is selected from a group consisting of a proxy mobile internet protocol service and a virtual local area network. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
- receiving an association request, the association request comprising an identifier for the wireless station making the request and a service set identifier indicative of a service set that identifies a type of service for the wireless station determining whether the access point is configured to support the service set;
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14. An access point, comprising:
- means for receiving from a wireless station an association request, the association request comprising an identifier for the wireless station making the request and a service set identifier indicative of a service set that identifies a type of service for the wireless station;
means for determining whether the access point is configured to support the service set;
means for accepting the association request responsive to the means for determining whether the access point is configured to support the service set determining that the access point is configured to support the service set;
means for denying the association request responsive to the means for determining whether the access point is configured to support the service set determining that the access point is not configured to support the service set;
means for communicating with an authentication server to determine whether the wireless station is authorized for the service set contained in the association request;
means for receiving from the authentication server a list of authorized service set identifiers for the wireless station; and
means for searching the list of authorized service set identifiers to determine whether the wireless station is authorized for the service set contained in the association request;
wherein the type of service is selected from a group consisting of a proxy mobile internet protocol service and a virtual local area network. - View Dependent Claims (15)
- means for receiving from a wireless station an association request, the association request comprising an identifier for the wireless station making the request and a service set identifier indicative of a service set that identifies a type of service for the wireless station;
Specification