Client operation for network access

• US 7,852,819 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2008
• Issued: 12/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meraki Incorporated (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gil, Thomer M., Biswas, Sanjit, Bicket, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Ryman; Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel; Jay P
• Application Number:
  US12/039,530
• Publication Number:
  US 20080285483A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,020 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328, 370/338
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/622 Layer-2 addresses, e.g. medium access control [MAC] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0246 Exchanging or transporting network management information using the Internet; Embedding network management web servers in network elements; Web-services-based protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/026 using e-messaging for transporting management information, e.g. email, instant messaging or chat
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/04 Network management architectures or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/34 Signalling channels for network management communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5092 by self-assignment, e.g. picking addresses at random and testing if they are already in use
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

A network traffic device for a managed network can operate as a client host, to receive packets from the managed network and forward them to an uplinked external network, thereby operating as a gateway to the uplink network and performing a network address translation (NAT) function for the managed network relative to the uplinked network.

Claims

1. A method of operating a network traffic device for communication using a network communication protocol over a managed network, the method comprising:

receiving an uplink identifier (ID) that identifies a wireless network for uplink communication using the network communication protocol;

performing a scan of wireless networks and producing identical first and second lists of access points identified by the scan and wireless networks with which the identified access points are associated;

deleting access points from the first list that are not suitable for use as an uplink for the managed network;

deleting access points from the second list that are not members of the managed network;

associating with an identified access point that remains in the first list and operating as a gateway to neighboring access points for the uplink wireless network of the uplink ID;

joining an existing wireless network identified in the second list by the performed scan if no identified access point remains in the first list, and otherwise operate as a gateway and permit client devices to associate for a predetermined time and then repeat performing the scan of wireless networks;

wherein associating with an identified access point that remains in the first list comprises;

selecting the access point in the first list with the greatest received signal strength indication (RSSI) value;

sending a DHCP request message to the selected access point and associating with the selected access point with operation as a gateway;

broadcasting availability to neighbor client devices as a gateway to the wireless network with the received uplink ID if associating with the selected access point was successful.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein deleting access points from the first list comprises:

deleting access points from the first list that are not identified with the received uplink ID;

deleting access points from the first list that are determined to have a substandard signal quality.

3. The method as defined in claim 2, wherein an access point is determined to have a substandard signal quality if the access point has a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) that is less than about 8 dB above a noise floor value for the managed network.

4. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein operating as a gateway comprises:

receiving packets of the network communication protocol over the managed network; and

routing the packets to the wireless network with the received uplink ID.

5. A method of operating a device for communication using a network communication protocol over a managed network, the method comprising:

receiving an uplink identifier (ID) that identifies a wireless network for uplink communication using the network communication protocol;

performing a scan of wireless networks and producing identical first and second lists of access points identified by the scan and wireless networks with which the identified access points are associated;

deleting access points from the first list that are not identified with the received uplink ID;

deleting access points from the first list that are determined to have a substandard signal quality;

deleting access points from the second list that are not members of the managed network;

if at least one access point remains in the first list, then;

selecting the access point in the first list with the greatest received signal strength indication (RSSI) value;

sending a DHCP request message to the selected access point and associating with the selected access point with operation as a gateway;

broadcasting availability to neighbor client devices as a gateway to the wireless network with the received uplink ID if associating with the selected access point was successful;

joining an existing wireless network identified in the second list by the performed scan if no identified access point remains in the first list, and otherwise operating as a gateway and permitting client devices to associate for a predetermined time and then repeat performing the scan of wireless networks.

6. The method as defined in claim 5, wherein an access point is determined to have a substandard signal quality if the access point has a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) that is less than about 8 dB above a noise floor value for the managed network.

7. The method as defined in claim 5, wherein operating as a gateway comprises:

receiving packets of the network communication protocol over the managed network; and

routing the packets to the wireless network with the received uplink ID.

8. A network traffic device for communication using a network communication protocol over a managed network, the network traffic device comprising:

a network interface for communications using the network communication protocol;

a processor that receives an uplink identifier (ID) that identifies a wireless network for uplink communication using the network communication protocol, performs a scan of wireless networks and produces identical first and second lists of access points identified by the scan and wireless networks with which the identified access points are associated, deletes access points from the first list that are not suitable for use as an uplink for the managed network, deletes access points from the second list that are not members of the managed network, associates with an identified access point that remains in the first list and operating as a gateway to neighboring access points for the uplink wireless network of the uplink ID, and joins an existing wireless network identified in the second list by the performed scan if no identified access point remains in the first list, and otherwise operate as a gateway and permit client devices to associate for a predetermined time and then repeat performing the scan of wireless networks;

wherein the processor associates with an identified access point that remains in the first list by selecting the access point in the first list with the greatest received signal strength indication (RSSI) value, sends a DHCP request message to the selected access point and associating with the selected access point with operation as a gateway, and broadcasts availability to neighbor client devices as a gateway to the wireless network with the received uplink ID if associating with the selected access point was successful.

9. The network traffic device as defined in claim 8, wherein the processor deletes access points from the first list by deleting access points from the first list that are not identified with the received uplink ID, and deleting access points from the first list that are determined to have a substandard signal quality.

10. The network traffic device as defined in claim 9, wherein an access point is determined to have a substandard signal quality if the access point has a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) that is less than about 8 dB above a noise floor value for the managed network.

11. The network traffic device as defined in claim 8, wherein the device operates as a gateway by receiving packets of the network communication protocol over the managed network, and routing the packets to the wireless network with the received uplink ID.