Troubleshooting link and protocol in a wireless network
First Claim
1. A wireless client, comprising:
- one or more processors;
a memory;
a network interface;
a diagnostic supplicant application, physically stored in the memory, comprising instructions operable to cause the one or more processors and the wireless client to;
responsive to a failure to establish a wireless connection with a wireless network, identify a diagnostic link to a diagnostic manager based on access information transmitted by a wireless access point in one or more wireless frames advertising the availability of the diagnostic link, wherein the diagnostic link is a communications link supported by a network access node and dedicated to exchange of diagnostic information between diagnostic supplicants and diagnostic managers;
establish, using the transmitted access information, a diagnostic link connection to the network access node; and
exchange diagnostic information with the diagnostic manager through the network access node over the diagnostic link, wherein the diagnostic information relates to the wireless connection with the wireless network.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods, apparatuses, and systems directed to facilitating troubleshooting wireless connectivity issues in a wireless network. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, either a diagnostic supplicant in the wireless client or a diagnostic manager initiates a troubleshooting protocol between the diagnostic supplicant and the diagnostic manager over a diagnostic link in response to one or more events. In one embodiment, after the diagnostic supplicant establishes a link to a diagnostic manager via a diagnostic link, the diagnostic supplicant generates and transmits a problem report to the diagnostic manager. The problem report initiates a troubleshooting protocol between the diagnostic manager and the diagnostic supplicant.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A wireless client, comprising:
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one or more processors; a memory; a network interface; a diagnostic supplicant application, physically stored in the memory, comprising instructions operable to cause the one or more processors and the wireless client to; responsive to a failure to establish a wireless connection with a wireless network, identify a diagnostic link to a diagnostic manager based on access information transmitted by a wireless access point in one or more wireless frames advertising the availability of the diagnostic link, wherein the diagnostic link is a communications link supported by a network access node and dedicated to exchange of diagnostic information between diagnostic supplicants and diagnostic managers; establish, using the transmitted access information, a diagnostic link connection to the network access node; and exchange diagnostic information with the diagnostic manager through the network access node over the diagnostic link, wherein the diagnostic information relates to the wireless connection with the wireless network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. In a wireless client, a method comprising:
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attempting to establish a wireless connection with a wireless network; responsive to a failure to establish the wireless connection, identifying a diagnostic link to a diagnostic manager based on access information transmitted by a wireless access point in one or more wireless frames advertising the availability of the diagnostic link, wherein the diagnostic link is a communications link supported by a network access node and dedicated to exchange of diagnostic information between diagnostic supplicants and diagnostic managers; establishing, at the wireless client, a diagnostic link connection network access node, using the transmitted access information, ; and exchanging diagnostic information with the diagnostic manager through the network access node over the diagnostic link, wherein the diagnostic information relates to the wireless connection. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A wireless client comprising:
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means for identifying a diagnostic link to a diagnostic manager based on access information transmitted by a wireless access point in one or more wireless frames advertising the availability of the diagnostic link, wherein the diagnostic link is a communications link supported by a network access node and dedicated to exchange of diagnostic information between diagnostic supplicants and diagnostic managers; means for establishing a wireless connection with a wireless network; means for establishing, using the transmitted access information, a diagnostic link connection to the network access node ; and means for exchanging diagnostic information relating to the wireless connection with the diagnostic manager through the network access node over the diagnostic link.
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Specification