Troubleshooting link and protocol in a wireless network

• US 8,509,726 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2011
• Issued: 08/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Olson, Timothy S., Patil, Jeevan Shashikant, Stephenson, David Sheldon, O'Hara, Robert B. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ly, Nghi H
• Application Number:
  US13/232,348
• Publication Number:
  US 20120002553A1
• Time in Patent Office: 699 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328, 370/338, 370/241, 455/67.11
• US Class Current: 455/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0836 to enhance reliability, e.g. reduce downtime
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0886 Fully automatic configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/344 Out-of-band transfers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0829 Packet loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

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.

Claims

1. A wireless access point comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory;

a wireless network interface;

a wireless access point application, physically stored in the memory, comprising instructions operable to cause the one or more processors and the wireless access point to

establish a diagnostic link between a diagnostic supplicant of a wireless client and a diagnostic manager in response to a failed attempt by the wireless client to establish connectivity to a wireless network;

advertise one or more access parameters of the diagnostic link; and

forward messages between the diagnostic supplicant and the diagnostic manager.

2. The wireless access point of claim 1 wherein the one or more access parameters are included in wireless management frames transmitted by the wireless access point.

3. The wireless access point of claim 1 wherein the one or more access parameters comprise one or more of a service set identifier (SSID), a basic service set identifier (BSSID), and an IP address.

4. The wireless access point of claim 1 wherein the diagnostic link is implemented as a dedicated RF channel configured with one or more of increased transmit power and a lowered data rate.

5. In a wireless access point, a method comprising:

establishing a diagnostic link between a diagnostic supplicant of a wireless client and a diagnostic manager in response to a failed attempt by the wireless client to establish connectivity to a wireless network;

advertising one or more access parameters of the diagnostic link in wireless management frames; and

forwarding messages between the diagnostic supplicant and the diagnostic manager.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the one or more access parameters comprise one or more of a service set identifier (SSID), a basic service set identifier (BSSID), and an IP address.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the diagnostic link is implemented as a dedicated RF channel configured with one or more of increased transmit power and a lowered data rate.

8. A wireless access point comprising:

means for establishing a diagnostic link between a diagnostic supplicant of a wireless client and a diagnostic manager in response to a failed attempt by the wireless client to establish connectivity to a wireless network;

means for advertising one or more access parameters of the diagnostic link in wireless management frames; and

means for forwarding messages between the diagnostic supplicant and the diagnostic manager.