Abstract: A gateway server manages connections in a wireless local area network (WLAN). The gateway server provides context information, such as an IP address, that is stored after being previously allocated to a mobile device in a previous connection to the WLAN. The gateway server reassigns the IP address to the mobile device after it reconnects to the WLAN after a disconnection, thus providing seamless roaming for the mobile device from WLAN to WLAN (or subnets within one WLAN) without requiring the user of the device to re-register. The gateway server also provides cluster information (e.g., as part of the context information) for a mobile device making a new connection to the WLAN, such as access privileges associated with the cluster of users of the mobile devices. The gateway server also provides load balancing among two or more WLAN's by directing a newly connection mobile device to another WLAN (or subnet), if less congestion results.

Abstract: A wireless local area network (WLAN) includes mobile devices that are allowed to transfer wireless connections between WLAN subnets or channels having different access points. The access points connect to a central controller or roaming server that supports seamless hand-offs of mobile devices from one access point to another access point. The roaming server supports the reassignment of session data parameters from one access point to another (e.g., access point address spoofing) so that the mobile device can use the same parameters for communicating to a new access point. The roaming server also supports the seamless handoff of a mobile device from one access point to another by using a master-slave switch technique across two piconets. The roaming server also facilitates the control of access points by establishing a host controller interface and wireless protocol stack in the roaming server and another, complementary wireless protocol stack in the access point.

Abstract: A wireless local access network includes a hierarchy of access points and mobile devices capable of roaming among the access points. Communications in the network is based on a time division approach, such as a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) approach, or spread-spectrum wireless communications approach. An access point that is intermediary in the hierarchy is a slave to a higher level master access point in the hierarchy. The intermediary access point is also master to one or more lower level access points. The intermediary access point synchronizes its clock with its master, and then provides the same synchronization (e.g., clock offset) to any lower level slaves of the intermediary access point so that the lower level slaves can synchronize with the intermediary access point. Thus, the lower level slaves share synchronization with the intermediary access point and the higher level master access point.

Abstract: The present invention can be used to facilitate the integration of wireless capability provided by wireless access points into an enterprise computer network. A gateway server is interposed between wireless access points and protected networks to provide security and integration functions, for example, authentication, access control, link privacy, link integrity, and bandwidth metering in various embodiments. Use of such a gateway server allows substantial control to be gained over network access even with the use of relatively simple access points. In general, such a gateway server receives a request to access the protected network. An authentication subsystem of the gateway server authenticates the user, preferably by accessing an external authentication server and returns a role to the authenticated user. An access controller in the gateway server provides differential access to the protected network based on the user's assigned role.

Abstract: The present invention can be used to facilitate the integration of wireless capability provided by wireless access points into an enterprise computer network. A gateway server is interposed between wireless access points and protected networks to provide security and integration functions, for example, authentication, access control, link privacy, link integrity, and bandwidth metering in various embodiments. Use of such a gateway server allows substantial control to be gained over network access even with the use of relatively simple access points. In general, such a gateway server receives a request to access the protected network. An authentication subsystem of the gateway server authenticates the user, preferably by accessing an external authentication server and returns a role to the authenticated user. An access controller in the gateway server provides differential access to the protected network based on the user's assigned role.

Abstract: The present invention can be used to facilitate the integration of wireless capability provided by wireless access points into an enterprise computer network. A gateway server is interposed between wireless access points and protected networks to provide security and integration functions, for example, authentication, access control, link privacy, link integrity, and bandwidth metering in various embodiments. Use of such a gateway server allows substantial control to be gained over network access even with the use of relatively simple access points. In general, such a gateway server receives a request to access the protected network. An authentication subsystem of the gateway server authenticates the user, preferably by accessing an external authentication server and returns a role to the authenticated user. An access controller in the gateway server provides differential access to the protected network based on the user's assigned role.

Abstract: A mobile device roams between homogenous or heterogenous wireless networks while maintaining a communication connection with a home network server for the mobile device. A gateway system for a wireless local area network (WLAN) includes gateway servers and manages roaming of a mobile device between homogenous wireless networks. The gateway system maintains a secure connection to a home gateway server for the mobile device while the mobile device roams between homogenous WLAN's. A network gateway manages roaming of a mobile device between heterogenous network systems. The network gateway obtains an access identifier from another heterogenous network system so the mobile device can roam to the other heterogenous network system while maintaining its connection to the home network gateway for the mobile device.

Abstract: A wireless local area network (WLAN) includes mobile devices that are allowed to transfer wireless connections between WLAN subnets or channels having different access points. The access points connect to a central controller or roaming server that supports seamless hand-offs of mobile devices from one access point to another access point. The roaming server supports the reassignment of session data parameters from one access point to another (e.g., access point address spoofing) so that the mobile device can use the same parameters for communicating to a new access point. The roaming server also supports the seamless handoff of a mobile device from one access point to another by using a master-slave switch technique across two piconets. The roaming server also facilitates the control of access points by establishing a host controller interface and wireless protocol stack in the roaming server and another, complementary wireless protocol stack in the access point.

Abstract: A gateway server manages connections in a wireless local area network (WLAN). The gateway server provides context information, such as an IP address, that is stored after being previously allocated to a mobile device in a previous connection to the WLAN. The gateway server reassigns the IP address to the mobile device after it reconnects to the WLAN after a disconnection, thus providing seamless roaming for the mobile device from WLAN to WLAN (or subnets within one WLAN) without requiring the user of the device to re-register. The gateway server also provides cluster information (e.g., as part of the context information) for a mobile device making a new connection to the WLAN, such as access privileges associated with the cluster of users of the mobile devices. The gateway server also provides load balancing among two or more WLAN's by directing a newly connection mobile device to another WLAN (or subnet), if less congestion results.