Abstract: Band steering for multi-band wireless clients. In a wireless digital network having at least one central controller and a plurality of access nodes connected to the central controller, and wherein some of the access nodes support a preferred wireless band and at least one non-preferred wireless band, the central controller identifies wireless client devices capable of multi-band operation, and encourages them to connect to the preferred wireless band. Client devices may be identified as multi-band capable by tracking probe requests. The central controller keeps a list of multi-band capable clients, for example in a database. This information is provided to other central controllers, and to access nodes attached to the central controller. Multi-band capable clients are encouraged to connect on the preferred wireless band for example by having the access nodes not respond to probe requests on the non-preferred wireless bands.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a system and computer-readable storage medium for storage of software directed to the management of associations between network devices is described. The computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed by at least one hardware processor on a network device, causes performance of operations, comprising: (1) determining a desired operating state for a client device under analysis, the client device being associated with a first network device of a plurality of network devices; (2) detecting if a triggering event has occurred based on a comparison of the desired operating state for the client device under analysis to an actual operating state for the client device under analysis; and (3) in response to detecting that the triggering event has occurred, causing the client device to wirelessly connect to a second network device of the plurality of network devices in lieu of the first network device.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, a method comprises an exchange of messages between an access point and a wireless network switch. One message, a PROXY IGMP JOIN message, is transmitted to the access point for propagation to a multicast router. This is performed so that multicast data associated with the multicast group identified by the PROXY IGMP JOIN message is routed to the access point without any unnecessary involvement by the wireless network switch.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a method and network device for overlaying one or more broadcast groups over virtual local area networks in a wireless network. The network device receives a broadcast/multicast message from a member device of a broadcast group. The broadcast group includes a subset of devices sharing at least one common property. The broadcast/multicast message is to be received by other member devices, but not by non-member devices of the first broadcast group. Furthermore, the broadcast group includes one of (i) a subset of devices from a single virtual local area network, and (ii) at least two subsets of devices from different virtual local area networks. The network device then determines the broadcast group associated with the received broadcast/multicast message based on the common property, and then transmits the received broadcast/multicast message to other member devices in the broadcast group.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a network device and/or method for computing coverage set and resource allocations in wireless networks. The disclosed network device receives a radio frequency subdomain and a coverage set for the radio frequency subdomain in a wireless network. Furthermore, the disclosed network device selects a capacity mode or a coverage mode as an operating mode of the radio frequency subdomain in response to a measure of network activity satisfying a predetermined condition. In addition, the disclosed network device performs radio resource management in the radio frequency subdomain based on the selected operating mode.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a method and network device for enforcing uplink airtime fairness in wireless local area networks. The disclosed network device receives usage limits associated with transmissions from one or more client devices. The client devices transmit packets to the network device via one or more uplink wireless mediums. The disclosed network device further collects wireless medium usage times associated with the client devices, and calculates a size for transmission windows corresponding to the client devices based on the wireless medium usage times and the usage limits. The transmission windows can be TCP advertisement windows whose size determines a rate of transmissions permitted over the wireless medium. Then, the disclosed network device sets the transmission window to the calculated size.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a method and network device for overlaying one or more broadcast groups over virtual local area networks in a wireless network. The network device receives a broadcast/multicast message from a member device of a broadcast group. The broadcast group includes a subset of devices sharing at least one common property. The broadcast/multicast message is to be received by other member devices, but not by non-member devices of the first broadcast group. Furthermore, the broadcast group includes one of (i) a subset of devices from a single virtual local area network, and (ii) at least two subsets of devices from different virtual local area networks. The network device then determines the broadcast group associated with the received broadcast/multicast message based on the common property, and then transmits the received broadcast/multicast message to other member devices in the broadcast group.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a network device and/or method for computing coverage set and resource allocations in wireless networks. The disclosed network device selects a radio frequency subdomain in a wireless network, and further determines a coverage set for the selected radio frequency subdomain. The coverage set includes a subset of access nodes in the selected radio frequency domain. Moreover, a respective access node in the radio frequency subdomain satisfies one of (a) the respective access node is a member of the coverage set, and (b) the respective access node is covered by at least one member of the coverage set with a signal strength stronger than a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, a method comprises an operation of determining, by a first digital device, a location of a second digital device providing a network service. Thereafter, information is provided to a digital device requesting the network service based on the determined location of the second digital device.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a digital device is adapted to support one or more network services. The digital device comprises processing circuitry, and a memory coupled to the processing circuitry. The memory comprises logic that, when executed by the processing circuit, is configured to (i) detect, in response to a triggering event, one or more network services advertised by at least one digital device within a network, and (ii) store information only directed to the one or more network services.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a network device and/or method for providing data link layer (L2) and network layer (L3) mobility using level security keys. A first network device acting as a first level security key holder in a first network receives a first level security key holder identifier corresponding to a second network device in a second network. The first level security key holder identifier is originated from a client that roams from the second network to the first network. Moreover, the first network and the second network belong to a single roaming domain. Also, the network device transmits the first level security key holder identifier to the second network device and requests for corresponding first level security key. The network device then derives a second level security key and transmits a second level security key identifier the second level key holder in the first network.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a network device and/or method for determination of leveled security key holders for a wireless client in a wireless network. The network device detects a roaming or connection pattern of one or more wireless clients in the wireless network based on requests received from the wireless clients. Furthermore, the network device determines one or more selecting rules for selecting an appropriate key holder for the wireless client among a plurality of network devices. Next, the network device prioritizes the one or more selecting rules, and selects the appropriate key holder based on the determined rules and their corresponding prioritization. Through selection of appropriate key holders, the disclosed method provides for better load balancing among possible leveled key holders, and shortens the latencies experienced by wireless clients during fast basic service set transition.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a network device and/or method for pro-active propagation of second level security keys (e.g., PMK-R1) to a wireless client's neighboring wireless network devices. The wireless network device derives a first level security key (e.g., PMK-R0) and one or more second level security keys (e.g., PMK-R1) during an initial mobility domain association initiated by the wireless client. Then, the wireless network device determines a subset of wireless network devices in the neighborhood of the wireless client to which it may pro-actively propagate one or more second level security keys corresponding to the wireless client prior to the wireless client initiating a Fast BSS Transition (FT) to any network device in the subset. This would reduce the duration of time that data connectivity is lost between the wireless client and the network during the FT process.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, a method comprises detecting, by a wireless network switch, a new association between an access point and a wireless station. Thereafter, a first message is transmitted from the wireless network switch. The first message is adapted to cause the access point to (i) join a multicast group to which the wireless station is a member and (ii) transmit a multicast message directly to a multicast router without routing the multicast message via the wireless network switch.

Abstract: Infrastructure-based client management uses synthesized beacon reports to effect client association with APs in a wireless digital network. Beacon reports are synthesized by having a plurality of APs in the network collect client reports and send those reports to a report process on the network. The report process accumulates client reports from the plurality of APs and selects one or more candidate APs to support a client. Selection may be made on reported SNR, AP loading, channel loading, AP characteristics, or a combination. The report process may produce blacklists and optionally whitelists for use by APs to use in processing client probe and connection requests.

Abstract: To facilitate management and configuration of VLAN memberships associated with applications or network protocols, a network device receives a packet from a wireless station which is a member of a virtual local area network (VLAN). The network device determines whether the packet is associated with a predefined application or network protocol. If so, the network device delivers the received packet to a dedicated VLAN which is accessible only to network devices associated with the predefined application or network protocol, regardless of destination address specified within the packet. If not, the network device delivers the received packet to an address or a group of addresses specified in a header of the received packet. In some embodiments, the VLAN is divided from a VLAN pool, and the dedicated VLAN corresponds to an address space that is outside the address space of the VLAN pool.

Abstract: Band steering for multi-band wireless clients. According to one embodiment of the invention, a method of operations comprises receiving, at a network device, a request from a wireless client device on a first wireless communication band. Thereafter, the network device identifies a unique address identifier associated with the wireless client device based on the received request and stores the unique address identifier in response to determining that the wireless client device is capable of communicating on the first wireless communication band.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, a method comprises detecting, by a wireless network switch, a new association between an access point and a wireless station. Thereafter, a first message is transmitted from the wireless network switch. The first message is adapted to cause the access point to (i) join a multicast group to which the wireless station is a member and (ii) transmit a multicast message directly to a multicast router without routing the multicast message via the wireless network switch.

Abstract: A wireless network is adapted with a wireless network switch in communication with a plurality of access points, which are in communication with one or more stations. Specifically, a network device may receive a multicast or broadcast message. Furthermore, the network device will transmit the multicast or broadcast message if at least one station is associated with the network device, and will discontinue transmitting the multicast or broadcast message if no station is associated with the network device.

Abstract: A wireless network is adapted with a wireless network switch in communication with a plurality of access points, which are in communication with one or more stations. Specifically, a network device may receive a plurality of request messages on a plurality of wireless communication channels through a plurality of access points. The request messages are originated from a single station. Furthermore, the network can extract a plurality of channel identifiers from the request messages, and generates a filtered radio frequency neighborhood list dynamically based on the extracted channel identifiers.