Abstract: Beacons (e.g., mBeacons or meruBeacons) to advertise presence of nearby objects to stations in a wireless communication network from an access point are provided. Location of a station connected to the access point is detected. One or more physical objects having a location proximate to the station are identified and can be indicated to a user. To do so, in an embodiment, responsive to the proximity of locations, a beacon having a BSSID corresponding to each of the one or more physical objects is generated. The BSSID can uniquely identify the one or more physical objects. The beacon is transmitted the station which can request additional information concerning the one or more physical objects. For example, an Amazon listing for a nearby retail item can be automatically displayed on a smartphone.

Abstract: Interaction with network infrastructure devices using instant messenger applications is disclosed. A message is received on an instant messenger application executing on the network infrastructure device. The message is sent from an authorized party or instant messenger friend. The message is mapped to one or more commands recognized by an operating system of the network infrastructure. Commands are submitted on a command line interface. A response to the one or more commands from the network infrastructure device is received on the command line interface. The response is sent on the instant messenger to the authorized party.

Abstract: A wireless communication network is self-provisioned using coordination of data plane behavior to steer stations to preferred access points. To do so, a policy concerning traffic flow for the wireless communication network is received. Data plane traffic flow is monitored at each of the plurality of access points distributed around the wireless communication network. At some point, it may be determined the data plane traffic flow at a first access point from needs to be reduced based on the data plane traffic flow relative to the policy. In response, a station is steered to a preferred access point using OpenFlow rules to affect data plane routing decisions at the access point (e.g., drop, delay, or reprioritize packets).

Abstract: Per-station realm lists are dynamically generating per-station for hot spot connections to access points by roaming stations. A query for a list of realms is received from a roaming station when connecting to a hot spot. Using an MAC address or other station identity, a list of available realms narrowed to a subset of per-station realms sent to the station. Narrowing is performed on-the-fly with respect to at least one aspects. A last N realms are retrieved from a database record searched by MAC address. The list is further narrowed by removing realms that are inaccessible or otherwise recently shown to have bad link quality. Additional ranking factors can narrow or rearrange the realm list based on financial agreements, popularity, trends, and the like. A selection from the list of realms is received from the station. The access point then authenticates the station with the selected realm.

Abstract: A technique for emulating virtual port control of airtime fairness for wireless stations using per station Enhanced Distributed Channel Access (EDCA) parameters. Specific parameters are received for each of a plurality of stations connected to the access point. An EDCA field of a beacon that stores a general EDCA parameter is set to an empty state. The beacon is broadcast to a plurality stations on the wireless communication network and within range of an access point. The beacon comprises a BSSID (Basic Service Set Identifier) for use by the plurality of stations to connect with the access point for access to the wireless communication network. The beacon also comprises an empty EDCA field. In response to broadcasting the empty EDCA parameter, receiving a direct inquiry from each of the plurality of stations for the general EDCA parameter. Each of the plurality of stations is responded to with a direct communication of a specific parameter corresponding to each station.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for detecting cache-poisoning attacks in networks using SDPs may include maintaining a cache of service information that identifies services provided by client devices connected to a network using an SDP. The method may also include detecting a cache-poisoning attack by (1) receiving, from a client device connected to the network, an SDP message related to a service allegedly provided via the network, (2) identifying, within the SDP message, an attribute of the service allegedly provided via the network, and then (3) determining that the client device is attempting to corrupt the cache of service information by determining that the identified attribute of the service suggests that the service is illegitimate. Finally, the method may include performing a security action to mitigate the cache-poisoning attack in response to detecting the cache-poisoning attack. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for detecting rogue client devices connected to wireless hotspots may include maintaining at least one illegitimate authentication identifier that appears to rogue client devices to facilitate authentication with an external network via a wireless hotspot. The method may also include providing the illegitimate authentication identifier to one or more client devices connected to the wireless hotspot. The method may further include receiving an authentication request to authenticate the client device with at least one external network via the wireless hotspot. The method may additionally include determining that the authentication request includes the illegitimate authentication identifier. Finally, the method may include determining that the client device is a rogue device based at least in part on the illegitimate authentication identifier being included in the authentication request. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: A technique for providing per station control of multiple stations in a wireless network across multiple access points. A look-up table that assigns a station connected to the access point and at least one communication parameter to each of a plurality of persistent, uniquely-assigned BSSIDs (Basic Service Set Identifiers) is stored. An access point responds to messages addressed one of the plurality of persistent, uniquely-assigned BSSIDs and ignores messages addressed to other BSSIDs. Persistence of the BSSID allows the controller to maintain individual control over each station after moving to a second access point of the plurality of access points. A frame comprising the plurality of BSSIDs corresponding to each connected station aggregated into the frame is generated. The frame is transmitted to the plurality of stations.

Abstract: An on-demand access tunnel to a service provider is provided for a mobile device that first receives information about supported service providers from a wireless communication network entity. The mobile device can select a supported service provider and start an association process to communicate with the selected service provider. The network entity determines the selected service provider and sets up a tunnel connection from an access point of the wireless communication network to the selected service provider. The tunnel connection is torn down when the mobile device dissociates from the access point and no other device is connected to the service provider network using the tunnel connection.

Abstract: A spoofed management frame is sent to an unauthorized access point (AP) on behalf of a station from an authorized AP, using a media access control (MAC) address of the station. The spoofed frame triggers a security association (SA) query from an unauthorized AP to reestablish valid communications. An acknowledgment (ACK) frame sent from the client to the unauthorized AP responsive to the SA query request is detected by the AP. A probe response is sent to the client. The probe response includes a channel switching element. The channel switching prevents the client from completing the SA process before a time out.

Abstract: A method and system for detecting rogue radio frequency based devices includes a plurality of radio frequency based tags disposed at different locations within an area and operable to periodically broadcast information in a beacon, the information including each tag's unique identity information. A map of the area specifies identified radio frequency based tags and their respective locations within the area. A mobile device reads beacons in proximity to the radio frequency based tags and sends location update messages to a server that detects rogue radio frequency based devices within the area based on the location update messages and the map.

Abstract: An adaptive standby access point in a local area communication network includes an interface operable to communicate with other access points, at least one radio operable to communicate with user devices utilizing at least one antenna, and a processor operable to receive a message over the interface from one of the other access points that is experiencing traffic overload. The message indicating to the standby access point that the one other access point requires traffic demand assistance, whereupon the processor will activate and direct the radio to send out beacons to solicit user devices within the coverage area of the overloaded access point to instead association with the standby access point.

Abstract: A method and system for detecting rogue radio frequency based devices includes a plurality of radio frequency based tags disposed at different locations within an area and operable to periodically broadcast information in a beacon, the information including each tag's unique identity information. A map of the area specifies identified radio frequency based tags and their respective locations within the area. A mobile device reads beacons in proximity to the radio frequency based tags and sends location update messages to a server that detects rogue radio frequency based devices within the area based on the location update messages and the map.

Abstract: An on-demand access tunnel to a service provider is provided for a mobile device that first receives information about supported service providers from a wireless communication network entity. The mobile device can select a supported service provider and start an association process to communicate with the selected service provider. The network entity determines the selected service provider and sets up a tunnel connection from an access point of the wireless communication network to the selected service provider. The tunnel connection is torn down when the mobile device dissociates from the access point and no other device is connected to the service provider network using the tunnel connection.

Abstract: An adaptive standby access point in a local area communication network includes an interface operable to communicate with other access points, at least one radio operable to communicate with user devices utilizing at least one antenna, and a processor operable to receive a message over the interface from one of the other access points that is experiencing traffic overload. The message indicating to the standby access point that the one other access point requires traffic demand assistance, whereupon the processor will activate and direct the radio to send out beacons to solicit user devices within the coverage area of the overloaded access point to instead association with the standby access point.

Abstract: Mode steering in a wireless communication network includes configuring a list of neighboring access points and their operational modes. If an operational mode of a requesting mobile device can not be supported by the access point, denying the association. If an operational mode of a requesting mobile device matches a highest operational mode of the access point, allowing the association. If the operational mode of the mobile device is not the same as the highest operational mode of the access point, and if any neighboring access point has an available operational mode matching that of the mobile device, denying the association, so as to steer the requesting mobile device to the matching neighboring access point.

Abstract: A communication network comprises a plurality of access points, a plurality of stations wirelessly communicating with the plurality of access points and at least one sensor located at a different location from each of the plurality of access points for improving communication quality in the communication network. The sensor in the communication network senses a communication message transmitted from a source station and destined for a destination access point on a wireless communication channel in the communication network. The sensor further determines a number of retransmissions of the communication message from the source station. The sensor, upon determining that the determined number of retransmissions of the communication message is at least equal to a predetermined threshold, forwards the communication message to the destination access point through the wired medium.

Abstract: A technique for self-testing of services in an access point of a communication network includes providing a table that has a mapping between a service test, packets to be sent for testing, and packets that should be received in response to the testing, emulating and marking the test packets to be sent, placing the marked test packets in an Rx queue, processing the test packets normally by the access point to provide response packets and marking these response packets, delivering the marked response packets to a Rx queue, retrieving the marked response packets from the Rx queue, and comparing the service test response packets to the list of packets that should have been received in the response to the testing in order to validate that service on the access point.

Abstract: Mode steering in a wireless communication network includes configuring a list of neighboring access points and their operational modes. If an operational mode of a requesting mobile device can not be supported by the access point, denying the association. If an operational mode of a requesting mobile device matches a highest operational mode of the access point, allowing the association. If the operational mode of the mobile device is not the same as the highest operational mode of the access point, and if any neighboring access point has an available operational mode matching that of the mobile device, denying the association, so as to steer the requesting mobile device to the matching neighboring access point.

Abstract: A communication network comprises a plurality of access points, a plurality of stations wirelessly communicating with the plurality of access points and at least one sensor located at a different location from each of the plurality of access points for improving communication quality in the communication network. The sensor in the communication network senses a communication message transmitted from a source station and destined for a destination access point on a wireless communication channel in the communication network. The sensor further determines a number of retransmissions of the communication message from the source station. The sensor, upon determining that the determined number of retransmissions of the communication message is at least equal to a predetermined threshold, forwards the communication message to the destination access point through the wired medium.