Abstract: A system with a device including a hardware processor is configured to perform operations: receiving, by the device, a message over a wired medium, wherein the message has a frame including (a) a MAC address as a source MAC address for the frame and (b) a second MAC address as a destination MAC address for the frame, extracting, by the device, the frame from the message received over the wired medium, and wirelessly transmitting, by the device, the frame without modifying the source MAC address and without modifying the destination MAC address.

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: 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 it 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: The present disclosure discloses a method and network device for adaptive management of wireless clients based on clients' radio behaviors and capabilities. Specifically, a disclosed network device can dynamically select a location tracking mechanism based on a probing characteristic of a client device. The disclosed network device can also dynamically selects a communication mechanism based on a power saving characteristics of a client device. Moreover, the disclosed network device can determine whether to select a new access point for a client device based on roaming characteristics of the client device. The adaptive management of client devices can be performed on a group of client devices with similar radio behaviors and/or capabilities on a per-radio rather than per-BSSID (basic service set identifier) basis.

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 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: The present disclosure discloses a method and network device for adaptive management of wireless clients based on clients' radio behaviors and capabilities. Specifically, a disclosed network device can dynamically select a location tracking mechanism based on a probing characteristic of a client device. The disclosed network device can also dynamically selects a communication mechanism based on a power saving characteristics of a client device. Moreover, the disclosed network device can determine whether to select a new access point for a client device based on roaming characteristics of the client device. The adaptive management of client devices can be performed on a group of client devices with similar radio behaviors and/or capabilities on a per-radio rather than per-BSSID (basic service set identifier) basis.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a non-transitory computer readable medium within a first network device operating as an access point and comprising instructions which, when executed by one or more hardware processors, causes performance of a number of operations including transmission and reception of Peer-to-Peer messages between two or more network devices having Peer-to-Peer functionality. Thereafter, negotiations are conducted by network devices to selection of a Group Owner (GO) for a Peer-To-Peer group. The negotiations comprise specifically selecting a set of one or more values that ensures the first network device obtaining the GO role for Peer-to-Peer communications within the Peer-to-Peer group instead of randomly selecting the one or more values for the negotiating of the GO role.

Abstract: A method includes determining a subset, of a set of access points, that a client device is likely to roam to from a first access point in the set of access points; transmitting to each of the subset of access points, without transmitting to a second access point in the set of access points that is not included in the subset, information associated with the client device; wherein the information associated with the client device is used by the client device or by the third access point during (a) an association process for the client device associating with the third access point or (b) an authentication process for the authentication of the client device by the third access point.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a system and a method for providing radio frequency based access point load balancing in a controller cluster. Specifically, a network device detects a long-term network topology change in a network having a controller cluster, wherein the controller cluster comprises a plurality of controllers, and automatically reassigns one or more of a plurality of access points that are managed by a first controller to a second and different controller in the controller cluster without interrupting network traffic to and from client devices associated with the one or more of the plurality of access points. The access points are located within a particular radio frequency neighborhood. Also, the one or more of the plurality of access points provide adequate coverage in the particular radio frequency neighborhood in the event that the first controller and its corresponding access points after the reassignment become unavailable.

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: Described herein are systems, methods and computer program products for controlling operation of wireless network devices, such as wireless access points and wireless client devices. The techniques described simplify the process of associating wireless devices with wireless networks. Wireless devices can associate with a wireless access point without knowing details of the wireless access point, such as a service set identifier (SSID). Upon associating with a wireless access point, client devices cease transmission of or reduce a transmission rate of wireless probe requests, resulting in more efficient wireless radio frequency use and reduced possibility of interference due to wireless probe request transmissions.

Abstract: A system with a device including a hardware processor is configured to perform operations: receiving, by the device, a message over a wired medium, wherein the message has a frame including (a) a MAC address as a source MAC address for the frame and (b) a second MAC address as a destination MAC address for the frame, extracting, by the device, the frame from the message received over the wired medium, and wirelessly transmitting, by the device, the frame without modifying the source MAC address and without modifying the destination MAC address.

Abstract: A method includes determining a subset, of a set of access points, that a client device is likely to roam to from a first access point in the set of access points; transmitting to each of the subset of access points, without transmitting to a second access point in the set of access points that is not included in the subset, information associated with the client device; wherein the information associated with the client device is used by the client device or by the third access point during (a) an association process for the client device associating with the third access point or (b) an authentication process for the authentication of the client device by the third access point.

Abstract: A system with a device including a hardware processor is configured to perform operations: receiving, by the device, a message over a wired medium, wherein the message has a frame including (a) a MAC address as a source MAC address for the frame and (b) a second MAC address as a destination MAC address for the frame, extracting, by the device, the frame from the message received over the wired medium, and wirelessly transmitting, by the device, the frame without modifying the source MAC address and without modifying the destination MAC address.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a system and a method for providing radio frequency based access point load balancing in a controller cluster. Specifically, a network device detects a long-term network topology change in a network having a controller cluster, wherein the controller cluster comprises a plurality of controllers, and automatically reassigns one or more of a plurality of access points that are managed by a first controller to a second and different controller in the controller cluster without interrupting network traffic to and from client devices associated with the one or more of the plurality of access points. The access points are located within a particular radio frequency neighborhood. Also, the one or more of the plurality of access points provide adequate coverage in the particular radio frequency neighborhood in the event that the first controller and its corresponding access points after the reassignment become unavailable.

Abstract: Provided are devices, computer-program products, and methods for calibration of a signal strength map for purposes of providing wireless positioning services through fingerprinting. Fingerprinting involves generating a map of the signal strengths in an area covered by a Wi-Fi network. In some implementations, a wireless probe request may be received. In these implementations, the wireless probe request may be associated with location information. In some implementations, the signal strength of the wireless probe request may be detected. In these implementations, the signal strength may indicate a signal characteristic between an origination and a destination for the wireless probe request. In some implementations, the wireless probe request may be responded to with a response message. In these implementations, the response message may include the signal strength of the wireless probe request.

Abstract: A method includes determining an optimized channel width between client devices and access points based on network conditions in a wireless network. In particular, the channel widths may be optimized to reduce airtime usage on access points and eliminate a high density condition while the client devices are steered to access points that provide the greatest channel capacity gains based on signal-to-noise-ratios for each spatial stream in a beamformed transmission.

Abstract: Described herein are systems, methods and computer program products for controlling operation of wireless network devices, such as wireless access points and wireless client devices. The techniques described simplify the process of associating wireless devices with wireless networks. Wireless devices can associate with a wireless access point without knowing details of the wireless access point, such as a service set identifier (SSID). Upon associating with a wireless access point, client devices cease transmission of or reduce a transmission rate of wireless probe requests, resulting in more efficient wireless radio frequency use and reduced possibility of interference due to wireless probe request transmissions.

Abstract: Certain aspects and features of the present disclosure relate to providing access control using groups that can be dynamically controlled by group owners, such access control hereinafter referred to as group access control. Group access control can be used to control the transmission of packets on a network layer, or for other access control. A network administrator can provide users with permissions, such as using user roles. Users can then establish groups to share permissions with other users. A group is established by a group owner, who can modify the member list of that group and modify what permissions will be passed on to group members all without the involvement of a network administrator. Members of a group can include users, devices, and network resources. Additionally, data path entities (e.g. routers and access points) can facilitate delivery of packets between group members across multiple logical networks.