Abstract: A system or method that receives a current request from a client, and responds to the current request based on signal strength associated with a previous request. If the current request is received on a non-preferred communication band, and a previous request was received on a preferred communication band within a pre-determined time, the system determines whether the signal strength associated with the previous request is weaker than a pre-determined threshold signal strength level for the preferred communication band. If so, the system responds to the current request. Otherwise, the system ignores the current request. If no recent request on the preferred communication band is received, and the signal strength associated with the current request is weaker than a pre-determined threshold signal strength level for the non-preferred communication band, the system responds to the current request on the non-preferred communication band. Otherwise, the system ignores the current request.

Abstract: A method and computer readable medium for network device workload balancing, including: selecting a particular network device for storing client information associated with a client device; subsequent to the client device disassociating with a first network device, receiving, by the particular network device from the first network device, the client information; and responsive to the client device associating with a second network device: transmitting, by the particular network device, the client information to the second network device, where the client device does not associate with the particular network device between associating with the first network device and the second network device.

Abstract: HTTP-Based Captive Portal. Client requests through a device such as an access point or wired connection are routed through a captive portal switch (CPS). If the CPS determines that the client has not been authenticated, the CPS redirects (NATs) the client request to an internal HTTP proxy. The CPS HTTP proxy terminates the client request and opens a connection to a captive portal server. Thus, for an unauthenticated client, any HTTP request will be routed to the captive portal server. When client authentication at the captive portal server completes, the captive portal server returns a success code, such as embedded in a web page delivered to the client. When the CPS recognizes this success code, it disables the NAT for that client, allowing further requests to be passed through the network. The CPS may be hosted in a separate network appliance, or it may be a process hosted in the AP or on another AP in the network, or on a network device such as a controller or switch.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a method and network device for adaptive DHCP assignment with VLAN pool. Specifically, a network device can assign a client device to a first Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN). The network device then detects a first DHCP Discover message, transmitted by a client device, corresponding to a first VLAN. Also, the network device determines that no DHCP offer message, responsive to the first DHCP Discover message, is transmitted to the client device. Then, the network device transmits on behalf of the client device a second DHCP Discover message for the second VLAN to a DHCP server, and receives a DHCP Offer message in response to the second DHCP Discover message. The network device then assigns the client device to a second VLAN, and subsequently transmits the DHCP Offer message for the second VLAN to the client device.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, a method comprises transmitting a Layer 2 (L2) frame from a first wireless device. Upon receipt of a frame in response to the L2 frame, the first wireless device uses information conveyed in the frame to modify its functionality.

Abstract: Managing DHCP address leases based on client properties. A DHCP server may allocate a short DHCP lease to a client device based on client properties. These client properties may include client device type, such as a type determined by OUI or OUI lookup, by client device characteristics, or by client position. Depending on client device properties, the client device is issued an address with a short lease time, or a long lease time. In the case of client activity, a DHCP server responds to initial requests for addresses by allocating an IP address with a short lease time. When the DHCP server receives a renewal request, it checks to see if the client has generated more than a predetermined amount of traffic. If the client has generated traffic exceeding this threshold level, the lease is renewed for a longer period. If the client traffic has not met the threshold level, the lease is renewed with the short lease time.

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: When an access point (AP) is first powered up, it lacks provisioning information such as channel numbers, power levels, SSIDS, security settings, and so on. The process of supplying this information required to get the AP operating as part of a network is called provisioning. An unprovisioned AP in a swarm first attempts to obtain a DHCP address. Once it gets a DHCP address or selects an address such as from the link-address (169.254.xx.xx) group, it advertises a predetermined wireless SSID.

Abstract: A method includes terminating a connection between (a) a wireless network supported by a network device and (b) a client device. The method further includes rejecting one or more requests to establish the connection between the wireless network and the client device based at least on the one or more requests being received from the client device within a first period of time subsequent to the terminating operation and accepting a particular request to establish the connection between the wireless network and the client device based at least on the particular request being received from the client device after the first period of time subsequent to the terminating operation.

Abstract: The management of DHCP address leased based on client properties is described. According to a method of operation, clients are managed in a wireless digital network by modifying a requested lease time for an assigned Internet Protocol (IP) address based on properties of a client requesting the lease time. The assigned IP address is released if (i) no communication activity is detected by the client for a prescribed duration or (ii) upon detecting a DHCP Release message from the client. When the DHCP server receives a renewal request, it checks if the client has generated more than a predetermined amount of traffic. If the client has generated traffic exceeding this threshold level, the lease is renewed for a longer period. If the client traffic has not met the threshold level, the lease is renewed with the short lease time.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, a method for controlling access to a network by a network device comprises returning a message prompting connectivity to a captive portal that is different from a HTTP Source Code redirect. The message is an HTML document such as a frameset.

Abstract: Services in a network device are added through providing virtual environments. Virtualization allows services based on other platforms or architectures to be run with minimum modification and in a secure manner. Connecting services to the host through a stateful firewall allows dynamic integration, and passes only traffic of interest to the service. Virtualization allows services written for different instruction architectures to be supported. Multiple virtualized environments each supporting a service may be run.

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: Secure hotspot roaming in wireless networks. An enterprise works with one or more hotspot providers to provide secure access to its clients through hotspot locations. The enterprise provides the (hotspot) service provider (SP), with the addresses of enterprise controllers used for client authentication. The SP maintains a database which maps the enterprise realm to the address of the enterprise controller. When a client connects to a hotspot access point (AP), the hotspot AP sends client information such as MAC address to a SP controller. The SP controller determines if the client is new or already known. If the client is known and the realm associated with the client has an entry in the realm to enterprise database, the hotspot AP is instructed to begin client authentication with the specified enterprise controller. If the client is unknown, authentication begins with the SP controller, and the client is queried for realm information.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a method and network device for adaptive DHCP assignment with VLAN pool. Specifically, a network device can assign a client device to a first Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN). The network device then detects a first DHCP Discover message, transmitted by a client device, corresponding to a first VLAN. Also, the network device determines that no DHCP offer message, responsive to the first DHCP Discover message, is transmitted to the client device. Then, the network device transmits on behalf of the client device a second DHCP Discover message for the second VLAN to a DHCP server, and receives a DHCP Offer message in response to the second DHCP Discover message. The network device then assigns the client device to a second VLAN, and subsequently transmits the DHCP Offer message for the second VLAN to the client device.

Abstract: A method of forming an electrically-conductive pattern includes selectively electroplating the top portions of a substrate that corresponds to the pattern, and separating the conductive pattern from the substrate. The electroplating may also include electrically connecting the conductive pattern to an electrical component. Conductive ink, such as ink including carbon particles, may be selectively placed on the conductive substrate to facilitate plating of the desired pattern and/or to facilitate separation of the pattern from the substrate. An example of a conductive pattern is an antenna for a radio-frequency identification (RFID) device such as a label or a tag. One example of an electrical component that may be electrically connected to the antenna, is an RFID strap or chip.

Abstract: Mobility of firewall rules for clients moving among bridge AP nodes in a wireless network. APs operate in bridge mode. A wireless client C is associated with a first AP. As part of that association, the first AP establishes and maintains personal firewall rules and state for client C. When wireless client C associates with a second AP in the L2 domain, the second AP sends session request to other APs. This may be in the form of a multicast message. Optionally, the second AP may send a unicast message to the first AP indicating that client C has associated with the second AP. APs receiving the multicast session request message for client C check their tables to see if they have stored firewall or other state for client C. APs having storied firewall or other state for client C send session response messages to the second AP containing stored firewall sessions and other state for client C. When the second AP receives a session response, it sends an acknowledgement to the AP which sent the response.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a network system includes an access point to wirelessly associate with a client that provides signals with traffic specification attributes to the access point. The system also includes circuitry detect if at least one of the signals violates a traffic rule through considering at least one of the traffic specification attributes and to instruct the access point to disassociate the client in response to a particular number of violations. Other embodiments are described.

Abstract: Services in a network device are added through providing virtual environments. Virtualization allows services based on other platforms or architectures to be run with minimum modification and in a secure manner. Connecting services to the host through a stateful firewall allows dynamic integration, and passes only traffic of interest to the service. Virtualization allows services written for different instruction architectures to be supported. Multiple virtualized environments each supporting a service may be run.

Abstract: A method includes detecting a first value for a first parameter associated with a first access point of a plurality of access points and based at least on the first value for the first parameter associated with the first access point, configuring a second value for a second parameter associated with a second access point of the plurality of access points.