Abstract: An apparatus, method, and computer-readable recording medium perform client optimized onboarding in a wireless network. A network controller of a gateway device determines a first received signal strength indicator (RSSI) of a new client device, receives a second RSSI of the new client device from each of one or more wireless extenders, and determines a strongest RSSI among the determined first RSSI and the received second RSSI from each of the one or more wireless extenders. The network controller of the gateway device receives an onboarding request with respect to any one or the gateway device and the one or more wireless extenders, and sends a command to proceed with an onboarding operation of the new client device to any one of the gateway device and the one or more wireless extenders having the strongest RSSI from the new client device.

Abstract: An apparatus, method, and computer-readable recording medium perform client optimized onboarding in a wireless network. A network controller of a gateway device determines a first received signal strength indicator (RSSI) of a new client device, receives a second RSSI of the new client device from each of one or more wireless extenders, and determines a strongest RSSI among the determined first RSSI and the received second RSSI from each of the one or more wireless extenders. The network controller of the gateway device receives an onboarding request with respect to any one or the gateway device and the one or more wireless extenders, and sends a command to proceed with an onboarding operation of the new client device to any one of the gateway device and the one or more wireless extenders having the strongest RSSI from the new client device.

Abstract: A method is provided for authenticating a first device to a second device using a self-signed digital certificate, when the first device is requested to authenticate itself to the second device. Responsive to the request, a self-signed digital certificate is sent from the first device to the second device. The self-signed digital certificate includes a hash of a password that has been previously provisioned in the first device. The password previously provisioned in the first device is hashed. The hash of the password previously provisioned in the first device is compared, using the second device, with the hash of the password included in the self-signed digital certificate. The first device is authenticated if the second device confirms that the hash of the password previously provisioned in the first device matches the hash of the password included in the self-signed digital certificate.

Abstract: A method is provided for authenticating a first device to a second device using a self-signed digital certificate, when the first device is requested to authenticate itself to the second device. Responsive to the request, a self-signed digital certificate is sent from the first device to the second device. The self-signed digital certificate includes a hash of a password that has been previously provisioned in the first device. The password previously provisioned in the first device is hashed. The hash of the password previously provisioned in the first device is compared, using the second device, with the hash of the password included in the self-signed digital certificate. The first device is authenticated if the second device confirms that the hash of the password previously provisioned in the first device matches the hash of the password included in the self-signed digital certificate.

Abstract: A method enables selected features of a software product residing on an end user electronic device with a license delivered from a licensing provider to a service provider of the end user electronic device. The method includes requesting at least one license to authorize a first service provider. An encrypted installation key uniquely associated with the first service provider is received as well as an authorization agent module for installation on one or more authorization agent devices associated with the first service provider. The encrypted installation key and the authorization agent module are installed on the authorization agent devices. A device-unique identifier (DUID) is generated for each authorization agent device based on hardware characteristics of the respective authorization agent devices. The DUID and the encrypted installation key are sent from the authorization agent device to a licensing provider to obtain the requested license.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for aggregating parallel data links connecting two end-point devices into a logical link. If one of the parallel data links is a multi-point link, then an end-point device can still access that link to route traffic to an end station on the link (that is, to a device other than the other end-point device of the logical data link). In the terminology of this disclosure, the logical aggregated link is accessed through an “aggregated port” on an end-point device, while the constituent multi-point link is accessed directly through a “singleton port.” By assigning a smaller cost to the aggregated port than to the singleton port, embodiments avoid creating routing loops. In some embodiments, the aggregation is performed at Layer 2 of the Open System Interconnection seven-layer protocol model. Then, the methods of the present invention work well with existing IEEE 802.1 bridging architectures and protocols.

Abstract: A method for providing a secure automated feature license update is disclosed. This method may be performed at a central license server. A license template including features for enablement on a device is generated. The license template is sent to an authorized user. A license update request is received from an entity. An updated license is generated by the central license server. A response is sent to the entity. A method for providing a secure automated feature license update is disclosed. This method may be performed at a device, e.g. an end-user device. A first feature set of a current license of a device is compared with a second feature set of a license template received by the device. A license update request is generated when there is a difference between the first feature set and the second feature set. The license update request is sent to a license server.

Abstract: A method enables selected features of a software product residing on an end user electronic device with a license delivered from a licensing provider to a service provider of the end user electronic device. The method includes requesting at least one license to authorize a first service provider. An encrypted installation key uniquely associated with the first service provider is received as well as an authorization agent module for installation on one or more authorization agent devices associated with the first service provider. The encrypted installation key and the authorization agent module are installed on the authorization agent devices. A device-unique identifier (DUID) is generated for each authorization agent device based on hardware characteristics of the respective authorization agent devices. The DUID and the encrypted installation key are sent from the authorization agent device to a licensing provider to obtain the requested license.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for aggregating parallel data links connecting two end-point devices into a logical link. If one of the parallel data links is a multi-point link, then an end-point device can still access that link to route traffic to an end station on the link (that is, to a device other than the other end-point device of the logical data link). In the terminology of this disclosure, the logical aggregated link is accessed through an “aggregated port” on an end-point device, while the constituent multi-point link is accessed directly through a “singleton port.” By assigning a smaller cost to the aggregated port than to the singleton port, embodiments avoid creating routing loops. In some embodiments, the aggregation is performed at Layer 2 of the Open System Interconnection seven-layer protocol model. Then, the methods of the present invention work well with existing IEEE 802.1 bridging architectures and protocols.

Abstract: An arrangement is provided for securely sharing data on a network by enabling a user to select and install a commonly-shared password in each terminal device that is on the network. The terminal devices are then able to form a network that is temporarily secured using the user-installed password. A terminal-generated password is next created by one of the terminal devices and distributed over the temporarily secured network to the other devices. The terminal-generated password replaces the user-generated password so that the network is reformed and secured using the terminal-generated password. In one illustrative example, the terminal-generated password is created using a unique identifier, such as one or more MAC (Media Access Control) addresses associated with terminal devices on the network, as an input to a hash function that generates the new password having sufficient length and randomness to provide robust protection against password attack.

Abstract: A method using a network bridge to manage multicast transmission is provided. The method begins by receiving a packet from a first source station having a first source address over a data network. The packet includes a first multicast destination address. A table is accessed using the multicast destination address to identify at least one destination station that as a source station has previously transmitted a packet to a destination station having a destination address matching the first multicast destination address.