Abstract: Techniques for establishing connections between user devices and headless devices attempting to connect to networks. A headless device may attempt to connect to an access point that requires interaction with a captive portal webpage for access to a network. However, the headless device my lack a display to present the captive portal webpage. The headless device may establish a connection with a user device using a PAN protocol. The headless device may then receive the captive portal webpage received from the access point, and relay the webpage to the user device using the PAN protocol. A user may use the user device to interact with the captive portal webpage, and the user device may then relay interaction data back to the headless device using the PAN protocol. The headless device may then provide that interaction data to the access point to be provided access to the network.

Abstract: Techniques for establishing communication channels between user devices experiencing network connectivity issues and remote communication systems are described herein. The techniques include the use of a secondary device to act as a proxy, or a “middle man,” to facilitate the communications with the user device. A user device may detect lack of network connectivity, and begin broadcasting advertisement messages that indicate the lack of connectivity. A secondary device may detect the advertisement message, and send a discovery message to a connectivity system indicating that it detected the advertisement message. The connectivity system can provide this information to a remote communication system, and the remote communication system can establish a connection with the secondary device and instruct the secondary device to establish a connection with the user device.

Abstract: Technologies for cloud-based secure WLAN group self-forming are described. One provisioner portal device receives, from a client provisionee device that desires to connect to a home WLAN, a first SSID and forwards, to a cloud service via a wireless AP device, the first SSID and a MAC address. The provisioner portal device receives, from the cloud service via the WAP device, a second SSID and a passphrase. The provisioner portal device sends, to the client provisionee device, a response that includes the second SSID. The provisioner portal device creates a one-time provisioning wireless network with the second SSID and the passphrase. Through the provisioner portal device, WAP credentials can be exchanged from the cloud server to the client provisionee device over a secure channel. The WAP credentials can be used to switch to the home WLAN without user interaction to manually enter the WAP credentials at the client provisionee device.