Infrastructure-Assigned MAC Address Assignment for Wireless Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current network management systems face challenges in efficiently managing MAC addresses for wireless clients, leading to issues such as excessive association table entries and network problems due to the use of random or generated MAC addresses, which can result in identity masking and confusion with other devices.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system where infrastructure-assigned MAC addresses, or designated MAC addresses, are used by wireless client devices for association with network devices, limiting the ability to use different MAC addresses and creating excessive association table entries, by identifying and managing these addresses through network infrastructure devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If client devices use random or generated MAC addresses for association requests, then device identity masking is achieved, but network problems occur and excessive association table entries are created
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism where the access point assigns a designated MAC address to the client device. This designated MAC address acts as a mediator between the client's true hardware MAC address and the association table, allowing the system to track clients reliably without using their original unique identifiers. The access point maintains a mapping between the true MAC address and the designated MAC address, resolving the contradiction between identity masking and reliable tracking.
2Reliability
If client devices change MAC addresses during association sessions, then identity protection is enhanced, but network functionality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by assigning the designated MAC address to the client device before the association session begins. This pre-assignment ensures that the client device uses a stable, consistent MAC address throughout the entire association session, preventing the network functionality deterioration that would result from MAC address changes. The designated MAC address is established in advance and remains fixed for the duration of the association.
3Quantity of substance
If infrastructure-assigned MAC addresses are implemented, then association table overflow is minimized, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a discarding and recovering mechanism where designated MAC addresses are temporarily assigned to client devices during their association sessions and then discarded when the sessions end. When association table entries are needed for new clients, the previously discarded designated MAC addresses are recovered and reassigned. This cyclic process minimizes the total number of permanent association table entries required while managing the complexity through systematic reuse of address resources.
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein are systems, devices, techniques and products for managing the dynamic assignment of media access control (MAC) addresses to wireless network devices, such as by identifying a dynamically assigned MAC address before, after, or during a wireless association process and communicating the dynamically assigned MAC address to a wireless network device. Also disclosed are systems, devices, techniques and products for preventing a denial of service attack on a wireless access point's association table, such as by requiring devices that associate with a wireless access point to respond to a query from the wireless access point shortly after association.