Virtual Wi-Fi Network Segmentation for Home and Corporate Traffic
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional Wi-Fi networks struggle with interference, congestion, and coverage issues, particularly in home environments, limiting the ability to support multiple applications simultaneously and providing reliable connectivity across all rooms.
Innovation Solution
A single home Wi-Fi network is configured to support multiple virtual networks, enabling corporate IT visibility into the corporate network while maintaining separation from personal traffic, using cloud-based control and distributed access points to optimize network performance and reduce interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a single Wi-Fi network carries both personal and corporate traffic, then network resource utilization is improved, but network security and traffic management become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides a single physical Wi-Fi network into multiple virtual networks (VLANs) to separate personal and corporate traffic. This segmentation allows both types of traffic to coexist on the same physical infrastructure while maintaining distinct management domains, thus improving resource utilization without compromising security or management clarity.
Solution Approach 2:
The access point is configured to serve multiple functions simultaneously by supporting multiple virtual networks on a single device. This multi-functionality allows the same hardware to handle both personal and corporate traffic, eliminating the need for separate physical networks while maintaining proper isolation and management.
2Device complexity
If multiple virtual networks are supported on a single Wi-Fi network, then hardware requirements are reduced, but network interference and congestion increase
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting traffic into separate virtual networks (VLANs) on the access point, the patent enables logical isolation of personal and corporate traffic streams. This segmentation prevents interference between different types of traffic while utilizing the same physical hardware, thus reducing the need for additional devices while minimizing network congestion.
3Ease of operation
If corporate IT needs visibility into home Wi-Fi network, then network management is improved, but user privacy and security are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates separate virtual networks for corporate and personal traffic, allowing corporate IT to manage and monitor only the corporate VLAN while having no visibility into the personal network. This segmentation enables proper management visibility where needed while protecting user privacy in the personal network domain.
Solution Approach 2:
The access point acts as an intermediary that enforces policy separation between corporate and personal networks. It allows corporate IT to manage corporate traffic through appropriate controls while preventing any cross-contamination or visibility into personal network activities, thus mediating between management needs and privacy requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A Wi-Fi network includes one or more Wi-Fi access points each comprising circuitry configured to: provide a plurality of virtual networks including a home network and a work network, each of the plurality of virtual networks being segmented in terms of visibility, connect to a corporate network via one or more secure tunnels, connect to one or more user devices, and route traffic for the one or more user devices based on which particular virtual network the one or more user devices are connected on.