Wi-Fi Access Management via Profile-Based Authentication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current Wi-Fi access management systems face challenges in providing secure and controlled access to Wi-Fi networks, especially in private and public venues, where owners struggle to balance security with guest access, often resorting to open networks or sharing passwords, which are insecure and inconvenient.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that allow Wi-Fi access owners to authenticate trusted users based on pre-defined profiles, using an access management service with authorization, storage, and messaging modules to manage access permissions, enabling secure and controlled access without requiring guests to provide credentials, and allowing for unrestricted or restricted access based on user profiles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If open network access is provided allowing devices to connect without authorization, then ease of operation is improved, but security is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments network access into multiple authorization levels: open access for general users and restricted access for specific devices. The access control list divides users into different categories (e.g., trusted devices, guest devices, blocked devices) with different permission levels, allowing simultaneous open and secure access zones within the same network.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different access control qualities to different devices locally. Each device in the access control list can have its own specific permissions, time restrictions, and authorization levels. This allows the network to provide customized access conditions for different devices rather than applying a uniform access policy.
2Reliability
If password sharing is used to restrict access, then network security is improved, but ease of operation is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service authentication where devices automatically prove their identity through pre-configured credentials stored in the access control list. Trusted devices can connect automatically without manual password entry, while the system itself manages the authentication process by verifying device identities against the stored access control information.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary authorization by pre-configuring access control lists with device identifiers and permissions before actual network access attempts. This advance preparation allows the system to automatically authenticate devices without real-time password verification, improving both security and convenience.
3Reliability
If restricted access control is implemented, then network security is improved, but device complexity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The access control system is integrated into the existing wireless network infrastructure, allowing the same access point to simultaneously provide open access, restricted access, and authentication services. The system serves multiple functions including device identification, authorization verification, session management, and security enforcement within a unified framework.
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, detecting a request for access to a wireless network via an access point. Responsive to a first determination that the identifier corresponds to an entry in the list, access is facilitated to the wireless network via the access point without the equipment of the requesting user providing credentials to the wireless network. The list includes a first set of entries corresponding to a first set of users having unrestricted access and a second set of entries corresponding to a second set of users having restricted access. Responsive to a second determination that the identifier does not correspond to any of the entries, a message is transmitted to equipment of the host regarding the request, and responsive to receiving approval, the list is updated to include the identifier. Other embodiments are disclosed.