Patent ID: 8730811
Filing Date: 2014-05-20
Classification: H04L,H04W

Abstract:
1. A method of managing network traffic, comprising: associating a wireless client device with a wireless access point comprising at least one processor; with said wireless access point, identifying a wired network to which said wireless client device is assigned, wherein said wired network implements a plurality of Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs); determining whether said wireless client device has been assigned to one of said plurality of VLANs implemented within said wired network; when said wireless client device has not been assigned to one of said plurality of VLANs with said wireless access point, assigning said wireless client device to one of said plurality of VLANs implemented within said wired network according to a protocol for balancing network traffic across the plurality of VLANs; and when said wireless client device has been assigned to said one of said plurality of VLANs, assigning said wireless client device to said one of said VLANs to which said wireless client device was previously assigned; in which assigning said wireless client device to said one of said plurality of VLANs implemented within said wired network according to said protocol for balancing network load across said plurality of VLANs comprises: determining a physical address associated with said wireless client device; and performing a hashing function on said physical address to obtain an identity of said one of said plurality of VLANs; in which performing said hashing function on said physical address results in the same VLAN assignment each time said hashing function is applied, such that said wireless client device transitions from a first wireless access point to a second wireless access point without said second access point acquiring any previous assignment information of said wireless client device to said first wireless access point.