A system for controlling access by a portable electronic device to a wireless network, comprising: one or more near field communications tags, each of the one or more near field communications tags affixed to an associated portable electronic device; and a near field communications reader having an antenna for receiving an information signal when one of the one or more near field communications tags is placed in close proximity to the antenna and an output for outputting information contained within the information signal; wherein each of the one or more near field communications tags is programmed to include an identification code for the associated portable electronic device, each of the associated portable electronic devices authorized to access the wireless network; and an authorization module is coupled to the output of the near field communications reader, the authorization module configured to receive the information from the near field communications reader and, if the information contains an identification code for an authorized portable electronic device, to allow the associated portable electronic device having that identification code to access the wireless network, wherein the authorization module is also coupled to a router which controls access to the wireless network, and wherein the authorization module is configured to configure the router to allow the portable electronic device having that identification code to access the wireless network if the information contains an identification code for a portable electronic device, and wherein the authorization module is configured to, when the information from the near field communications reader contains an identification code for a portable electronic device, add that identification code to a table of authorized portable electronic devices, wherein the authorization module is configured to provide the table of authorized portable electronic devices to the router to configure the router to allow the portable electronic device having that identification code to access the wireless network if the information contains an identification code for a portable electronic device. one or more near field communications tags, each of the one or more near field communications tags affixed to an associated portable electronic device; and a near field communications reader having an antenna for receiving an information signal when one of the one or more near field communications tags is placed in close proximity to the antenna and an output for outputting information contained within the information signal; wherein each of the one or more near field communications tags is programmed to include an identification code for the associated portable electronic device, each of the associated portable electronic devices authorized to access the wireless network; and an authorization module is coupled to the output of the near field communications reader, the authorization module configured to receive the information from the near field communications reader and, if the information contains an identification code for an authorized portable electronic device, to allow the associated portable electronic device having that identification code to access the wireless network, wherein the authorization module is also coupled to a router which controls access to the wireless network, and wherein the authorization module is configured to configure the router to allow the portable electronic device having that identification code to access the wireless network if the information contains an identification code for a portable electronic device, and wherein the authorization module is configured to, when the information from the near field communications reader contains an identification code for a portable electronic device, add that identification code to a table of authorized portable electronic devices, wherein the authorization module is configured to provide the table of authorized portable electronic devices to the router to configure the router to allow the portable electronic device having that identification code to access the wireless network if the information contains an identification code for a portable electronic device.