Patent ID: 7882545

Claim:
A method to authenticate a wireless device for secure operation on a wireless local area network, the wireless local area network including a controller, the method comprising: broadcasting from the controller a configuration message based on the controller being physically switched to a configuration mode by a user, accepting at the controller a response from the wireless device, the response accepted based on receiving the response within a fixed time period following the broadcasting of the configuration message, the accepted response including information encrypted using the controller's public key, obtaining a message entered by the user at the controller and maintained at the controller; and authenticating the wireless device, wherein authentication is based on whether the response including the encrypted information, when decrypted with a private key associated with the controller's public key, matches the message, wherein accepting the response from the wireless device based on receiving the response within the fixed time period following the broadcasting of the configuration message, further comprises acceptance based on: obtaining network information entered by the user at the controller and maintained at the controller, the network information to include a number of wireless devices to be authenticated; and accepting the response based on acceptance not exceeding the number of wireless devices to be authenticated.