Patent ID: 8347361

Claim:
A method of operating a network comprising a plurality of stations each able to transmit and receive data so that the network can transmit data between stations via at least one selected intermediate station, wherein the network comprises a plurality of levels of stations including a first level comprising user and/or seed stations, a second level comprising auxiliary stations providing access to auxiliary networks, a third level comprising at least one location management station, and a fourth level comprising at least one authentication station, the method comprising: transmitting, from or on behalf of a station on the first level requiring authentication, to said at least one authentication station via one or more stations, an authentication request message, said at least one authentication station transmitting authentication data via one or more stations to the station on the first level to authenticate the station on the first level; maintaining, at said at least one authentication station, a record of each authenticated station on the first level; monitoring, at said at least one location management station, the location of each authenticated station on the first level with respect to the connectivity of said authenticated stations, whether directly or indirectly, with one or more stations on the second level; and where a station on the first level attempting to communicate with another station on any level is assisted by a station on another level, transmitting connectivity data from said station on another level directly, or indirectly via other stations, to said station on the first level and/or to an intermediate station, the connectivity data identifying other stations with which said station on the first level or the said intermediate station is likely to be able to communicate.