Patent ID: 8428036

Claim:
A wireless local area network (WLAN) control system, comprising: a WLAN network controller; and a plurality of access points, the WLAN network controller being in communication with each of the plurality of access points via a transport data network, the WLAN network controller being configured to perform substantially all WLAN network control functions for benefit of at least one of the plurality of access points, the substantially all WLAN network control functions including at least (i) management and operation of physical network resources, (ii) provision of client authentication functions to limit network access to authorized users, (iii) provision of cross-subnet mobility, and (iv) administration of per-user functions, wherein the WLAN network controller is located at a service provider facility which is remote from both the WLAN and the plurality of access points, which plurality of access points are not disposed at the service provider facility, and wherein the substantially all WLAN network control functions are performed external of the WLAN, wherein the at least one access point of the plurality of access points is configured to use a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol snooping operation to determine a client Media Access Control (MAC) address and to communicate the client MAC address to the WLAN network controller for MAC authentication, and wherein the WLAN network controller is configured to authenticate the client to the WLAN by transmitting a message to the least one access point, the message including information relating to authentication.