Patent ID: 8547829

Claim:
A method comprising: receiving, by a computing device, topology and capability information associated with an access point, of a wireless local area network (WLAN), a plurality of available access devices of the WLAN, and an aggregation device of the WLAN, the topology and capability information including: at least one of hardware capabilities or software capabilities associated with the access point, the plurality of available access devices, and the aggregation device; determining, by the computing device and based on the topology and capability information, that at least two of the plurality of available access devices may provide information to the access point; determining, by the computing device and based on the topology and capability information, a nearest capable access device, of the at least two of the plurality of available access devices and the aggregation device, to the access point; causing, by the computing device, creation of a tunnel between the access point and the nearest capable access device of the at least two of the plurality of available access devices and the aggregation device; receiving, by the computing device, a change in the topology and capability information, the change in the topology and capability information indicating that the nearest capable access device, of the at least two of the plurality of available access devices and the aggregation device, is no longer capable of creating the tunnel; and determining, by the computing device and based on the change in the topology and capability information, another nearest capable access device of the at least two of the plurality of available access devices and the aggregation device to the access point.