Patent ID: 8000334

Claim:
A method of joining a first wireless mesh network (“first network”) with a second wireless mesh network (“second network”), wherein the first network includes a first-network controller and a plurality of first-network nodes, and wherein the second network includes a second-network controller and a plurality of second-network nodes, the method comprising: the first-network controller receiving from a given first-network node a first message, the first message indicating that the given first-network node received a first signal from a given second-network node; responsive to receiving the first message, the first-network controller (i) validating the second network and (ii) responsive to validating the second network, (a) directing the given first-network node to enter a first bridging mode and (b) providing the given first-network node with first bridging data that includes a security key for communications between the given first-network node and the given second-network node; the second-network controller receiving from the given second-network node a second message, the second message indicating that the given second-network node received a second signal from the given first-network node; responsive to receiving the second message, the second-network controller (i) validating the first network and (ii) responsive to validating the first network, (a) directing the given second-network node to enter a second bridging mode and (b) providing the given second-network node with second bridging data that includes the security key; and the given first-network node and the given second-network node associating with each other using the security key, thereby allowing communications to securely pass between the first network and the second network, wherein the first-network controller maintains first peering data, wherein the first message comprises an identifier for the second network, and wherein the first-network controller validating the second network comprises the first-network controller determining that the first peering data includes the identifier for the second network, and wherein the second-network controller maintains second peering data, wherein the second message comprises an identifier for the first network, and wherein the second-network controller validating the first network comprises the second-network controller determining that the second peering data includes the identifier for the first network.