Patent ID: 8266257

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for reducing the amount of time required to reconnect to a computing network, the method comprising: initiating, at a computing device comprising at least one processor, a DHCP request to obtain an IP address from a DHCP server; while waiting for the DHCP server to resolve the DHCP request: identifying a prior IP address previously used by the computing device to access the computing network; probing the computing network to ensure that the prior IP address is not currently in use by other devices within the computing network; using the prior IP address to reconnect to the same computing network prior to receiving a response to the DHCP request from the DHCP server in order to reduce the amount of time required to reconnect to the computing network; identifying at least one process on the computing device that requires access to the computing network; estimating a connection length required by the process; determining, based on the connection length required by the process, whether to allow the process to access the computing network prior to resolution of the DHCP request.