Patent ID: 8891419

Claim:
A method of identifying for a communication device an intermediary communication device to carry communications from the communication device destined to an access point in a 802.11 network, the method comprising: monitoring for a first trigger condition to seek the intermediary communication device, where the first trigger condition is related to at least one of the communication device or the 802.11 network; and upon detection of the first trigger condition identifying the intermediary communication device in the 802.11 network; establishing a first connection between the communication device and the intermediary communication device in the 802.11 network and a second connection between the intermediary communication device and the access point in the 802.11 network to transmit communications from the communication device to the access point; transmitting a message from the communication device for the access point using the first connection and the second connection; tearing down a direct connection in the 802.11 network between the communication device and the access point; sharing account parameters of the intermediary communication device with the communication device for communications managed by the 802.11 network; and utilizing an agreed addressing procedure in processing communications from either the communication device or the intermediary communication device to the network.