Patent ID: 8243650

Claim:
A method of securing a communication path of a client device by an access point device for a wireless LAN, the access point device connecting the client device in the wireless LAN to a wired LAN, the method comprising: monitoring a connection between the access point device and the wired LAN; if the monitored connection between the access point device and the wired LAN is not normal, transmitting to an adjacent access point device a portal request indicating a request for serving as a proxy connection node accessing the wired LAN; if the monitored connection between the access point device and the wired LAN is not normal, implementing a process as a relay node between the adjacent access point device and the client device; and when the access point device receives a portal request from the adjacent access point device, implementing a process as the proxy connection node indicated by the portal request sent from the adjacent access point device if the monitored connection between the access point device and the wired LAN is normal, wherein the access point device responds a negative acknowledgment indicating rejection of the portal request from the adjacent access point device, if the connection between the access point device and the wired LAN is not normal, and transmits a new portal request to other adjacent access point device, if the access point device receives a negative acknowledgment from the adjacent access point.