Patent ID: 7856656

Claim:
A method for detecting a masquerading wireless device in a local area network, the method comprising: receiving a first packet including a first identity information and a first time information, the first time information being related to a length of time for which a wireless device of the first identity has been activated to transmit packets; receiving a second packet including a second identity information and a second time information, the second time information being related to a length of time for which a wireless device of the second identity has been activated to transmit packets; using the first time information, computing a first approximation to a starting time of a wireless device associated with the first identity information, the starting time of the wireless device associated with the first identity information being a time when it was last reset, rebooted, restarted or powered on; using the second time information, computing a second approximation to a starting time of a wireless device associated with the second identity information, the starting time of the wireless device associated with the second identity information being a time when it was last reset, rebooted, restarted or powered on; and determining that a masquerading wireless device is present in the local area network based on at least the first and second approximations indicating different starting times despite the first identity information and the second identify information indicating same wireless device.