Patent ID: 8472920

Claim:
A wireless network control system, comprising: a wireless network controller; and a plurality of femtocells on-site of the wireless network, the wireless network controller being (i) off-site of the wireless network, and (ii) in communication with each of the plurality of on-site wireless network femtocells via a wired access data network, and the off-site wireless network controller being configured to perform substantially all network control functions for benefit of at least one of the plurality of on-site wireless network femtocells via the wired access data network, the substantially all WLAN network control functions including at least (i) management and operation of physical network resources, (ii) provision of client authentication functions to limit network access to authorized users, (iii) provision of cross-subnet mobility, and (iv) administration of per-user functions, wherein the off-site wireless network controller is disposed at a location which is remote from the wireless network and the plurality of femtocells, which femtocells are not disposed at the off-site wireless network controller location wherein the substantially all WLAN network control functions performed by the network controller are performed external of the WLAN; and wherein the network controller is in communication with at least one additional server, the at least one additional server being (i) co-located with one of the plurality of on-site wireless network femtocells and (ii) configured to access an enterprise directory database, the enterprise directory database including information relating to authorized users of the wireless system; and wherein the off-site wireless network controller is in communication with the at least one additional server computer via a secured data link.