Patent ID: 8375430

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: an input/output interface configured to be coupled to a networking interface of a mobile device on which the apparatus is designed to be installed, wherein the mobile device, in addition to the networking interface, further includes a processor coupled with the networking interface, and the processor is configured to execute an operating system of the mobile device; non-volatile storage configured to store a network access token associated with an authenticated network connection of the mobile device to access a network, wherein the network access token is provided to the mobile device while the mobile device is at a first location by a first network access device configured to facilitate the mobile device to access the network while the mobile device is around the first location; one or more platform management components configured to, upon roaming of the mobile device from the first location to a second location, transmit, through the input/output interface, the stored network access token to a second network access device to reestablish access to the network, wherein the second network access device is configured to facilitate the mobile device to access the network while the mobile device is around the second location; and a processing core, separate and distinct from the processor, coupled to the input/output interface and the non-volatile storage, and configured to operate the one or more platform management components independent of the processor, wherein the one or more platform management components include at least one firmware agent configured to: prevent any code executing within the operating system of the mobile device from circumventing the at least one firmware agent or modify firmware agent code; and have exclusive access to the input/output interface, wherein the input/output interface is further configured to expire after a predetermined time period and be refreshed, with the second network access device, during re-authentication at the reestablishment of access to the network.