Patent ID: 8756668

Claim:
A method for providing secured network access, the method comprising: receiving a request initiated by a user device located within a range of a hotspot, the request sent via an open communication network associated with the hotspot and concerning access to a secured communication network at the hotspot by the user device, and wherein the request initiated by the user device was redirected to an intermediary web portal server; executing instructions stored in memory, wherein execution of the instructions by a processor: generates a new pre-shared key for the user device based on information in the request, wherein the new pre-shared key is unique to the user device, and registers the new and unique pre-shared key to a user of the user device, the registration based on user information provided in the request; transmitting the unique pre-shared key over the open communication network for display on a webpage accessible to the user device, wherein the user device uses the unique pre-shared key in a subsequent request for access to the secured communication network; and storing in memory the unique pre-shared key in association with information regarding the user device, wherein the memory further includes information regarding different user devices, each associated with a different pre-shared key unique to the respective different user device, and wherein access to the secured communication network is granted at the hotspot in response to the subsequent request by the user device, the subsequent request including the pre-shared key unique to the user device.