Patent ID: 8040861

Claim:
An apparatus, comprising a network interface for communication with one or more access elements; a processor operatively coupled to the network interface, wherein the processor is operative to establish a respective communications tunnel with a plurality of access elements for transmission of WLAN protocol frames associated with one or more remote client elements, wherein one or more of the WLAN protocol frames are encapsulated with a header including local radio frequency (RF) information, and wherein one or more of the WLAN protocol frames are WLAN management frames; manage and control wireless connections between the plurality of access elements and one or more corresponding remote client elements; process the one or more WLAN management frames forwarded by the plurality of access elements to dynamically configure a wireless Local Area Network system comprising the plurality of access elements; select radio frequency channels for assignment to the plurality of access elements; transmit to the plurality of access elements control messages identifying the selected radio frequency channel; receive, via the communications tunnel with an access element of the one or more access elements, an encapsulated WLAN protocol frame from a first remote client element of the one or more remote client elements; translate the WLAN protocol frame to a wired network frame; and transmit the wired network frame across a computer network.