Patent ID: 7403773

Claim:
A method of operating a wireless local area network comprising the steps of: receiving a request from a wireless station at an access point of the wireless local area network; determining if a location of the wireless station is within a predefined geographical area; if the location is within the predefined geographical area, allowing the wireless station to access the wireless local area network; and if the location is outside the predefined geographical area, denying the wireless station access to the wireless local area network, wherein said step of determining includes the steps of: measuring a signal strength of the wireless station as received by the access point of the wireless local area network; and comparing the signal strength to a predetermined threshold value, wherein the predetermined threshold value is set such that reliable signals could be received at the access point from the wireless station with a signal strength less than the predetermined threshold value, however signal strengths less than the predetermined threshold value received at the access point are assumed to come from an unauthorized wireless station outside the predefined geographical area and are denied access to the wireless local area network.