CN113507706B - Apparatus and method for registering a wireless access point with a multi-AP wireless network - Google Patents

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus and method for registering a wireless AP to a multi-AP (MAP) wireless network. By registering multiple wireless APs in a MAP wireless network, the multiple wireless APs may cooperate to effectively serve wireless STAs and advantageously eliminate signal interference and degradation of walls, structures, objects, etc. To register a new wireless AP into an existing MAP wireless network, a wireless device having a "controller" function ("controller device") is used, which may act as a "Device Provisioning Protocol (DPP) configurator", which is authenticated and configured to the MAP network. A DPP-capable smartphone may perform DPP authentication and configuration without using a dedicated smartphone application. This reduces the load on both the user and the device manufacturer because no dedicated smartphone application is required to register a new wireless AP.

Description

Apparatus and method for registering a wireless access point with a multi-AP wireless network

Technical Field

Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to the field of wireless communications. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention relate to systems and methods for registering a wireless access point with an existing wireless network.

Background

Modern electronic devices typically use WIFI to wirelessly transmit and receive data with other electronic devices, and the performance of WIFI networks may be improved by using more than one wireless Access Point (AP). By using multiple APs in a multi-AP (MAP) wireless network, the overall efficiency and performance of the WIFI network may be significantly improved, as well as poor network connections due to obstructions and interference may be avoided. Furthermore, wireless APs in a MAP wireless network may fail without destroying the entire network.

In order to create a MAP wireless network, multiple wireless APs need to be registered into the MAP wireless network. However, some methods of registering an AP to a MAP wireless network require the use of a dedicated software application to identify devices to register to an existing MAP wireless network. Therefore, a method capable of reducing the load of users and device manufacturers is required to register APs into a MAP wireless network so that even new APs from different device manufacturers can be easily and effectively registered into existing MAP wireless networks.

Disclosure of Invention

Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention provide methods and apparatus for registering a new wireless AP to a MAP wireless network. By registering multiple wireless APs with a MAP wireless network, the multiple wireless APs may cooperate to effectively serve wireless STAs (i.e., stations, such as but not limited to mobile devices) and advantageously mitigate signal interference and degradation of walls, structures, objects, etc. According to an embodiment of the present invention, in order to register a new wireless AP into an existing MAP wireless network, a wireless device having a controller function ("controller device") is used to authenticate and configure the new wireless AP into the MAP network, which may act as a "device provisioning protocol (Device Provisioning Protocol, DPP) configurator. A DPP-enabled smartphone may perform DPP authentication and initiate DPP configuration without using a dedicated smartphone application. In this way, the burden on the user as well as the device manufacturer can be reduced because no dedicated smartphone application is required to register a new wireless AP. According to some embodiments, the 1905 layer defined by the IEEE 1905.1 standard is used to specify the performance of firmware above the MAC layer of the network device. For example, the 1905 layer may be used to seek compatible devices on a wireless network to decide which connection is available to the device and connected host.

According to one described embodiment, a method of registering a wireless Access Point (AP) to a multi-AP (MAP) wireless network is disclosed. The method includes scanning the existing MAP wireless network using an initial DPP configuration, the new wireless AP scans the existing MAP wireless network to identify controller devices of the existing MAP wireless network, and the wireless AP receives operating parameters from the controller devices to configure the wireless AP and register the wireless AP to the existing MAP wireless network, wherein a DPP authentication process is performed using a DPP capable smart phone to authenticate the wireless AP, and an initial DPP configuration process is performed by the DPP capable smart phone to configure the wireless AP to connect the wireless AP to the existing MAP wireless network.

According to some embodiments, the final operating parameters are defined by a remote service provider.

According to some embodiments, the DPP-capable smartphone executes an Android-based operating system.

According to some embodiments, the DPP-capable smart phone performs DPP authentication and DPP configuration using a DPP protocol stack (stack) of an Android-based operating system.

According to some embodiments, the method includes an agent (agent) to which the new AP connects to the existing MAP wireless network to perform the scanning for the existing MAP wireless network.

According to some embodiments, configuring the wireless AP with final operating parameters includes at least one of performing Pairwise Master Key (PMK) interactions between the wireless AP and the controller device and provisioning the wireless AP using a network name and credentials of the MAP wireless network.

According to some embodiments, configuring the wireless AP with final operating parameters includes performing a 4-way interaction between the new wireless AP and the controlling device thereof to establish 1905 a layer key.

According to some embodiments, the 4-way interaction is performed using a 1905-layer encapsulation message.

According to some embodiments, performing initial DPP configuration includes configuring a backoff (backhaul) STA and a 1905 layer key to connect the wireless AP to the existing MAP wireless network, and configuring the wireless AP with operating parameters includes configuring a bss and an fBSS after configuring the 1905 layer key.

According to some embodiments, the DPP authentication procedure includes a DPP authentication request, a DPP authentication response, and a DPP authentication acknowledgement.

According to some embodiments, the method comprises scanning a QR code (two-dimensional code) of the new wireless AP using the collection of DPP capabilities, wherein the DPP authentication process is performed based on the QR code.

According to some embodiments, the DPP authentication procedure is performed using at least one of Near Field Communication (NFC), bluetooth, and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE).

According to another embodiment, a method of registering a wireless Access Point (AP) to a multi-AP (MAP) wireless network is disclosed. The method includes performing 4-way interactions with the wireless AP using a controller device of the MAP wireless network to establish 1905-layer integrity and an encryption key for communicating over the MAP wireless network, receiving a configuration request from the wireless AP at the controller device of the MAP wireless network, and configuring the wireless AP with operating parameters to register the wireless AP with the MAP wireless network using the controller device in response to the configuration request. Performing a DPP authentication process using a DPP-capable smartphone to authenticate the wireless AP, and performing an initial DPP configuration process using the DPP-capable smartphone to initially configure the wireless AP to connect the wireless AP to the MAP wireless network.

According to various embodiments, a non-transitory computer readable storage medium is disclosed having program instructions embedded therein, wherein the program instructions, when executed by one or more processors of an apparatus, cause the apparatus to perform a method of registering a wireless Access Point (AP) to a multi-AP (MAP) wireless network, the method comprising: performing 4-way interactions with the wireless AP using a controller device of the existing MAP wireless network to establish 1905 layer integrity and an encryption key for communicating over the MAP wireless network, receiving a configuration request from the wireless AP at the controller device of the MAP wireless network; the controller means is used to configure the wireless AP with operating parameters to register the wireless AP into the MAP wireless network in response to the configuration request. Performing a DPP authentication process using a DPP-capable smartphone to authenticate the wireless AP, and performing an initial DPP configuration process using the DPP-capable smartphone to initially configure the wireless AP to connect the wireless AP to the MAP wireless network.

Drawings

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Fig. 1 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary multi-AP (MAP) wireless network having multiple wireless access points in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 shows a flowchart of an exemplary computer-implemented sequence of steps for registering a new wireless access point with an existing MAP wireless network using a smartphone application to scan for QR codes.

Fig. 3A shows a flowchart of an exemplary sequence of computer implemented steps for use with a smart phone using device provisioning protocol capabilities for registering a new wireless access point in an existing wireless network, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 3B shows a flowchart and transmission timing diagram of an exemplary sequence of computer-implemented steps for registering a new wireless access point into an existing wireless network using a device provisioning protocol capable smartphone, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary computer system platform upon which an embodiment of the invention may be implemented.

Detailed Description

Reference will be made in detail to a number of embodiments. While the subject matter will be described in conjunction with alternative embodiments, it will be understood that they are not intended to limit the claimed subject matter to these embodiments. On the contrary, the claimed subject matter is intended to cover alternatives, modifications and equivalents, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the claimed subject matter as defined by the appended claims.

Furthermore, in the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the claimed subject matter. However, it will be recognized by one of ordinary skill in the art that embodiments of the invention may be practiced without these specific details or with equivalents thereof. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, and circuits have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects and features of the present invention.

The following detailed description section presents and discusses aspects of the methods. Although steps and their order are disclosed in the illustrations herein (e.g., fig. 2, 3A, and 3B). Embodiments are also useful for performing various other steps or variations of the steps listed in the flowcharts herein, and in different orders than as listed and described herein.

Some portions of the detailed descriptions are presented in terms of processes, steps, logic blocks, processes, and other symbolic representations of operations on data bits that can be performed on computer memory. These descriptions and representations are the means used by those skilled in the data processing arts to effectively convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. A procedure, computer-executed step, logic block, process, etc., is here, and generally, a self-consistent sequence of steps or instructions leading to a desired result. The steps are those requiring physical manipulations of physical quantities. Usually, though not necessarily, these quantities take the form of electrical or magnetic signals capable of being stored, transferred, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated in a computer system. It has proven convenient at times, principally for reasons of common usage, to refer to these signals as bits, values, elements, symbols, characters, terms, numbers, or the like.

It should be borne in mind, however, that all of these and similar terms are to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied to these quantities. Unless specifically stated otherwise as apparent from the following discussions, it is appreciated that throughout the terms such as "accessing," "configuring," "coordinating," "storing," "transmitting," "authenticating," "identifying," "grading," or the like, refer to the action or processes of a computer system, or similar electronic computing device, that manipulates and transforms data represented as physical (electronic) quantities within the computer system's registers and memories into other data similarly represented as physical (electronic) quantities within the computer system memories or registers or other information storage, transmission or display devices.

As used herein, the term "EHT" may refer to the latest generation of wireless communications referred to as Extremely High Throughput (EHT) and defined in accordance with the ieee802.11be standard. The term station "STA" refers to an electronic device that is capable of transmitting and receiving data over WIFI and does not act as an Access Point (AP).

Embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus and method for registering a wireless AP to a multi-AP (MAP) wireless network. By registering multiple wireless APs in a MAP wireless network, the wireless APs may cooperate to effectively serve wireless STAs and advantageously eliminate signal interference and degradation caused by signal obstructions, such as walls, structures, objects, and the like. In order to register a new wireless AP into an existing MAP wireless network, the new wireless AP may be authenticated and configured into the MAP network using a wireless device having a "controller" function ("controller device"), which may act as a Device Provisioning Protocol (DPP) configurator.

According to one exemplary method, the smartphone may scan for a QR code printed or displayed on the new wireless AP, and deliver the QR code to the controller/DPP configurator device of the existing MAP network. However, this approach disadvantageously requires a dedicated application created by the vendor of the existing wireless AP and provided to the user, and the application is typically manually downloaded by the user and installed on the smartphone. The controller/DPP configurator means is capable of performing DPP authentication and DPP configuration procedures for registering the new wireless AP into the existing MAP wireless network, depending on the QR code provided by the smartphone application.

According to another exemplary method for registering a new wireless AP to an existing wireless network according to an embodiment of the present invention, a DPP-capable smartphone is used to perform DPP authentication and configuration without using a dedicated smartphone application. In this way, the burden on the user as well as the device manufacturer is reduced because no dedicated smartphone application is required to register a new wireless AP. According to some embodiments, authentication is advantageously performed, for example, by a smart phone using the DPP protocol stack of the Android mobile operating system. Further, authentication may be performed by an existing device of the MAP wireless network, which may be configured to use the cloud or a remote service provider. In this way, the authentication and the operating configuration may be decided by two separate entities.

With respect to fig. 1, an exemplary existing MAP wireless network 100 is depicted in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The MAP wireless network 100 includes a wireless AP1 105 in communication with a wireless AP2 110. Wireless STA1 115 (e.g., a smart phone) is registered in wireless network 100 and may be served by both wireless AP1 105 and wireless AP2 110. The wireless AP1 105 is configured to act as a controller device for registering a new device with the MAP wireless network 100. In particular, wireless AP1 105 uses DPP configuration and authentication procedures to authenticate and configure a new device to MAP wireless network 100 according to a QR code displayed or printed on the new wireless device (e.g., new wireless AP 120).

Thus, by executing a dedicated smart phone application, the wireless STA1 115 scans the QR code of the new wireless AP 120 and delivers the QR code (or information related to the QR code, such as an identification of the new wireless AP 120) to the controller/DPP configurator device (e.g., the wireless AP 105) of the existing MAP network. By registering multiple wireless APs in a MAP wireless network, the multiple wireless APs may cooperate to effectively serve wireless STAs and advantageously eliminate strong, structural, object, etc. signal interference and degradation. However, the device manufacturer of the new wireless AP would be very heavy to develop and provision for registering the new wireless AP to the MAP network, and the heavy download and process of installing the application each time the new device is logged in may degrade the user experience. Thus, as depicted in fig. 3A and 3B, some embodiments of the present invention provide an alternative to using DPP-capable smartphones as configurators rather than existing controller devices. In this scenario, a proprietary smartphone application is necessary and the burden on the user as well as the device manufacturer is significantly reduced.

Fig. 2 is a flowchart of an exemplary computer-implemented sequence of steps for using a smart phone application to scan QR codes for registering a new wireless access point with an existing MAP wireless network in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

At step 205, the QR code of the new AP using the smartphone application is scanned and sent to the existing network device (e.g., controller device). The QR code is associated with the new AP and may be displayed or printed on the new AP. If the device has a display screen, a QR code may be displayed. The QR code and/or information related to the QR code may be transmitted to a controller device of the existing MAP wireless network. According to some embodiments, the information about the new wireless access point is sent to the controller device of the existing MAP wireless network using Near Field Communication (NFC), bluetooth or bluetooth low energy or similar wireless communication protocol.

In step 210, the existing network device (e.g., controller device) authenticates the new device based on the QR code information provided by the smartphone. For example, a controller device of an existing wireless network may perform a DPP authentication procedure to authenticate a new device of an existing MAP wireless network.

In step 215, the existing network device (e.g., controller device) configures the new device using the final operating parameters on the existing MAP wireless network. For example, a controller device of an existing wireless network may perform a DPP configuration procedure to configure a new device of an existing MAP wireless network. The new wireless AP is then within the wireless network. Step 215 includes provisioning the wireless AP using the network name and credentials for communicating over the MAP network, according to some embodiments.

With respect to fig. 3A, a flowchart of an exemplary computer-implemented sequence of steps for registering a new wireless access point with an existing wireless network using a device provisioning protocol capability (DPP) smartphone is depicted in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The process 300 does not use a dedicated smart phone application, thereby reducing the load on the device manufacturer and providing a simplified setup process so that a user can easily and efficiently register a new AP with an existing MAP wireless network.

In step 305, a new device (e.g., a new wireless AP) is authenticated to register with the existing MAP wireless network. Step 305 includes authenticating the new device using a DPP authentication process, where a DPP-capable smartphone scans a QR code printed or associated with or displayed on the new wireless AP.

In step 310, the DPP-capable smartphone performs an initial DPP configuration with a Service Set Identifier (SSID), password, and AKM (authentication and key management) group to configure a backoff STA (bSTSA) interface of the new wireless AP for accessing the existing MAP wireless network according to the QR code. A bSTA is an AP that acts as a client to connect to an upstream AP.

In step 315, the new wireless AP performs a network scan/discovery process using the initial DPP configuration to identify controller devices on the existing MAP wireless network. The new AP runs a network introduction protocol from the DPP specification to establish a pairwise master key (Pairwise Master Key, PMK) with the controller. The new wireless AP then initiates a 4-way interaction to establish 1905 the layer integrity and encryption key.

In step 320, the new wireless AP requests configuration information from the controller for configuring a back-off basic service set (bss) and a forward basic service set (fBSS) radio of the new wireless AP, and the new wireless AP configures the bss and the fBSS radio accordingly to complete configuration and registration in the existing MAP wireless network. Because it is used to interconnect and manage multiple APs of a MAP network, the bss may not be visible to client devices of an existing MAP wireless network. The fBSS is visible to the client device and is used to connect to and communicate over the MAP wireless network.

With respect to fig. 3B, an exemplary flow chart and transmission timing diagram for a smart phone using Device Provisioning Protocol (DPP) capability for registering a new wireless access point with an existing wireless network is depicted in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The method depicted in fig. 3B does not use a dedicated smart phone application to reduce the load on the device manufacturer and to provide a simplified setup process so that a user can easily and efficiently register a new AP into an existing MAP wireless network.

The exemplary flowchart depicted in fig. 3B and transmission timing diagram 325 are performed between a controller device 330 of an existing MAP wireless network, a DPP-capable smartphone 335, and a new wireless device 340 to be registered with the existing MAP wireless network.

The new wireless device 340 authenticates using the following exemplary authentication procedure:

the dpp-capable smart phone 335 reads a QR code printed, displayed on or associated with the new wireless device 340.

2. A DPP authentication request is sent from a DPP-capable smart phone 335 to a new wireless device 340 requesting DPP authentication to register into the existing MAP wireless network.

A DPP authentication response is sent from the new wireless device 340 to the DPP-capable smart phone 335 for performing DPP authentication.

A DPP authentication acknowledgement is sent from the DPP-capable smart phone 335 to the new wireless device 340 to confirm that the DPP authentication was successful.

After performing the DPP authentication procedure, an initial DPP authentication procedure is performed so that the new wireless device 340 may connect to the existing MAP wireless network as follows:

1. the new wireless device 340 sends a DPP configuration request to the DPP-capable smart phone 335. The DPP configuration request may include a developer/vendor name associated with the new wireless device 340, a wifi-tech type set to "MAP", and a network role set to "mapAgent".

The DPP-capable smart phone 335 responds to the DPP configuration request with a DPP configuration response including a configuration object for configuring the bstta. The DPP configuration response is used by the new wireless device 340 to configure the bSTA and to configure the 1905 layer connector of the new wireless device 340. The 1905 layer defined by the IEEE 1905.1 standard is used to specify the performance of firmware above the MAC layer of the network device. For example, the 1905 layer may find the appropriate device on the wireless network to decide which connection is available to the device and the connected host.

3. The new wireless device 340 responds to the DPP configuration response with the DPP configuration result.

After performing the initial DPP configuration procedure, and DPP configuration is applied to the bstta and 1905 layer connector of the new wireless device 340, the new wireless device 340 scans the existing MAP wireless network to identify the controller device 330 of the existing MAP wireless network.

In one example, the new wireless device 340 may use the bstta to connect to any fallback BSS of any existing MAP agent 345 and perform an AP auto configuration (AP-Autoconfig) search for the device identified as "MAP controller". A PMK procedure/interaction is performed between the new wireless device 340 and the controller device 330. The new wireless device 340 then initiates a 4-way interaction with the controller device 330 to establish 1905-layer integrity and encrypt the session key for communication over the existing MAP wireless network, e.g., using 1905-layer encapsulation messages. The new wireless device requests configuration information from the controller device 330 for configuring the bsss and the fBSS radios of the new wireless device 340, and the new wireless device 340 configures the bsss and the fBSS radios to complete configuration and registration in the existing MAP wireless network according to the configuration information received from the controller device 330.

According to some embodiments, configuring the bss and the fBSS radios of the new wireless device 340 is a separate process from the initial configuration. For example, the bSTA and 1905 layers may be initially configured, and the bsss and the fbsss may be configured after establishing 1905 layer keys, or as an immediate process or a separate process.

Embodiments of the present invention are shown as an electronic system for registering a wireless AP with a MAP network. The following discussion describes one such exemplary electronic or computer system that may be employed as a platform for implementing the present invention. For example, the exemplary computer system 412 may be a wireless AP, a wireless STA, a controller device, or a smart phone.

In the example of fig. 4, an exemplary computer system or wireless device includes a central processing unit (e.g., processor or CPU) 401 for running software applications and optionally an operating system. The random access memory 402 and the read only memory 403 store applications and data used by the CPU. The data storage 404 provides non-volatile storage for applications and data and may include fixed hard drives, removable hard drives, flash memory devices, and CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, or other optical storage devices. Optional users 406 and 407 include means (e.g., a mouse, joystick, video camera, touch screen, and/or microphone) for communicating input from one or more users to computer system 412.

The communication or network interface 408 includes a plurality of transceivers and allows the computer system 412 to communicate with other computer systems, networks, or devices via an electronic communication network, including wired and/or wireless communication, and including an intranet or the internet (e.g., the 802.11 wireless standard). According to an embodiment of the present invention, communication or network interface 408 may operate multiple transceivers, such as transceiver 1 and transceiver 2, simultaneously. The communication or network interface 408 may further include a collaboration management unit for coordinating data transmitted and/or received by the transceiver. The communication or network interface 408 may include a dual band interface that operates in multiple frequency bands simultaneously, such as 2.4GHZ, 5GHZ, and/or 6GHZ. Various backoff processes may be performed by the computer system 412 to synchronize simultaneous communication on multiple transceivers.

The optional display device 410 may be any means capable of displaying visual information in response to a signal from the computer system 412, and includes, for example, a flat panel touch-sensitive display screen that may be remotely configured. As described above, the display screen 410 may be used to display a QR code. The components of computer system 412 include a CPU 401, memory 402/403, data storage 404, user input devices 406, and an image subsystem 405 coupled via one or more data buses.

Some embodiments may be described in the general context of computer-executable instructions, such as program modules, executed by one or more computers or other devices. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. The general and functions of the program modules may be combined or separated as desired in various embodiments.

Embodiments of the invention are thus described. While the present invention has been described in particular embodiments, it should be appreciated that the present invention should not be construed as limited by such embodiments, but rather construed according to the following claims.

Claims (19)

1. A method of registering a wireless AP to a multi-AP wireless network, the method comprising:

a controller device scans the multi-AP wireless network to identify the multi-AP wireless network based on an initial device provisioning protocol configuration; and

the wireless AP receiving operating parameters from the controller device to configure the wireless AP to register the wireless AP with the multi-AP wireless network,

wherein the wireless AP is authenticated using a smart phone with device provisioning protocol capability to perform a device provisioning protocol authentication procedure; and

wherein the wireless AP is configured to connect to the multi-AP wireless network by the device provisioning protocol capable smart phone performing an initial device provisioning protocol configuration procedure.

2. The method of registering a wireless AP with a multi-AP wireless network as recited in claim 1 wherein the operating parameters are defined by a remote service provider.

3. The method of registering a wireless AP to a multi-AP wireless network of claim 1, wherein the device provisioning protocol capable smartphone executes an Android compatible operating system.

4. The method of registering a wireless AP to a multi-AP wireless network of claim 3, wherein the device provisioning protocol enabled smartphone executes a device provisioning protocol stack of the Android-compatible operating system to perform the device provisioning protocol authentication process and the initial device provisioning protocol configuration process.

5. The method of registering a wireless AP with a multi-AP wireless network of claim 1, further comprising an agent to which the wireless AP is connected to the multi-AP wireless network performing the scanning for the multi-AP wireless network.

6. The method of registering a wireless AP with a multi-AP wireless network of claim 1, wherein the wireless AP is configured with operating parameters that use at least one of:

pairing primary key interactions between the wireless AP and the controller device; and

the wireless AP is provisioned using a network name and credentials of the multi-AP wireless network.

7. The method of registering a wireless AP with a multi-AP wireless network of claim 1, further comprising performing a 4-way interaction between the wireless AP and the controller device to establish a 1905-layer key, and wherein the 4-way interaction is performed using a 1905-layer encapsulation message.

8. The method of registering a wireless AP with a multi-AP wireless network of claim 1, wherein performing the initial device provisioning protocol configuration procedure comprises configuring a fallback STA interface and a 1905 layer key to connect the wireless AP to the multi-AP wireless network, and wherein configuring the wireless AP with the operating parameters comprises configuring a fallback basic service set radio and a forward basic service set radio of the wireless AP after the 1905 layer key is configured.

9. The method of registering a wireless AP with a multi-AP wireless network of claim 1, further comprising scanning a two-dimensional code of the wireless AP using a smart phone with the device provisioning protocol capability, wherein the device provisioning protocol authentication procedure is performed based on the two-dimensional code.

10. A method of registering a wireless AP to a multi-AP wireless network, the method comprising:

performing 4-way interactions with the wireless AP using a controller device of the multi-AP wireless network to establish 1905-layer integrity and an encryption key for communicating over the multi-AP wireless network;

receiving a configuration request from the wireless AP at the controller device of the multi-AP wireless network; and

in response to the configuration request, configuring the wireless AP with operating parameters to register the wireless AP into the multi-AP wireless network using the controller device,

wherein the wireless AP is authenticated using a device provisioning protocol capable smart phone to perform a device provisioning protocol authentication procedure, and wherein the wireless AP is initially configured to connect to the multi-AP wireless network using an initial device provisioning protocol configuration procedure performed by the device provisioning protocol capable smart phone.

11. The method of registering a wireless AP with a multi-AP wireless network as recited in claim 10 wherein the operating parameters are defined by a remote service provider.

12. The method of registering a wireless AP with a multi-AP wireless network of claim 10, wherein the device provisioning protocol capable smartphone executes an Android compatible operating system.

13. The method of registering a wireless AP to a multi-AP wireless network of claim 12, wherein the device provisioning protocol authentication and device provisioning protocol configuration are performed by the device provisioning protocol capable smart phone using a device provisioning protocol stack of the Android-compatible operating system.

14. The method of registering a wireless AP with a multi-AP wireless network of claim 10, further comprising the controller device performing pairwise master key interactions with the wireless AP.

15. The method of registering a wireless AP with a multi-AP wireless network of claim 10, wherein the controller means configures a fallback basic service set and a forward basic service set radio for the wireless AP.

16. The method of registering a wireless AP with a multi-AP wireless network of claim 10, wherein the 4-way interaction is performed using a 1905 layer encapsulated message.

17. The method of registering a wireless AP with a multi-AP wireless network of claim 10, wherein the device provisioning protocol authentication procedure includes a device provisioning protocol authentication request, a device provisioning protocol authentication response, and a device provisioning protocol authentication acknowledgement.

18. The method of registering a wireless AP with a multi-AP wireless network of claim 10, wherein the device provisioning protocol authentication procedure is performed using at least one of near field communication, bluetooth, and bluetooth low energy.

19. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing program instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of an apparatus, cause the apparatus to perform a method of registering a wireless AP to a multi-AP wireless network, the method comprising:

performing 4-way interactions with the wireless AP using a controller device of the multi-AP wireless network to establish 1905-layer integrity and an encryption key for communicating over the multi-AP wireless network;

receiving a configuration request from the wireless AP at the controller device of the multi-AP wireless network; and

in response to the configuration request, configuring the wireless AP with operating parameters to register the wireless AP into the multi-AP wireless network using the controller device,

wherein the wireless AP is authenticated using a device provisioning protocol capable smart phone to perform a device provisioning protocol authentication procedure, and wherein the wireless AP is initially configured to connect to the multi-AP wireless network using the device provisioning protocol capable smart phone to perform an initial device provisioning protocol configuration procedure.