Wireless communication system, wireless LAN access point and settings confirmation/change method used therefor

Abstract

There is provided a wireless LAN access point capable of confirming and changing the setting using the IP communication for a target wireless LAN access point positively even when the IP address of the wireless LAN access point is forgotten. The wireless LAN access point, upon receipt of a probe request, transmits a probe response while at the same time starting to transmit a beacon frame required to be periodically transmitted. The wireless LAN access point starts the DHCP server therein at the same time that the process of associating the wireless LAN station is started. The DHCP server operates only for the wireless interface of the wireless LAN access point and the wireless LAN station associated by use of the maintenance SSID. The wireless LAN access point, upon complete association of the wireless LAN station with the local access point, leases the IP address to the wireless LAN station from the DHCP server in the particular local access point.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a wireless communication system according to an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the wireless LAN access point 1 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the wireless LAN access point 1 according to an embodiment; and

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the wireless LAN access point 1 according to an embodiment.

Claims

1. A wireless communication system for conducting wireless communication between a wireless LAN (local area network) terminal and a wireless LAN access point, wherein the wireless LAN access point comprises means for releasing an IP (internet protocol) address to the wireless LAN station that was associated with the wireless LAN access point by use of a maintenance SSID (service set identifier) set in advance.

2. The wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein the maintenance SSID is a number unique to the wireless LAN access point.

3. The wireless communication system according to claim 2, wherein the maintenance SSID is at least one of a MAC (media access control) address and a serial number of the wireless LAN access point.

4. The wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein the wireless LAN access point is adapted or arranged to prevent data that were sent from the wireless LAN station from leaking into to a network.

5. The wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein the means for releasing an IP address is a DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) server for executing a DHCP process, andwherein the DHCP server is adapted or arranged to execute the DHCP process only for the wireless LAN station that was associated with the wireless LAN access point by use of the maintenance SSID.

6. The wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein the wireless LAN access point is adapted or arranged to, upon receipt of a probe signal including the maintenance SSID from the wireless LAN station, start transmission of a beacon frame required to be transmitted periodically and a process to associate the wireless LAN station with the wireless LAN access point.

7. The wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein the wireless LAN access point is at least one of a wireless LAN access point in a system with a wireless LAN switch and a wireless LAN access point adapted for a mesh network having no wire line.

8. A wireless LAN access point for conducting wireless communication with a wireless LAN station, comprising means for releasing an IP address to the wireless LAN station that was associated with the wireless LAN access point by use of a maintenance SSID set in advance.

9. The wireless LAN access point according to claim 8, wherein the maintenance SSID is a number unique to the wireless LAN access point.

10. The wireless LAN access point according to claim 9, wherein the maintenance SSID is at least one of a MAC address and a serial number of the wireless LAN access point.

11. The wireless LAN access point according to claim 8, wherein the wireless LAN access point is adapted or arranged to prevent data that were sent from the wireless LAN station from leaking into a network.

12. The wireless LAN access point according to claim 8, wherein the means for releasing the IP address is a DHCP server for executing a DHCP process, andwherein the DHCP server is adapted or arranged to execute the DHCP process only for the wireless LAN station that was associated with the wireless LAN access point by use of the maintenance SSID.

13. The wireless LAN access point according to claim 8, wherein the wireless LAN access point is adapted or arranged to start transmission of a beacon frame required to be transmitted periodically and a process to associate the wireless LAN station with the wireless LAN access point upon receipt of a probe signal including the maintenance SSID from the wireless LAN station.

14. The wireless LAN access point according to claim 8, wherein the wireless LAN access point is at least one of a wireless LAN access point in a system with a wireless LAN switch and a wireless LAN access point adapted for a mesh network having no wire line.

15. A setting content confirmation/change method used for a wireless communication system to conduct wireless communication between a wireless LAN station and a wireless LAN access point, wherein the wireless LAN access point executes a process of releasing an IP address to the wireless LAN station that was associated with the wireless LAN access point by use of a maintenance SSID set in advance.

16. The setting content confirmation/change method according to claim 15, wherein the maintenance SSID is a number unique to the wireless LAN access point.

17. The setting content confirmation/change method according to claim 16, wherein the maintenance SSID is at least one of a MAC address and a serial number of the wireless LAN access point.

18. The setting content confirmation/change method according to claim 15, wherein the wireless LAN access point prevents data sent from the wireless LAN station from leaking into a network.

19. The setting content confirmation/change method according to claim 15, wherein the process of releasing the IP address is a DHCP process, andwherein the DHCP process is executed only for the wireless LAN station that was associated with the wireless LAN access point by use of the maintenance SSID.

20. The setting content confirmation/change method according to claim 15, wherein the wireless LAN access point, upon receipt of a probe signal including the maintenance SSID from the wireless LAN station, starts transmission of a beacon frame required to be transmitted periodically and a process to associate the wireless LAN station with the wireless LAN access point.

21. The setting content confirmation/change method according to claim 15, wherein the wireless LAN access point is at least one of a wireless LAN access point in a system with a wireless LAN switch and a wireless LAN access point adapted for a mesh network having no wire line.