Controlled guest access to wi-fi networks

Abstract

A Wi-Fi network includes one or more access point devices configured to connect to one or more devices; wherein the Wi-Fi network is designated by a Service Set Identifier (SSID); wherein each Wi-Fi client device accesses the Wi-Fi network using the SSID and a key of a plurality of keys each being a password or certificate for the Wi-Fi network; and wherein each of the plurality of keys designates an access zone of a plurality of access zones each defining rules for network and/or device access such that the one or more access point devices provide selective access based on which of the plurality of keys is used for each of the one or more devices.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 receiving, by a device, a request to access a network from a guest user of the network, the network comprising a first access zone and a second access zone, the first access zone corresponding to a portion of the network for home users of the network, the second access zone corresponding to a portion of the network for guest users of the network;   communicating, by the device, in response to the request, a Service Set Identifier (SSID) for the network and a key associated with the network, the key corresponding to the second access zone; and   establishing, by the device, a connection of a device of the guest user to the network, the connection being based on the SSID and the key, the connection corresponding to the second access zone of the network.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first access zone of the network includes functionality for unlimited access to capabilities of the network for the home users. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second access zone of the network includes functionality for restricted access to capabilities of the network for the guest users. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the restricted access corresponds to at least one of traffic amount, access time, physical location in a distributed Wi-Fi system, traffic prioritization, and time limit for access. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the SSID corresponds to both the first and second access zones of the network. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the network is associated with a plurality of keys, wherein the first access zone is associated with a subset of the plurality of keys, and the second access zone is associated with a another subset of the plurality of keys. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of keys is a password or certificate for accessing the network. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the network further comprises a portal connected to a cloud for collecting network activity data of the guest user upon the connection to the network. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the network access zones of the network are administered from a cloud via automatic propagation by the cloud to the device. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the network is a Wi-Fi network, wherein the device is an access point device for the Wi-Fi network. 
     
     
         11 . A device comprising:
 a processor configured for:
 receive a request to access a network from a guest user of the network, the network comprising a first access zone and a second access zone, the first access zone corresponding to a portion of the network for home users of the network, the second access zone corresponding to a portion of the network for guest users of the network; 
 communicate, in response to the request, a Service Set Identifier (SSID) for the network and a key associated with the network, the key corresponding to the second access zone; and 
 establish a connection of a device of the guest user to the network, the connection being based on the SSID and the key, the connection corresponding to the second access zone of the network. 
   
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the first access zone of the network includes functionality for unlimited access to capabilities of the network for the home users. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the second access zone of the network includes functionality for restricted access to capabilities of the network for the guest users, wherein the restricted access corresponds to at least one of traffic amount, access time, physical location in a distributed Wi-Fi system, traffic prioritization, and time limit for access. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the SSID corresponds to both the first and second access zones of the network, wherein the network is associated with a plurality of keys, wherein the first access zone is associated with a subset of the plurality of keys, and the second access zone is associated with a another subset of the plurality of keys, wherein each of the plurality of keys is a password or certificate for accessing the network. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the network further comprises a portal connected to a cloud for collecting network activity data of the guest user upon the connection to the network. 
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium tangibly encoded with computer-executable instructions, that when executed by a device, perform a method comprising:
 receiving, by the device, a request to access a network from a guest user of the network, the network comprising a first access zone and a second access zone, the first access zone corresponding to a portion of the network for home users of the network, the second access zone corresponding to a portion of the network for guest users of the network;   communicating, by the device, in response to the request, a Service Set Identifier (SSID) for the network and a key associated with the network, the key corresponding to the second access zone; and   establishing, by the device, a connection of a device of the guest user to the network, the connection being based on the SSID and the key, the connection corresponding to the second access zone of the network.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 16 , wherein the first access zone of the network includes functionality for unlimited access to capabilities of the network for the home users. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 16 , wherein the second access zone of the network includes functionality for restricted access to capabilities of the network for the guest users, wherein the restricted access corresponds to at least one of traffic amount, access time, physical location in a distributed Wi-Fi system, traffic prioritization, and time limit for access. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 16 , wherein the SSID corresponds to both the first and second access zones of the network, wherein the network is associated with a plurality of keys, wherein the first access zone is associated with a subset of the plurality of keys, and the second access zone is associated with a another subset of the plurality of keys, wherein each of the plurality of keys is a password or certificate for accessing the network. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 16 , wherein the network further comprises a portal connected to a cloud for collecting network activity data of the guest user upon the connection to the network.