Untethered access point mesh system and method

An apparatus, comprising:

• an access point (AP) that, in use:
• transmits a beacon that includes a first service set identifier (SSID) that matches a second SSID of an untethered access point (UAP);
• receives a signal from the UAP in response to the beacon, the signal representing a stored backhaul SSID and an attempt to associate with the AP;
• detects that the first SSID matches the stored backhaul SSID;
• associates the UAP with the AP in response to detecting that the first SSID matches the stored backhaul SSID;
• and
• transmits a station-switching record (SSR) to the UAP after the UAP is associated with the AP, the SSR enabling the UAP to determine between (1) switching traffic, locally at the UAP, upstream to a switch and (2) switching the traffic via a UAP mesh that has a plurality of UAPs (i) operatively coupled to each other and the switch and (ii) including the UAP.

A method, comprising:

• listening, at an untethered access point (UAP), to detect a broadcast beacon that includes a service set identifier (SSID) matching a local SSID of the UAP;
• upon detection of the broadcast beacon that includes the SSID matching the local SSID of the UAP, sending a signal to an anchor access point (AAP) to attempt to associate with the AAP;
• receiving, at the UAP and after the UAP is associated with the AAP, a station switching record (SSR) from at least one of the AAP or an upstream switch, the SSR (1) including data associated with at least one of authorized stations or access control list (ACL) filters and (2) enabling the UAP to determine between (1) switching traffic, locally at the UAP, upstream to a switch and (2) switching the traffic via a UAP mesh that has a plurality of UAPs (i) operatively coupled to each other and the upstream switch and (ii) including the UAP;
• and
• locally storing the SSR in the UAP.