Method and system for wireless extender onboarding

A system for onboarding of a new wireless extender in a wireless network, comprising:

• a network gateway connected to the wireless network;
• an end user device connected to the wireless network configured to:
• scan a machine-readable indicia on the new wireless extender;
• and
• transmit an identifier represented by the machine-readable indicia to the network gateway;
• and
• a plurality of existing wireless extenders currently connected to the wireless network;
• wherein the network gateway is configured to:
• compute a secure hash of the identifier provided into a proprietary information element;
• and
• transmit the secure hash and the identifier to existing wireless extenders in the wireless network;
• wherein the network gateway and the existing wireless extenders are further configured to communicate beacons comprising the secure hash to the new wireless extender;
• and
• wherein the new wireless extender is configured to:
• determine a strongest received signal strength indication from received signal strength indications associated with the network gateway and the existing wireless extenders;
• initiate a Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) pairing session as an enrollee with one of the network gateway and the existing wireless extenders associated with the strongest received signal strength, wherein the new wireless extender recognizes the secure hash;
• send, by the new wireless extender, a probe request to the network gateway or existing wireless extender associated with the strongest received signal strength indication, wherein the probe request includes a media access control (MAC) address of the enrollee;
• and
• receive, by the new wireless extender from the network gateway or existing wireless extender associated with the strongest received signal strength indication, the probe request including the MAC address so as to initiate the WPS pairing session as registrar.

A method for onboarding of a new wireless extender in a wireless network, comprising:

• scanning, by an end user device, a machine-readable indicia on the new wireless extender;
• transmitting, by the end user device to a network gateway of the wireless network, an identifier represented by the machine-readable indicia;
• transmitting, by the network gateway, the identifier to existing wireless extenders in the wireless network
• computing, by each of the existing wireless extenders, a secure hash of the identifier provided into a proprietary information element;
• communicating, by the network gateway and the existing wireless extenders, beacons comprising the secure hash to the new wireless extender;
• determining, by the new wireless extender, a strongest received signal strength indication from received signal strength indications associated with the network gateway and the existing wireless extenders;
• and
• initiating, by the new wireless extender, a Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) pairing session as an enrollee with one of the network gateway and the existing wireless extenders associated with the strongest received signal strength, wherein the new wireless extender recognizes the secure hash;
• sending, by the new wireless extender, a probe request to the network gateway or existing wireless extender associated with the strongest received signal strength indication, wherein the probe request includes a media access control (MAC) address of the enrollee;
• and
• receiving, by the new wireless extender from the one of the network gateway or the existing wireless extender associated with the strongest received signal strength indication, the probe request including the MAC address so as to initiate the WPS pairing session as registrar.

A system for new wireless extender onboarding in a wireless network, comprising:

• a network gateway connected to the wireless network;
• an end user device connected to the wireless network configured to:
• scan a machine-readable indicia on the new wireless extender;
• and
• transmit an identifier represented by the machine-readable indicia to the network gateway;
• and
• a plurality of existing wireless extenders currently connected to the wireless network;
• wherein the existing wireless extenders are configured to compute a secure hash of the identifier provided into a proprietary information element;
• wherein the network gateway and the existing wireless extenders are further configured to communicate beacons comprising the secure hash to the new wireless extender;
• and
• wherein the new wireless extender is configured to:
• determine a strongest received signal strength indication from received signal strength indications associated with the network gateway and the existing wireless extenders;
• and
• initiate a Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) pairing session as an enrollee with one of the network gateway and the existing wireless extenders associated with the strongest received signal strength, wherein the new wireless extender recognizes the secure hash;
• sending, by the new wireless extender, a probe request to the network gateway or existing wireless extender associated with the strongest received signal strength indication, wherein the probe request includes a media access control (MAC) address of the enrollee;
• and
• receiving, by the new wireless extender from the one of the network gateway or the existing wireless extender associated with the strongest received signal strength indication, the probe request including the MAC address so as to initiate the WPS pairing session as registrar.