Wireless access point management in a campus environment

A multi-layer switch that supports a wired Local Area Network (wired LAN) having a wired network infrastructure, the multi-layer switch comprising:

• a high-speed packet data network interface that couples the multi-layer switch to a high-speed packet data network;
• a port interface communicatively coupled to the high speed packet data network and to the wired network infrastructure, wherein the port interface further communicatively couples the multi-layer switch to a plurality of Wireless Access Points (WAPs) that couple to the wired network infrastructure;
• and
• a processor operably coupled to the port interface, wherein the processor executes a plurality of software instructions that, upon execution, cause the multi-layer switch to:
• wirelessly service packetized voice communications for at least one wireless terminal;
• monitor a plurality of packetized communications serviced by the premises based network;
• determine that a packetized communication of the plurality of packetized communications is a packetized voice communication;
• determine that the packetized voice communication is wirelessly serviced by at least one of the plurality of WAPs;
• identify a servicing WAP of the plurality of WAPs that wirelessly services the packetized voice communication of the plurality of packetized communications;
• and
• direct the servicing WAP of the plurality of WAPs to provide sufficient wireless bandwidth to a wireless terminal corresponding to the packetized voice communication.

A multi-layer switch that supports a wired Local Area Network (wired LAN) having a wired network infrastructure and a plurality of Wireless Access Points (WAPs) coupled to the wired network infrastructure of the wired LAN, the multi-layer switch comprising:

• means for wirelessly servicing, by at least one WAP of the plurality of WAPs and a multi-layer switch of the wired network infrastructure, packetized voice communications for at least one wireless terminal;
• means for monitoring, by the multi-layer switch, a plurality of packetized communications serviced by the premises based network;
• means for determining that a packetized communication of the plurality of packetized communications monitored by the multi-layer switch is a packetized voice communication;
• means for determining that the packetized voice communication is wirelessly serviced by at least one of the plurality of WAPs;
• means for identifying a servicing WAP of the plurality of WAPs that wirelessly services the packetized voice communication of the plurality of packetized communications;
• and
• means for directing the servicing WAP of the plurality of WAPs to provide sufficient wireless bandwidth to a wireless terminal corresponding to the packetized voice communication.