# US 2014/0192774 A1 · Predictive roaming between subnets > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0192774 A1 - Document ID: US20140192774A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/139,819 - Filed: 2013-12-23 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2008-05-14 - Assignees: Aerohive Networks, Inc. - Applicants: Aerohive Networks, Inc. - Inventors: Changming Liu; Yong Kang; Jianlin Zeng; Sreekanth Reddy - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140192774A1 ## CPC - H04W 8/26: Network addressing or numbering for mobility support - H04L 12/4633: {Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling} - H04W 8/02: Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks - H04W 8/087: {for preserving data network PoA address despite hand-offs} - H04W 8/18: Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data - H04W 12/04: Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA] - H04W 36/0016: {Hand-off preparation specially adapted for end-to-end data sessions} - H04W 36/0061: {of neighbour cell information} - H04W 36/0066: {of control information between different types of networks in order to establish a new radio link in the target network} - H04W 36/008375: {based on historical data} - H04W 76/12: Setup of transport tunnels - H04W 76/22: Manipulation of transport tunnels - H04W 88/08: Access point devices - H04L 63/0876: {based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint} - H04W 8/005: {Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals} - H04W 28/088: among core entities - H04W 48/16: Discovering, processing access restriction or access information - H04W 84/12: WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks] - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A network device of a subnet determines predictive roaming information for a wireless client. Predictive roaming information can identify the wireless client and a home network subnet of the wireless client. The network device provides predictive roaming information associated with a wireless client to neighboring subnets. Neighboring subnets store received predictive roaming information, and use the predictive roaming information if the wireless client roams to them. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system comprising: a first home agent of a first subnet, wherein the first home agent has a first home agent address and performs the operation of maintaining a second home agent address of a second home agent of a second subnet; a first network device of the first subnet, wherein the first network device performs the operations of: receiving predictive roaming information from the second subnet; receiving first identifying information from a first wireless client; matching a first address in the predictive roaming information with the first identifying information, wherein a match indicates that the first wireless client has roamed to the first subnet, the first address uniquely identifying the first wireless client within the first subnet and the second subnet; matching a second address in the predictive roaming information with the first identifying information, wherein a match indicates that the first wireless client has roamed from the second subnet, the second address uniquely identifying the first wireless client within the second subnet and associating the first wireless client with the second subnet; obtaining from the first home agent the second home agent address of the second home agent based on the second address; establishing a tunnel between the first network device of the first subnet and the second home agent of the second subnet using the second home agent address obtained. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising the second home agent. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first home agent is implemented on another a wireless access point, a network switch, a dedicated device, or a computer system. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first address includes a Medium Access Control (MAC) address of the first wireless client. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the second address includes an Internet Protocol (IP) address compliant with a subnet mask of the second subnet. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first network device further performs the operation of receiving the predictive roaming information from a second network device of the second subnet. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the predictive roaming information includes a session key, and wherein the first network device further performs the operations of establishing, using the session key, a wireless connection between the first network device of the first subnet and the first wireless client. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first network device further performs the operation of causing network traffic associated with the first wireless client to be sent through the tunnel. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first home agent further performs the operation of maintaining a third home agent address of a third home agent of a third subnet. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first network device further performs the operations of: receiving second identifying information from a second wireless client; querying the first home agent for information associated with the second wireless client based on the second identifying information; receiving a first response from the first home agent that the second wireless client was previously on the second subnet. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the first home agent further performs the operation of: forwarding to the second home agent a query for the information associated with the second wireless client; receiving a second response to the query from the second home agent; providing the first network device with the first response, the first response including home subnet information from the second response. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the first network device further performs the operation of causing network traffic associated with the second wireless client to be sent through the tunnel based on the home subset information, and the home subnet information indicates the second wireless client was previously on the second subnet. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the tunnel is a first tunnel, and the first wireless access point further performs the operations of: establishing a second tunnel between the first network device of the first subnet and the second home agent of the second subnet based on the home subset information; causing network traffic associated with the second wireless client to be sent through the second tunnel, wherein the home subnet information indicates that the second wireless client was previously on the second subnet. ### Claim 14 A method comprising: maintaining a second home agent address of a second home agent of a second subnet; receiving predictive roaming information from the second subnet; receiving first identifying information from a first wireless client; matching a first address in the predictive roaming information with the first identifying information, wherein a match indicates that the first wireless client has roamed to the first subnet, the first address uniquely identifying the first wireless client within the first subnet and the second subnet; matching a second address in the predictive roaming information with the first identifying information, wherein a match indicates that the first wireless client has roamed from the second subnet, the second address uniquely identifying the first wireless client within the second subnet and associating the first wireless client with the second subnet; obtaining the second home agent address of the second home agent based on the second address; establishing a tunnel between a first network device of the first subnet and the second home agent of the second subnet using the second home agent address obtained. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the first address includes a Medium Access Control (MAC) address of the first wireless client. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the second address includes an Internet Protocol (IP) address compliant with a subnet mask of the second subnet. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising receiving the predictive roaming information from a second network device of the second subnet. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the predictive roaming information includes a session key, and wherein the first network device further performs the operations of establishing, using the session key, a wireless connection between the first network device of the first subnet and the first wireless client. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising routing network traffic associated with the first wireless client through the tunnel. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising maintaining a third home agent address of a third home agent of a third subnet. ### Claim 21 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising: receiving second identifying information from a second wireless client; querying the first home agent for information associated with the second wireless client based on the second identifying information; receiving a first response from the first home agent that the second wireless client was previously on the second subnet. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, further comprising: forwarding to the second home agent a query for the information associated with the second wireless client; receiving a second response to the query from the second home agent; providing the first network device with the first response, the first response including home subnet information from the second response. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, further comprising routing network traffic associated with the second wireless client through the tunnel based on the home subset information, and the home subnet information indicates that the second wireless client was previously on the second subnet. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein the tunnel is a first tunnel, and further comprising: establishing a second tunnel between the first network device of the first subnet and the second home agent of the second subnet based on the home subset information; routing network traffic associated with the second wireless client through the second tunnel, wherein the home subnet information indicates that the second wireless client was previously on the second subnet. ### Claim 25 A system comprising: a means for maintaining a second home agent address of a second home agent of a second subnet; a means for receiving predictive roaming information from the second subnet; a means for receiving first identifying information from a first wireless client; a means for matching a first address in the predictive roaming information with the first identifying information, wherein a match indicates that the first wireless client has roamed to the first subnet, the first address uniquely identifying the first wireless client within the first subnet and the second subnet; a means for matching a second address in the predictive roaming information with the first identifying information, wherein a match indicates that the first wireless client has roamed from the second subnet, the second address uniquely identifying the first wireless client within the second subnet and associating the first wireless client with the second subnet; a means for obtaining the second home agent address of the second home agent based on the second address; a means for establishing a tunnel between a first network device of the first subnet and the second home agent of the second subnet using the second home agent address obtained.