Access point for managing wireless access to a network according to a zone of operation about the access point

A non-transitory processor-readable medium comprising a plurality of processor-executable instructions that when executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to perform steps of:

• storing a programmable response time for defining a zone of operation around an access point;
• receiving from a client device a request to associate with the access point;
• transmitting a probe to the client device in response to receiving the request;
• monitoring incoming packets to determine whether the client device responds to the probe;
• when a response to the probe is received from the client device, measuring a round trip time between transmission of the probe and receipt of the response to the probe;
• determining whether the round trip time is longer than the programmable response time;
• allowing the client device to associate with the access point in response to determining that the round trip time is less than the programmable response time;
• and
• denying the request to associate with the access point in response to determining that the round trip time is longer than the programmable response time.

An access point for managing wireless access to a network, the access point comprising:

• an antenna;
• one or more processors;
• and
• a storage device having a plurality of software instructions stored therein that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to:
• store a programmable response time for defining a zone of operation around the access point;
• receive from a client device a request to associate with the access point;
• transmit a probe to the client device in response to receiving the request;
• monitor incoming packets to determine whether the client device responds to the probe;
• receive a response to the probe from the client device;
• measure a round trip time between transmission of the probe and receipt of the response to the probe;
• determine whether the round trip time is longer than the programmable response time;
• allow the client device to associate with the access point in response to determining that the round trip time is less than the programmable response time;
• and
• deny the request to associate with the access point in response to determining that the round trip time is longer than the programmable response time.