Establishing an encrypted communications channel without prior knowledge of the encryption key

A gateway router device comprising:

• a memory;
• and
• a processor device coupled to the memory, the processor device configured to:
• receive, from a server device via an intermediate modem device, a first secret key code for use in establishing an encrypted communications channel between the gateway router device and the modem device;
• make an attempt to establish the encrypted communications channel with the modem device using a pre-shared key that is based on the first secret key code;
• determine that the attempt to establish the encrypted communications channel has either succeeded or failed;
• and
• in response to determining that the attempt to establish the encrypted communications channel has either succeeded or failed, perform a success action or perform a failure action.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that includes instructions configured to cause a processor device to:

• receive, from a server device via an intermediate modem device, a first secret key code for use in establishing an encrypted communications channel between the gateway router device and the modem device;
• make an attempt to establish the encrypted communications channel with the modem device using a pre-shared key that is based on the first secret key code;
• determine that the attempt to establish the encrypted communications channel has either succeeded or failed;
• and
• in response to determining that the attempt to establish the encrypted communications channel has either succeeded or failed, perform a success action or perform a failure action.