Intelligent Setup for Playback Devices

A non-transitory computer-readable medium, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium is provisioned with program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause a playback device to:

• transmit, via at least one wireless network interface, a set of one or more messages collectively indicating (i) that the playback device is available for setup and (ii) network connection capability of the playback device;
• establish a direct communication path with a computing device configured to operate on a secure wireless network;
• provide, outside the direct communication path, authentication information to the computing device;
• after providing, outside the direct communication path, the authentication information to the computing device, (i) transmit, via the direct communication path, the authentication information to the computing device and (ii) receive, via the direct communication path, the authentication information from the computing device;
• after (i) transmitting and (ii) receiving the authentication information via the direct communication path, receive, from the computing device over the direct communication path, (i) network configuration parameters for connecting to the secure wireless network and (ii) configuration information for joining a media playback system operating on the secure wireless network;
• use the network configuration parameters to connect to the secure wireless network;
• and
• after connecting to the secure wireless network:
• transition from communicating with the computing device over the direct communication path to communicating with the computing device over the secure wireless network;
• and
• use the configuration information to join the media playback system operating on the secure wireless network.

A method carried out by a playback device comprising at least one wireless network interface, the method comprising:

• transmitting, via the at least one wireless network interface, a set of one or more messages collectively indicating (i) that the playback device is available for setup and (ii) network connection capability of the playback device;
• establishing a direct communication path with a computing device configured to operate on a secure wireless network;
• providing, outside the direct communication path, authentication information to the computing device;
• after providing, outside the direct communication path, the authentication information to the computing device, (i) transmitting, via the direct communication path, the authentication information to the computing device and (ii) receiving, via the direct communication path, the authentication information from the computing device;
• after (i) transmitting and (ii) receiving the authentication information via the direct communication path, receiving, from the computing device over the direct communication path, (i) network configuration parameters for connecting to the secure wireless network and (ii) configuration information for joining a media playback system operating on the secure wireless network;
• using the network configuration parameters to connect to the secure wireless network;
• and
• after connecting to the secure wireless network:
• transitioning from communicating with the computing device over the direct communication path to communicating with the computing device over the secure wireless network;
• and
• using the configuration information to join the media playback system operating on the secure wireless network.