Self-installation of wireless access network terminals

Apparatus for installing a subscriber terminal in a packet switched wireless access network comprising a plurality of base stations, wherein an IP network address for the terminal is dependent on an IP address of a base station to which said terminal is to be wirelessly linked, said apparatus,comprising:

• means for identifying to each of a number of base stations within a geographical area of an installation site of said terminal a unique identification reference for said terminal and a unique IP network address for said terminal which is dependent on the of such base station;
• means for selecting which of the number of base stations that the terminal is to be wirelessly linked with;
• means for receiving at said selected base station a connect message from said terminal, said connect message including said reference for said terminal;
• and
• means for transmitting from said selected base station to said terminal the unique IP network address for said terminal previously identified to said selected base station.

A method of allocating an IP address to a subscriber terminal having a unique identification reference in a packet switched wireless access network comprising a plurality of base stations, wherein the IP address for the terminal is dependent on the IP address of a base station to which the terminal is to be wirelessly linked, the method comprising the steps of:

• determining a location of the subscriber terminal;
• identifying to each of a number of base stations in a vicinity of the location of the terminal the terminal's unique identification reference and a unique IP address for the terminal based on the IP address of such base station;
• selecting which of said number of base stations said terminal is to be wirelessly linked with;
• receiving at said selected base station a connect message from said terminal, said connect message including the terminal's unique identification reference;
• and
• in response to receipt of said connect message, transmitting from said selected base station to the terminal the unique IP network address for said terminal previously identified to said selected base station.