Bridging a gaming console with a wireless network

A method for automatically configuring a bridge to communicate over a wireless network, where the bridge is coupled through a wire connection to a gaming console, wherein the gaming console is incapable of displaying a web page that includes hypertext markup language code, the method comprising the steps of:

• a gaming console sending a discover request over the wire connection to a bridge, wherein the discover request includes a one-time variable that is generated by the gaming console, the gaming console being incapable of configuring the bridge through an interface that requires the display of a web page that includes hypertext markup language code;
• the bridge combining the one-time variable with a medium access control address to form a single concatenated component;
• the bridge applying a one-way hashing algorithm to the single concatenated component producing a first digest, the hashing algorithm using a key that is not publicly known;
• the bridge returning the digest and the medium access control address to the gaming console via the port to enable the gaming console to confirm a compatibility of the bridge for being configured with properties sent to the bridge by the gaming console;
• the gaming console combining the one-time variable with the medium access control address received from the bridge and applying the one-way hashing algorithm using the key to produce a second digest;
• comparing the second digest to the first digest received from the bridge such that upon determining that the first and second digest are equal, the gaming console verifies that the bridge is compatible with being configured using the properties sent by the gaming console;
• upon confirming that the bridge is compatible, the gaming console sending a command to the bridge to set properties of the bridge so as to enable the bridge to subsequently communicate data to and from the gaming console over the wireless network;
• and
• the bridge communicating data between the gaming console and the wireless network.

A gaming console for setting up a bridge to communicate over a wireless network, wherein the gaming console is incapable of displaying a web page that includes hypertext markup language code, the gaming console comprising:

• (a) a memory in which machine instructions are stored;
• (b) a network interface and port used for connecting through a wire lead to a bridge;
• (c) a processor coupled to the memory and the network interface, said processor executing the machine instructions to carry out a plurality of functions to connect the gaming console to a wireless network, wherein the gaming console is incapable of configuring a bridge through an interface that requires the display of a web page that includes hypertext markup language code, the functions including:
• (i) sending a discover request to the bridge that is connected to the network interface through the port, wherein the discover request includes a one-time variable that is generated by the gaming console;
• (ii) receiving a response from the bridge consisting of a first digest and a medium access control address;
• (iii) combining the one-time variable with the medium access control address received from the bridge to form a single concatenated component;
• (iv) applying a one-way hashing algorithm to the single concatenated component producing a second digest, the hashing algorithm using a key that is not publicly known;
• (v) comparing the second digest to the first digest received from the bridge such that upon determining that the first and second digest are equal, the gaming console verifies that the bridge is compatible with being configured using the properties sent by the gaming console;
• (vi) upon confirming that the bridge is compatible, sending a command to the bridge to set properties of the bridge so as to enable the bridge to subsequently communicate data to and from the gaming console over the wireless network;
• and
• (vii) communicating data over the wireless network through the bridge.