Method and apparatus to provide inline encryption and decryption for a wireless station via data streaming over a fast network

A method of operating a wireless receiver, the method comprising:

• wirelessly receiving a wireless network packet of information at the wireless receiver;
• streaming a data element including at least some of the contents of the wireless network packet over a packetized network link to a network device coupled to the wireless receiver by the packetized network, the streaming of the data element during receive time of wirelessly receiving the wireless network packet;
• wherein the data element is streamed in encrypted form and is decrypted in real time during the streaming, the decrypting after transfer over the packetized network link such that the wirelessly receiving of the wireless network packet occurs while at least part of the wireless network packet is being streamed over the packetized network link.

A computer-readable storage medium having encoded thereon machine executable instructions that when executed cause carrying out a method of wirelessly transmitting a wireless network packet by a wireless transmitter coupled to a network device by a packetized network link, the method including:

• streaming a data element, including at least some of the contents of the wireless network packet, over a network link during wireless transmit time of the wireless network packet, the streaming including real-time encrypting the data prior to the transfer over the network link,
• such that the wirelessly transmitting of the wireless network packet occurs while at least part of the wireless network packet is being streamed over the packetized network link.

A computer-readable storage medium having encoded thereon machine executable instructions that when executed cause carrying out a method of wirelessly receiving a wireless network packet by a wireless receiver coupled to a network device by a packetized network, the method including:

• streaming a data element, including at least some of the contents of the received wireless network packet, over the packetized network link to the network device, the streaming of the data element during wireless receive time of wirelessly receiving the wireless network packet,
• wherein the data element is streamed in encrypted form and is decrypted in real time during the streaming, the decrypting after transfer over the packetized network link,
• such that the wirelessly receiving of the wireless network packet occurs while at least part of the wireless network packet is being streamed over the packetized network link.