Method and apparatus for controlling wireless network access privileges based on wireless client location

Apparatus for controlling access privileges in a wireless network having a plurality of access points based on the location of a wireless client that is connected to the network via radio-frequency signals sent between the wireless client and one of the plurality of access points wherein the one access point interacts with a RADIUS server to obtain access to the network, the apparatus comprising:

• a location system that is associated with the network and does not involve the wireless client and computes the location of the wireless client with an RF fingerprinting method from measured properties of radio frequency signals generated by the wireless client and received at a plurality of sensors connected to the network;
• an access server that receives information that identifies the wireless client;
• a policy server that generates a set of access privileges based on the location and the identifying information of the wireless client;
• and
• a mechanism that comprises means for sending the access privileges to the RADIUS server and means for using the RADIUS server to cause the one access point to apply the access privileges to the wireless client before the wireless client accesses the network via the access point.

Apparatus for controlling access privileges in a wireless network having a plurality of access points based on the location of a wireless client that is connected to the network via radio-frequency signals sent between the wireless client and one of the plurality of access points wherein the one access point interacts with a RADIUS server to obtain access to the network, the apparatus comprising:

• means associated with the network and that does not involve the wireless client for computing the location of the wireless client with an RF fingerprinting method from measured properties of radio frequency signals generated by the wireless client and received at a plurality of sensors connected to the network;
• means for receiving information that identifies the wireless client;
• means for generating a set of access privileges based on the location and the identifying information of the wireless client;
• and
• means for sending the access privileges to the RADIUS server and means for using the RADIUS server to cause the one access point to apply the access privileges to the wireless client before the wireless client accesses the network via the access point.

A computer program product for controlling access privileges in a wireless network having a plurality of access points based on the location of a wireless client that is connected to the network via radio-frequency signals sent between the wireless client and one of the plurality of access points wherein the one access point interacts with a RADIUS server to obtain access to the network, the computer program product comprising a computer usable tangible storage medium having computer readable program code thereon, including:

• program code operable in a location system that is associated with the network and does not involve the wireless client for computing the location of the wireless client with an RF fingerprinting method from measured properties of radio frequency signals generated by the wireless client and received at a plurality of sensors connected to the network;
• program code for receiving information that identifies the wireless client;
• program code for generating a set of access privileges based on the location and the identifying information of the wireless client;
• and
• program code for sending the access privileges to the RADIUS server and program code for using the RADIUS server to cause the one access point to apply the access privileges to the wireless client before the wireless client accesses the network via the access point.