Cooperative diagnosis in a wireless LAN

A method of operating a first computer adapted to be a host on wireless LAN, the wireless LAN having at least one access point, the method comprising:

• a) attempting, by the first computer, to communicate over the wireless LAN through the at least one access point;
• b) in response to detecting that the first computer is unable to communicate over the wireless LAN, automatically forming a request for diagnostic information and transmitting, by the first computer unable to communicate over the wireless LAN, the request for diagnostic information to at least one second computer adapted to be a host on the wireless LAN;
• c) analyzing, by the first computer unable to communicate over the wireless LAN, diagnostic information received from the at least one second computer adapted to be a host on the wireless LAN to identify a condition preventing the first computer from communicating over the wireless LAN;
• and
• d) taking, by the first computer unable to communicate over the wireless LAN, one or more corrective actions based at least in part on the condition identified in c).

A computer-readable storage device having computer-executable instructions for use on a first computer adapted to be a host on a wireless LAN, the wireless LAN having at least one wireless access point, the computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

• a) communicating, by the first computer, through the at least one wireless access point;
• b) deriving status information about communication over the wireless LAN through the at least one wireless access point from information generated by communication hardware of the first computer and/or communication software of the first computer, wherein the status information comprises an average parameter value over a period of time based on parameter values generated by the communication hardware and/or software of the first computer and an identification of at least one authentication mechanism used by the first computer to associate with the at least one wireless access point;
• and
• c) receiving a request for status information from at least one second computer adapted to be a host on the wireless LAN but is unable to communicate over the wireless LAN and transmitting the status information comprising the average parameter value and the identification of the at least one authentication mechanism over a wireless connection to the at least one second computer in response to the request for status information from the at least one second computer, the wireless connection not through the at least one wireless access point.