Secure channel reservation

A beacon method for use in a wireless communication network, comprising:

• populating a beacon frame's channel identification data with accurate data associated with use of a particular channel for wireless communication;
• populating the beacon frame's network identification data with data including at least one false data element, where the beacon network identification data are intended to identify the network using the particular channel;
• storing the beacon frame in a computer readable storage medium;
• transmitting the beacon frame over a channel to be reserved;
• and
• determining if an intruder has attempted to connect to the network by detecting the false data element in the intruder's attempt to connect to the network.

A beacon method for use in a wireless communication network, comprising:

• populating a beacon frame's channel identification data with accurate data associated with use of a particular channel for wireless communication, wherein the channel identification data include at least one of a timestamp and a beacon interval;
• populating the beacon frame's network identification data with data including at least one false data element, where the beacon network identification data are intended to identify the network using the particular channel, and wherein the network identification data include at least one of a capability information, service set identifier, supported rates, frequency hopping parameter set, direct sequence parameter set, contention free parameter set, independent basic service set parameter set and at traffic indication map;
• storing the beacon frame as an IEEE 802.11 format beacon frame in a computer readable storage medium;
• at a transmitter device, transmitting the beacon frame over a channel to be reserved using a network access point transmitter;
• and
• determining if an intruder has attempted to connect to the network by detecting the false data element in the intruder's attempt to connect to the network.

A network access point for use in a wireless communication network, comprising:

• means for populating a beacon frame's channel identification data with accurate data associated with use of a particular channel for wireless communication;
• means for populating the beacon frame's network identification data with data including at least one false data element, where the beacon network identification data are intended to identify the network using the particular channel, and wherein it can be determined if an intruder has attempted to connect to the network by detecting the false data element in the intruder's attempt to connect to the network;
• a memory for storing the beacon frame in a computer readable form;
• and
• a transmitter for transmitting the beacon frame over a channel to be reserved.