Remote roaming controlling system, visitor based network server, and method of controlling remote roaming of user devices

A visitor based network (VBN) server connected to a wide area network (WAN) for managing network traffic routing between the WAN and network entities on a local area network (LAN) behind the VBN server, the VBN server comprising:

• a network entity interface handler that handles communication with an authorization assisting device that generates and sends to the VBN server on behalf of a requesting user device an authorization request for access to the WAN by the requesting user device, the authorization request incorporating information of the requesting user device;
• a registration driver that manages registration of user devices, wherein the registration driver has a set of assignable internet protocol (IP) address ranges for multiple routing realms, and assigns an IP address to a user device from a relevant IP address range depending on a routing realm from which communication from the user device is received, the set of assignable IP address ranges including an authorization address range from which the registration driver assigns an IP address to a user device whose authorization request is received from the authorization assisting device;
• a registration data store that stores registration data of registered user devices, registration data of a registered user device including its authorization state, assigned IP address, and user device's Media Access Control (MAC) address;
• and
• an authorization application module that processes the authorization request to automatically generate an authorization response granting or denying the access to the WAN by the requesting user device based on the registration data in the registration data store and the information in the authorization request.

A method of managing access to a wide area network (WAN) by user devices, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving, by a Visitor Based Network (VBN) server from an authorization assisting device, an authorization request for access to a Wide Area Network (WAN) by a requesting user device generated and sent by the authorization assisting device on behalf of the requesting user device, the authorization request incorporating information of the requesting user device, the VBN server managing a set of assignable internet protocol (IP) address ranges, including an authorization address range and one or more routed address ranges and/or one or more bridged address ranges, each of the routed and bridged address ranges being associated with a routing realm behind the VBN server;
• assigning to the requesting user device an IP address from the authorization address range;
• and
• processing the authorization request to automatically generate an authorization response granting or denying the access to the WAN by the requesting user device based on the information in the authorization request and registration data of registered user devices stored in a registration data store, registration data of a registered user device including its authorization state, assigned IP address, and user device's Media Access Control (MAC) address.

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer readable code for execution in a computer, the code having instructions for implementing a method of managing access to a wide area network (WAN) by user devices, the instructions comprising the steps of:

• receiving, by a Visitor Based Network (VBN) server from an authorization assisting device, an authorization request for access to a Wide Area Network (WAN) by a requesting user device generated and sent by the authorization assisting device on behalf of the requesting user device, the authorization request incorporating information of the requesting user device, the VBN server managing a set of assignable internet protocol (IP) address ranges, including an authorization address range and one or more routed address ranges and/or one or more bridged address ranges, each of the routed and bridged address ranges being associated with a routing realm behind the VBN server;
• assigning to the requesting user device an IP address from the authorization address range;
• and
• processing the authorization request to automatically generate an authorization response granting or denying the access to the WAN by the requesting user device based on the information in the authorization request and registration data of registered user devices stored in a registration data store, registration data of a registered user device including its authorization state, assigned IP address, and user device's Media Access Control (MAC) address.