ALTERNATIVE NETWORK COMMUNICATION FOR ACCESS POINT TROUBLESHOOTING AND MONITORING

摘要

The present description provides methods, computer program products, and systems for alternative network communication for access point troubleshooting and monitoring. When a station has difficulty initiating or maintaining a connection with an access point, or even when performance is suboptimal, alternative network communication is initiated. The issue can be handled by reporting to a troubled access point for self-correction, or by uploading interrogation commands or code for active correction externally by a station. Further actions can be taken, for example, when a station determines through alternative communication that a troubled access point itself has connection issues to a back end network, the station uses a different access point for reporting up to a network admin. Although Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are described herein, other combinations of wireless protocols are implementable.

主权项

1. A computer-implemented method, in an access point in a Wi-Fi communications network, of using alternative networks for troubleshooting or monitoring, the method comprising the steps of:
providing access for at least one station over a Wi-Fi channel to connect with a wired backbone network; detect triggering event indicative of a communication issue associated with the access point; responsive to the triggering event detection, establishing a Bluetooth channel for communication with the at least one station for collecting data associated with the triggering event; detecting an end to the triggering event; responsive to the triggering event end, resuming access for the at least one station over the Wi-Fi channel.