US 11,937,174 B2
Multi-SSID hidden wireless network
Ta Chien Lin, Oakland, CA (US)
Assigned to Palo Alto Networks, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed by Palo Alto Networks, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed on Sep. 21, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/448,251.
Prior Publication US 2023/0089624 A1, Mar. 23, 2023
Int. Cl. H04W 48/16 (2009.01); H04W 12/02 (2009.01); H04W 48/14 (2009.01); H04W 48/18 (2009.01)
CPC H04W 48/16 (2013.01) [H04W 12/02 (2013.01); H04W 48/14 (2013.01); H04W 48/18 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method comprising:
detecting, by a network device which makes available a hidden wireless network, a first probe request transmitted from a first device that indicates a first service set identifier (SSID), wherein the hidden wireless network was configured with a set of SSIDs, and wherein the hidden wireless network is discoverable with any SSID in the set of SSIDs;
determining if the first SSID correctly identifies the hidden wireless network, wherein determining if the first SSID correctly identifies the hidden wireless network comprises determining if the first SSID is included in the set of SSIDs based, at least in part, on evaluating the first SSID against the set of SSIDs;
based on determining that the first SSID correctly identifies the hidden wireless network, transmitting a first probe response to the first device, wherein the first probe response comprises an indication of the first SSID;
detecting a second probe request transmitted from a second device, wherein the second probe request indicates a second SSID that differs from the first SSID;
determining if the second SSID correctly identifies the hidden wireless network, wherein determining if the second SSID correctly identifies the hidden wireless network comprises determining if the second SSID is included in the set of SSIDs based, at least in part, on evaluating the second SSID against the set of SSIDs; and
based on determining that the second SSID correctly identifies the hidden wireless network, transmitting a second probe response to the second device, wherein the second probe response comprises an indication of the second SSID.