METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR A NETWORK-AGNOSTIC WIRELESS ROUTER

摘要

Apparatus and methods for a network-agnostic wireless router. In one embodiment, the network-agnostic wireless router is configured to provide an access tunnel (e.g., a so-called “Wi-Fi PIPE”) via a first network (e.g., a Wi-Fi network), and convert the data payload for transfer over a second network (e.g., a LTE network). Since the wireless router provides an access tunnel and does not behave as a logical endpoint, the authentication, authorization, and accounting mechanisms are handled directly between the subscriber's identity module (e.g., SIM, USIM, CSIM, RUIM, etc.) and the network operator's authentication process (e.g., Authentication Center or AuC). The disclosed wireless router is free to support multiple different networks to provide access that is “agnostic” to the underlying subscriber device's network preferences.