Cloud device identification and authentication

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for authentication and/or provisioning of wireless network devices, and in particular, methods and apparatuses for authentication and/or provisioning of wireless network devices that are communicating with and may be monitored and/or controlled by a remote (e.g., cloud) server.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of automatic and hands-free provisioning a network device to communicate with a network, the method comprising:
 attaching a bridging device to the network device;   wirelessly transmitting information about the network device from the bridging device to the handheld computing device;   transmitting an identifier of a selected second network and the information about the network device from the handheld computing device to a cloud computing environment;   transmitting provisioning information from the handheld computing device to the network device;   provisioning the network device with the provisioning information; and   removing the bridging device from the network device, wherein the network device may communicate with the cloud computing environment through the selected second network directly.