System and method for mapping wireless access points

Abstract

An improved connectivity to radio access point is enabled by a server that includes a database storing data about various radio access points, and an evaluation module evaluating the quality of connection to each of the access points. Clients receive updates about relevant access points from the server and use the information to connect to the preferred access point. The clients also check connectivity to other access points in the vicinity, and report the findings to the server. The server uses the reports to update its database, and send corresponding updates to the clients. The database can include information about the location of the access points. The information about the location of the access points can be manually input or determined using GPS information. The location of an access points can be determined as a function of available information about other access points detected at the same location. An access point can be presumed to be located in approximately the same location as another access point detected in the same location by the same user terminal. Where more than one access point having a known location is detected in the same location as an unmapped access point (having an unknown location), the location of the unmapped access point can be determined as function of a weighted average of the known locations of the other access points and signal strength of the signal received from each access point.