Many devices with built-in WiFi technology, especially for “Internet of Things,” do not have user input means (e.g., a touch screen, a keypad, etc.) available for entering the network security credentials.

In an embodiment, a method of joining a wireless local area network (WLAN) served by an access point (AP) includes at least one of i) and ii): i) a) generating, at a wireless network interface of an apparatus, a beacon frame, and b) transmitting, with the wireless network interface, the beacon frame outside of the WLAN; and ii) a) receiving, at the wireless network interface, a probe request frame from a client station in the WLAN, the probe request frame having been transmitted outside of the WLAN, b) in response to receiving the probe request frame, generating, at the wireless network interface, a probe response frame, and c) transmitting, with the wireless network interface, the probe response frame outside of the WLAN. The method also includes: in response to at least one of i) transmitting the beacon frame, and ii) transmitting the probe response frame, receiving, at the wireless network interface, one or more frames from the client station of the WLAN, the one or more frames having been transmitted outside of the WLAN; and with at least one of i) the wireless network interface and ii) a processor of the apparatus, extracting, from the one or more frames, network security information corresponding to the WLAN; and using, at the wireless network interface, the network security information to wirelessly connect the wireless network interface to the AP as part of the WLAN.