CLAIMS
What is claimed is:
1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
receiving, at a wireless adaptor of a device, a wireless data packet from an access point (AP), wherein the wireless data packet includes a Basic Service Set Identifier (BSSID) of the AP;
changing the BSSID of the received data packet by a processor to produce a modified wireless data packet; and
transmitting the modified wireless data packet to an application on the device.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein changing the BSSID includes encrypting the BSSID, scrambling the BSSID, or both.
3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising receiving a seed value or an encryption key from a controller to change the BSSID, wherein the controller is electrically coupled to the wireless adaptor.
4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the encryption key includes a public encryption key or a private encryption key.
5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the controller includes a manageability engine.
6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the change of the BSSID hides an actual BSSID from a software program, an operating system, or both of the device.
7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the change of the BSSID allows a location derived from an actual BSSID to be hidden from a software program, an operating system, or both of the device.
8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising transferring the received BSSID to an authenticated entity in a secured manner, wherein the received BSSID can be used to determine a

location of the AP and provide a service related to location but preventing the application or an operating system of the device from assessing the received BSSID data and location data.
9. A computer-implemented method comprising:
receiving, at a wireless adaptor of a device, a wireless data packet including a modified a Basic Service Set Identifier (BSSID) of an access point (AP);
changing the modified BSSID of the received wireless data packet by a processor to produce a unmodified wireless data packet; and
transmitting the wireless data packet to the AP.
10. The method according to claim 9, wherein changing the BSSID includes decrypting the BSSID, descrambling the BSSID, or both.
11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising receiving a decryption key from a controller to change the BSSID, wherein the controller is electrically coupled to the wireless adaptor.
12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the decryption key includes a public decryption key or a private decryption key.
13. The method according to claim 10, wherein the controller includes a manageability engine.
14. The method according to claim 10, further comprising receiving a seed value or a decryption key from a controller to initiate the unscrambling of the BSSID.
15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the controller includes a manageability engine.
16. A device comprising:
a wireless adaptor including a processor in communication with a memory having instructions stored therein which, when executed:
receive a wireless data packet from an access point (AP), wherein the wireless data packet includes a Basic Service Set Identifier (BSSID) of the AP;
change the BSSID of the received data packet to produce a modified wireless data packet; and

transmit the modified wireless data packet to an application on the device.
17. The device according to claim 16, wherein the wireless adaptor is configured to change the BSSID by encrypting the BSSID, scrambling the BSSID, or both.
18. The device according to claim 16, comprising a controller configured to provide an encryption key to the wireless adaptor for used in encrypting the BSSID.
19. The device according to claim 18, wherein the controller includes a manageability engine.
20. The device according to claim 16, wherein the wireless adaptor separates information derived from an actual BSSID from a software program, an operating system, or both of the device.