An extensible wireless framework for connecting to a wireless network is
provided. The extensible wireless framework includes a network roaming
service with a registration component and a network service component.
The registration component registers extensible service modules and
extensible drivers for providing non-standard (i.e., extensible)
capabilities to the wireless network. The extensible service module
provides a service not provided by a native component of the extensible
wireless framework, and the extensible driver may implement a media
access control sub-layer of a wireless network protocol and provide a
media access control interface. The network service component identifies
available wireless networks, selects to join the wireless network when
available, requests the extensible driver for the wireless network via
its media access control interface to connect to the selected network,
and notifies the extensible service module to provide services to the
extensible driver.