A first device is automatically authorized to participate in a secure
network by associating the first device with network access information
in a machine-accessible format that can serve as a basis for the
authorization. The network access information may be presented to a
machine code reader in communication with a second device participating
in the secure network. Upon the network access information being
presented to the reader, the second device authorizes the first device
associated with the identifier to participate in the secure network.
Alternatively, the network access information may be registered with an
authorization database in which the network access information is
associated with a network identifier or an identifier representing a user
associated with the secure network. The second device is signaled, by
means of a signal button or comparable act, to access the authorization
database to verify the first device is authorized to participate in the
network.