Patent ID: 7346772
Filing Date: 2008-03-18
Classification: H04L,H04W,Y04S

Abstract:
1. A method for authenticating a client by a first access point, the steps comprising: associating a first client with the first access point; roaming by the first client to a second access point receiving a multicast deregistration notice responsive to the first client associating with the second access point; adding the second access point to a roaming table maintained by the first access point responsive to receiving the multicast deregistration notice, the roaming table comprising data representative of a plurality of access points having established a secure communication session with the first access point; adding the second access point to a roaming table maintained by the first access point responsive to receiving the multicast deregistration notice; initiating an authentication of the second access point by the first access point responsive to receiving the multicast deregistration notice; establishing a secure, mutually authenticated communications channel between the first access point and the second access point associating a second client with the first access point; and automatically forwarding by the first access point via the secure mutually authenticated communications channel the second client's authentication context information comprising a session key for the second client to the second access point responsive to the second client associating with the first access point via the secure, mutually authenticated communications channel; receiving an association request from the second client by the second access point; and presenting reauthentication protocol second client by the second access point; wherein the reauthentication protocol employed by the second access point authenticates the second client with the pre-established session key; and wherein the first access point automatically forwards the second client's authentication context information pre-establishes the session key for the second client with the second access point while the client is still associated with the first access point.