Patent ID: 7350076

Claim:
A method for providing authenticated access to a controlled network, comprising: first authenticating a wireless access point to an unauthenticated client device communicatively coupled to the wireless access point via a wireless connection, wherein the first authenticating further comprises: receiving a first message from said unauthenticated client device at said wireless access point, said first message including a device identifier and a first random number; receiving a second message from said wireless access point at said unauthenticated client device, said second message including a second random number and a first digest, said first digest including a one-way hash function operating on said first random number, said device identifier, and a first secret shared between said wireless access point and said unauthenticated client device; determining a second digest at said unauthenticated client device, said second digest comprising a one-way hash function operating on said first random number, said device identifier, and said first secret; comparing said first digest to said second digest at said unauthenticated client device; and provided said first digest matches said second digest, authenticating said wireless access point to said unauthenticated client device; second authenticating the unauthenticated client device to the wireless access point to produce an authenticated client device and a key; and third authenticating, via the wireless access point, a user of the authenticated client device to a central authentication server using the key.