Patent ID: 7068791

Claim:
A method of operating a network comprising a network operator station and plurality of user stations, the method comprising: generating at least one key required for use by a plurality of user stations in the network, the at least one key being necessary for the authentication of the user station; wherein any one of the plurality of user stations are capable of being an intermediate user station; transmitting to the network operator station, from a first user station requiring a key, a key request message containing first status data indicative that the key request message originates from a user station lacking a key; transmitting, from the network operator station to the first user station, a key data message containing a key for use by the first user station and second status data corresponding to the first status data and identifying the key data message as a response to a key request message; wherein any two user stations are capable of transmitting a key data message to each other through one or more intermediate user stations, and wherein any user station acting as an intermediate user station and receiving the key data message analyzes the received key data message to determine whether the received key data message, contains the second status data, and forwards the key data message to the first user station if the second status data thereof identifies the key data message as a response to a key request message.