Patent ID: 7844057

Claim:
A method, comprising: initiating a roam, by a mobile node associated with a first access point, from the first access point to a second access point via a two-packet handshake reassociation; computing, by the mobile node, a rekey request number derived from a request number of the association with the first access point; computing, by the mobile node, a new pairwise transient key based on the rekey request number and a previous pairwise transient key used in the association with the first access point; sending a reassociation request packet, by the mobile node, to the second access point, the reassociation request including a mobile node identification, the rekey request number and an authentication element; receiving a reassociation response packet, by the mobile node, from the second access point, the reassociation response packet including a response authentication element that includes proof of possession of a group transient key and a second new pairwise transient key derived by the second access point; confirming the reassociation response packet, by the mobile node, by verifying the second new pairwise transit key received in the reassociation response packet matches the new pairwise transient key computed by the mobile node; in accordance with the second new pairwise transient key matching the new pairwise transient key, decrypting using the new pairwise transient key, by the mobile node, the group transient key of the reassociation response packet; re-authenticating, by the mobile node, with the second access point in accordance with the decrypted group transient key; and communicating securely, by the mobile node, with the second access point responsive to the mobile node re-authenticating with the second access point.