Patent ID: 8094634

Claim:
A method for transmitting a packet, including a layer 2 first hop header and data, from a source wireless device to a destination wireless device, via a helper wireless device, the method comprising: a) accepting, by the source wireless device, address information of the helper wireless device; b) determining, by the source wireless device, a layer 2 second hop header for a second hop of the packet from the helper wireless device to the destination wireless device; c) inserting, by the source wireless device, the layer 2 second hop header into the packet to generate a modified packet; d) generating, by the source wireless device, a twice modified packet by at least performing authentication operations using the layer 2 second hop header and the data of the packet to generate authentication information authenticating the twice modified packet using the layer 2 second hop header and the data of the twice modified packet, wherein the twice modified packet includes the authentication information; and e) transmitting, by the source wireless device, the twice modified packet from the source wireless device to the helper wireless device.