Authentication Protocols to Support Fast Handoff for 802.11s Mesh Networks

In this paper, we propose authentication protocols for 802.11s mesh networks, which support the mesh point´s fast handoff between Mesh key distributors (MKDs). The protocols consist of the initial authentication protocol (IAP) and the fast handoff authentication protocol (FHAP). Once a MP firstly accesses the 802.11s mesh networks, the initial authentication protocol will be executed, which realizes the mutual authentication and keys confirmation among the MP, MKD and authentication server (AS). When the MP moves from the current MKD to another, the fast handoff authentication protocol that can be performed locally without the contact with AS, is proposed. The simulation results indicate that the authentication latency of our protocols is less than that of the scheme in.