Security Protocols in WLAN Mesh

Abstract

WLAN mesh, the technological extension of WLAN, solves the problem for WLAN of limited coverage, relatively low bandwidth, etc., and has a promising prospect. Due to its characteristics and advantages of flexible networking, auto-configuration, high mobility, and fitness for backbone networks, wireless mesh network can provide fast, secure and reliable services. In this chapter, based on the analysis of mesh authentication protocols, an identity based authentication protocol is proposed. Consider that fast handoff and roaming of mesh devices are not supported by the existing access authentication protocols in WLAN mesh, and that the demand of users for identity protection is not satisfied in the roaming process, a comprehensive solution for the WLAN mesh network-secure access is given. The proposed access authentication protocol only needs four rounds to realize the authentication and key confirmation, without the necessity of four-way handshake for the key confirmation, based on which, the MP (Mesh Point) fast handoff and roaming authentication protocols are provided. The provable security analysis and performance simulation using NS2 shows that the proposed protocols are universally composable, and that they perform better than the existing ones. Finally, a simple mesh authentication system is designed and implemented for the purpose of verification and realization of authentication schemes in the wireless mesh network.