Wireless Authentication

Authentication Methods

• Centralized Authentication

• Open System Authentication

  • client simply sends an 802.11 authentication frame with the appropriate SSID to an AP and have it answer with a verification frame

sequenceDiagram 
	autonumber 
	Client->>AP: PROBE REQUEST
	AP->>Client: PROBE RESPONSE (Include security parameters)
	Client->>AP: AUTHENTICATION REQUEST
	AP->>Client: AUTHENTICATION RESPONSE 
	Client->>AP: ASSOCIATION REQUEST (Include security parameters)
	AP->>Client: ASSOCIATION RESPONSE

• Shared Key Authentication

  • Client would participate in a challenge/request scenario with the AP verifying a decrypted "key" for authentication

sequenceDiagram 
	autonumber 
	Client->>AP: PROBE REQUEST
	AP->>Client: PROBE RESPONSE (Include security parameters)
	Client->>AP: AUTHENTICATION REQUEST
	AP->>Client: AUTHENTICATION RESPONSE 
	Client->>AP: ASSOCIATION REQUEST (Include security parameters)
	AP->>Client: ASSOCIATION RESPONSE