Field Guide to Wireless LANs for Administrators and Power Users, A

IEEE 802.11i —Robust Security Network

Once the IEEE 802.11i draft standard is complete, there will be a total of three authentication and key management architectures in IEEE 802.11, namely the two that were originally defined for use in the context of WEP in IEEE 802.11-1997 (i.e., “Open System” and “Shared Key”), and the newer IEEE 802.1X-based authentication mechanisms that are defined for use in the context of an IEEE 802.11i RSN. In fact, the term “RSN” is synonymous with “an IEEE 802.11 LAN that uses an IEEE 802.1X-based Authentication and Key Management Protocol.” The terms “RSN” and “IEEE 802.1X” are effectively synonymous, since an RSN is defined in the IEEE 802.11i draft as “An IEEE 802.11 ESS relying on IEEE 802.1X for its authentication ...