Abstract
Due to the open nature of wireless networks, security is an important issue. Many of present wireless network security schemes are developed from wired networks. However, the characteristics of wireless networks are completely different with wired networks. In this thesis, we proposed ”a secure post-authentication with provisional data channel” which considers both security and mobility management in wireless networks. In our proposed scheme, when a mobile station handoffs from old authenticator to a new authenticator, the new authenticator can ”provisionally” trust the mobile station based on the reliability from the old authenticator. The new authenticator provides a provisional data channel for user to transmit and receive data when the mobile station is performing the procedure of authentication and authorization with the new authenticator. By the provisional data channel, mobile stations can handoff seamlessly. At the same time, the data from the mobile station are veried by the old authenticator. A testbed has been constructed to demonstrate the feasibility of the design.