Authentication apparatus and method in wireless mesh network

A wireless mesh network, comprising:

• a plurality of nodes;
• and
• a master node for storing user identity information of nodes verified to enter the wireless mesh network and authentication information, and for performing an initial authentication process based upon preset user identity information received from the nodes and the stored user identity information,
• wherein each node entering the wireless mesh network transmits the preset user identity information to the master node so as to perform the initial authentication process, and so as to perform a hop-by-hop authentication process with an adjacent node based upon the authentication information received from the master node.

An authentication method in a wireless mesh network, comprising the steps of:

• storing, at an authenticator, user identity information of a plurality of nodes verified to enter the wireless mesh network and authentication information;
• performing, at the authenticator, an initial authentication process based upon user identity information received from each node newly entering the wireless mesh network and the stored user identity information;
• and
• at said each node newly entering the wireless mesh network, storing the authentication information received from the authenticator, and performing the hop-by-hop authentication process with an adjacent node based upon the authentication information received from the authenticator.