Simplified protocol for carrying authentication for network access

An authentication method comprising:

• authenticating a communicating entity in accordance with a simplified protocol for carrying authentication for network access (sPANA) and challenge-handshake authentication protocol (CHAP), the authenticating comprising
• receiving a PANA Client Initiation (PCI) message having an unspecified Internet Protocol (IP) address as a source IP address from a host at a Network Access Server (NAS);
• sending a PANA-Auth-Request (PAR) using an IP broadcast address as a network layer destination IP address from the NAS to the host along with CHAP Challenge, Name and ID;
• receiving a PANA-Auth-Answer (PAN) message having the unspecified IP address as a source address from the host at the NAS along with CHAP Response, Name and ID, wherein the unspecified IP address and the IP broadcast address comprise IPv4 and IPv6, wherein the unspecified IP address has a value of 0.0.0.0 for IPv4, and wherein the IP broadcast address has a value of 0xffffffff for IPv4;
• sending a RADIUS access-request message from the NAS to a RADIUS server along with CHAP Challenge, Name and ID;
• and
• receiving a RADIUS access-accept message at the NAS from the RDAIUS server along with CHAP Response, Name and ID.

A configuration method comprising:

• configuring an Internet Protocol (IP) address from a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) process in accordance with a simplified protocol for carrying authentication for network access (sPANA), the configuring comprising
• receiving a first DHCPDISCOVER message from a host at a network access server (NAS), the DHCPDISCOVER message having an unspecified Internet Protocol (IP) address as a source address;
• transmitting a PANA-auth-Request (PAR) using an IP broadcast address as a network layer destination IP address at the NAS;
• receiving a PANA-auth-Answer (PAN) having the unspecified IP address from the host at the NAS for completing the authentication, wherein the unspecified IP address and the IP broadcast address comprise IPv4 and IPv6, wherein the unspecified IP address has a value of 0.0.0.0 for IPv4, and wherein the IP broadcast address has a value of 0xffffffff for IPv4;
• and
• sending a second DHCPDISCOVER message from the NAS to a DHCP server to request an IP address.

A system comprising:

• a network access server (NAS) configured to authenticate a communication entity in accordance with a protocol for carrying authentication for network access (PANA), the NAS having first and second physical ports coupled to a network, the NAS comprising
• a receiver coupled to the network via the first physical port to receive a first PANA message using an unspecified Internet Protocol (IP) address from a host or a PANA client (PaC);
• and
• a transmitter coupled to the network via the second physical port to transmit a second PANA message using an IP broadcast address as a network layer destination address to the host or the PaC, wherein the second PANA message comprises a PaC link layer destination address comprising a unicast Media Access Control (MAC) address.