Systems and methods of performing link setup and authentication

An apparatus comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to:
• receive an unprotected authentication request from a mobile device;
• extract an Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP)-re-authentication-Initiate message and a station nonce (SNonce) from the request, wherein the EAP-re-authentication-Initiate message is included in a first information element of the request and the SNonce is included in a second information element of the request, the first information element distinct from the second information element;
• send the EAP-re-authentication-Initiate message to an authentication server;
• receive an answer message from the authentication server, wherein the answer message includes a re-authentication master session key (rMSK);
• generate an access point nonce (ANonce);
• and
• send a response to the mobile device, wherein the response includes the ANonce.

An apparatus comprising:

• means for receiving a request at an access point from a mobile device;
• means for extracting an Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP)-re-authentication-Initiate message and a station nonce (SNonce) from the request, wherein the EAP-re-authentication-Initiate message is included in a first information element of the request and the SNonce is included in a second information element of the request, the first information element distinct from the second information element;
• means for sending the EAP-re-authentication-Initiate message to an authentication server;
• means for receiving an answer message from the authentication server, wherein the answer message includes a re-authentication master session key (rMSK);
• means for generating an access point nonce (ANonce);
• and
• means for sending a response from the access point to the mobile device, wherein the response includes the ANonce.

A non-transitory processor-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

• extract an EAP-re-authentication-Initiate message and a station nonce (SNonce) from a request received from a mobile device, wherein the EAP-re-authentication-Initiate message is included in a first information element of the request and the SNonce is included in a second information element of the request, the first information element distinct from the second information element;
• extract a re-authentication master session key (rMSK) from an answer message received from an authentication server responsive to the initiate message;
• generate an access point nonce (ANonce);
• and
• generate a response to be sent to the mobile device, wherein the response includes the ANonce.