Inter-Access Point Protocol
802.11 is a set of
IEEE standards that govern wireless networking transmission methods. They are commonly used today in their
802.11a,
802.11b, and
802.11g versions to provide wireless connectivity in the home, office and some commercial establishments.
IEEE 802.11F or Inter-Access Point Protocol is a recommendation that describes an optional extension to
IEEE 802.11 that provides wireless access-point communications among multivendor systems.
The
IEEE 802.11 standard doesn't specify the communications between access points in order to support users roaming from one access point to another and load balancing. The 802.11 WG purposely didn't define this element in order to provide flexibility in working with different distribution systems (i.e., wired backbones that interconnect access points).
Protocol operation
The protocol is designed for the enforcement of unique association throughout an
Extended Service Set and for secure exchange of station's security context between the current
AP and the new
AP during the handoff period. Based on security level, communication session keys between
APs are distributed by a
RADIUS server. The
RADIUS server also provides a mapping service between
AP's MAC address and IP address.
Status
The 802.11F Recommendation has been ratified and published in
2003.
IEEE 802.11F was a Trial Use Recommended Practice. The IEEE 802Executive Committee approved its withdrawal on November 18, 2005.
See also
*
IEEE 802.11k Radio Resource Measurement
*
IEEE 802.11r Fast
roaming*
The 802.11F-2003 Recommendation*
Status of the project 802.11fIEEE Task Group TGf
*
Quick Guide to IEEE 802.11 WG*
Do we need AP interoperability? Joanie Wexler,
Network World Wireless September 02, 2002
*
WLAN Roaming - the basics Louise McKeag,
Techworld March 23, 04
