eap Mailing List: EAP Proxy question in context of 802.16e

[Bakshi, Sanjay (sanjay.bakshi]

Hello,

I have a question in context of application of EAP to 802.16e network.

 

Following figure shows the typical application of EAP to an 802.16e based network

 

EAP-method                                     EAP-method

EAP                EAP   EAP                   EAP

PKMv2              PKMv2 RADIUS                RADIUS

----------         -------------               ----------

MSS/EAP_peer     BS/EAP_Authenticator              AS              

 

802.16e defines PKMv2 as the encapsulation protocol for carrying EAP messages between MSS (802.16e Mobile Subscriber Station) and BS(802.16e Base Station). BS acts as the RADIUS client and forwards the EAP messages to the AS and vice-versa.

 

In order to better handle mobility, following is an alternative way of applying EAP model that is being considered: -

 

EAP-method                                                     EAP-method

EAP             EAP   EAP        EAP EAP                       EAP

PKMv2           PKMv2 ???        ??? RADIUS                    RADIUS

------------    ------------     -------------------------     -----------

MSS/EAP_peer    BS/EAP_Proxy     Gateway/EAP_Authenticator     AS              

 

Basically, in the context of EAP in this model BS acts as a relay and implements two functions.

 1. On uplink BS removes EAP pdus from the PKMv2 encapsulation, encapsulates them in a “to be defined”

    encapsulation and forwards them to the Gateway which is a RADIUS client.

     

 2. On downlink BS removes EAP pdus from a “to be defined” encapsulation, encapsulates them in PKMv2 and

    forwards them to the MSS

 

BS does not implement any Authenticator functions. Assuming that appropriate encapsulation protocol is defined

between BS and Gateway, does this model break any assumptions of EAP’s 3-party model? Is it legal from EAP perspective?

 

Thanks,

-- Sanjay