Multi-link wireless communications connections
A method includes receiving, from a receiver, a broadcast probe request with a multi-link designator, determining that the receiver is multi-link capable based on the probe request, transmitting a probe response including a first multi-link upper Media Access Control (MAC) entity identity of a transmitter, receiving an authentication trigger from the receiver, and transmitting an authentication response to the receiver.
1. A method comprising:
receiving, from a receiver, a broadcast probe request with a multi-link designator that identifies the probe request as a multilink probe request;
determining that the receiver is multi-link capable based on the multi-link designator;
transmitting a probe response including a first multi-link upper Media Access Control (MAC) entity identity of a transmitter, the transmitter having a MAC layer that is divided into an upper MAC and a lower MAC, the upper MAC being affiliated with the first multi-link upper Media Access Control (MAC) entity;
receiving an authentication trigger from the receiver; and
transmitting an authentication response to the receiver, wherein after a successful authentication, the transmitter and the receiver to establish a security association, wherein the security association is established by associating a transmitter link with a receiver link at a lower MAC level using a first Pairwise Transient Key Security Association (PTKSA), the transmitter link and the receiver link forming a link pair, the first PTKSA being specific to the link pair.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving an associate request from the receiver; and
transmitting an association response to the receiver.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the association request includes a second multi-link upper MAC entity identifier of the receiver, and the association response includes the first multi-link upper MAC entity identity of the transmitter.
4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising establishing a communication link between a first upper MAC logic entity identified by the first multi-link upper MAC entity identity of the transmitter and a second upper MAC logic entity identified by the second multi-link upper MAC entity identity of the receiver.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the communication link includes at least one of a 2.4 GHz link, a 5 GHz link, or a 6 GHz link.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the multi-link designator includes a Service Set Identifier (SSID) or a wildcard.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the authentication response includes an open mode authentication response.
8. The method of claim 1 , that transmitter being associated with one or more multi-link upper MAC entities to coordinate communication over one or more radios using one or more link lower MAC entities.
9. A method comprising:
initiating a probe request from a receiver to a transmitter with a multi-link designator that identifies the probe request as a multilink probe request;
receiving a probe response from the transmitter, the probe response including a first multi-link upper Media Access Control (MAC) entity identity of the transmitter, the transmitter having a MAC layer that is divided into an upper MAC and a lower MAC;
transmitting a first authentication frame addressed to a first upper MAC logical entity identified by the first multi-link upper MAC entity identity of the transmitter; and
receiving a second authentication frame addressed to a second upper MAC logical entity of the receiver, wherein after a successful authentication, the transmitter and the receiver to establish a security association, wherein the security association is established by associating a transmitter link with a receiver link at a lower MAC level using a first Pairwise Transient Key Security Association (PTKSA), the transmitter link and the receiver link forming a link pair, the first PTKSA being specific to the link pair.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
transmitting an associate request to the transmitter; and
receiving an association response from the transmitter.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the association request includes a second multi-link upper MAC entity identifier of the receiver, and the association response includes the first multi-link upper MAC entity identity of the transmitter.
12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising establishing a communication link between a first upper MAC logic entity identified by the first upper MAC entity identity of the transmitter and a second upper MAC logic entity identified by the second upper MAC entity identity of the receiver.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the communication link includes at least one of a 2.4 GHz link, a 5 GHz link, or a 6 GHz link.
14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the multi-link designator includes a Service Set Identifier (SSID) or a wildcard.
15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the second authentication frame includes an open mode authentication response.
16. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes a system to perform operations, the operations comprising:
receiving, from a receiver, a broadcast probe request with a multi-link designator that identifies the probe request as a multilink probe request;
determining that the receiver is multi-link capable based on the probe request;
transmitting a probe response including a first multi-link upper Media Access Control (MAC) entity identity of a transmitter, the transmitter having a MAC layer that is divided into an upper MAC and a lower MAC;
receiving an authentication trigger from the receiver; and
transmitting an authentication response to the receiver, wherein after a successful authentication, the transmitter and the receiver to establish a security association, wherein the security association is established by associating a transmitter link with a receiver link at a lower MAC level using a first Pairwise Transient Key Security Association (PTKSA), the transmitter link and the receiver link forming a link pair, the first PTKSA being specific to the link pair.
17. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise:
receiving an associate request from the receiver; and
transmitting an association response to the receiver.
18. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17 , wherein the association request includes a second multi-link upper MAC entity identifier of the receiver, and the association response includes the first multi-link upper MAC entity identity of the transmitter.
19. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17 , wherein the operations further comprise establishing a communication link between a first upper MAC logic entity identified by the first multi-link upper MAC entity identity of the transmitter and a second upper MAC logic entity identified by the second multi-link upper MAC entity identity of the receiver.
20. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 16 , wherein the multi-link designator includes a Service Set Identifier (SSID) or a wildcard.
21. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 16 , wherein the authentication response includes an open mode authentication response.