In wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) networks, a Wi-Fi personal area network (PAN) Master may be preconfigured by an information technology manager to support certain security models. The configuration may be advertised in a Beacon/Probe Response and implies that all Mobile Nodes whose intent is to connect to the PAN have to support certain security models to protect upstream and downstream traffic. Once the PAN Master establishes a secure association with a Mobile Node, all traffic is protected. Unicast security association models differ between different Mobile Nodes connected to the same Wi-Fi PAN, while multicast security association must be the same for all Mobile Nodes connected to the same Wi-Fi PAN. The difference between unicast security associations is limited to encryption mode only while restricting the whole security models to being the same, for example RSN only, TSN only or Open only. Given these restrictions, a strong need exists for methods, apparatus and systems configured for heterogeneous secure associations in Wi-Fi PAN.
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