ProxNet: Secure Dynamic Wireless Connection by Proximity Sensing

This paper describes a method for establishing ad hoc and infrastructuremode wireless network connections based on physical proximity. Users can easily establish secure wireless connections between two digital devices by putting them in close proximity to each other and pressing the connection button. The devices ”identify” each other by measuring each other’s signal strength. We designed a set of protocols to support secure connections between digital devices by using a proximity communication mode to exchange session keys. We also introduce a ”dummy point” that is analogous to a wireless access point but handles proximity-mode communication. The dummy point represents physical locations of digital devices and supports context-sensitive network communications.