Wireless network handoff key

The present invention provides a method and system for handoff in a wireless communication network. In one embodiment, a common handoff encryption key is generated by an authentication server and transmitted to a first access point and a second access point. The first access point transmits the handoff encryption key to a wireless terminal. The wireless terminal encrypts output data with the handoff encryption key. When the wireless terminal is associated with the second access point, the second access point decrypts data from the wireless terminal with the handoff encryption key. In a second embodiment, a handoff WEP key generation secret parameter is provided to a first and a second access point. Both access points generate a handoff WEP key as a function of the handoff WEP key generation secret parameter and an address of a wireless terminal. The first access point transmits the handoff WEP key to the wireless terminal. The second access point communicates data packets encrypted with the handoff WEP key with the wireless terminal.