Exploiting simultaneous usage of different wireless interfaces for security and mobility

Abstract

Today, most wireless devices are equipped with at least two interfaces-3G and Wi-Fi, yet only one of the interfaces can be operational at a time. We propose a new network communication scheme we call the Multi Channel Communication (MCC) which uses these two interfaces simultaneously and exploits new powerful network capabilities of such a configuration. We present a full android phone implementation and network architecture that demonstrates the new capabilities. The implementation includes two components; one located on the client side, providing full control over the routing of each packet from the device and the second located on the server side and responsible for combining the received data via the different interfaces. The new network configuration, proposed and analyzed in this paper, provides users with advanced services, such as: (a) a flexible connection service for providing physical mobility of a user within a session, (b) new security capabilities that maintain secure point to point connection and resistance against Men in the Middle Attacks (MIMA), and (c) enhancement of the user experience in network applications. The multi-interface model, introduced and discussed in this paper, may be applied to other wireless (or wire) interfaces in addition to Wi-Fi and 3G.