SUPPORT OF MULTIPLE PRE-SHARED KEYS IN ACCESS POINT

A method of operating an access point (AP) configured to support multiple pre-shared keys at a given time to authenticate its associated client devices. Each client device associated with the AP is provisioned with a key. To authenticate the client device that attempts to connect to the AP, the AP determines which pre-shared key (PSK) of the multiple supported pre-shared keys (PSKs), if any, matches information including the key received from the client device. When the information matches, the client device is allowed to connect to the AP. Provisioning the AP with multiple PSKs allows selectively disconnecting associated client devices from the AP. The AP may be configured to support PSKs of different lifetime and complexity. Removing a PSK of the multiple PSKs supported by the AP and disconnecting a client device that uses this PSK does not disconnect other client devices using different keys to access the AP.