A handoff key is provided for facilitating a hand off of a wireless terminal from a first access point to a second access point. The handoff key may be generated by a server and communicated to the first and second access points. Alternatively, the handoff key may be generated one of the access points and transmitted to the other access point. The first access point may transmit the handoff key to the wireless terminal before the handoff. Shortly after the handoff, the wireless terminal and the second access point may communicate data encrypted with the handoff key. Later, an authentication server may authenticate the wireless terminal, causing the second access point to provide the wireless terminal with a session key. Thereafter, the wireless terminal and the second access point may communicate data encrypted with the session key.