static const u8 bssid_off[ETH_ALEN]  __attribute__ ((aligned (2))) =
        { 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00 };
 
-/* The firmware needs certain bits masked out of the beacon-derviced capability
- * field when associating/joining to BSSs.
+/* The firmware needs the following bits masked out of the beacon-derived
+ * capability field when associating/joining to a BSS:
+ *  9 (QoS), 11 (APSD), 12 (unused), 14 (unused), 15 (unused)
  */
 #define CAPINFO_MASK   (~(0xda00))
 
 }
 
 
+static u8 iw_auth_to_ieee_auth(u8 auth)
+{
+       if (auth == IW_AUTH_ALG_OPEN_SYSTEM)
+               return 0x00;
+       else if (auth == IW_AUTH_ALG_SHARED_KEY)
+               return 0x01;
+       else if (auth == IW_AUTH_ALG_LEAP)
+               return 0x80;
+
+       lbs_deb_join("%s: invalid auth alg 0x%X\n", __func__, auth);
+       return 0;
+}
+
+/**
+ *  @brief This function prepares the authenticate command.  AUTHENTICATE only
+ *  sets the authentication suite for future associations, as the firmware
+ *  handles authentication internally during the ASSOCIATE command.
+ *
+ *  @param priv      A pointer to struct lbs_private structure
+ *  @param bssid     The peer BSSID with which to authenticate
+ *  @param auth      The authentication mode to use (from wireless.h)
+ *
+ *  @return         0 or -1
+ */
+static int lbs_set_authentication(struct lbs_private *priv, u8 bssid[6], u8 auth)
+{
+       struct cmd_ds_802_11_authenticate cmd;
+       int ret = -1;
+       DECLARE_MAC_BUF(mac);
+
+       lbs_deb_enter(LBS_DEB_JOIN);
+
+       cmd.hdr.size = cpu_to_le16(sizeof(cmd));
+       memcpy(cmd.bssid, bssid, ETH_ALEN);
+
+       cmd.authtype = iw_auth_to_ieee_auth(auth);
+
+       lbs_deb_join("AUTH_CMD: BSSID %s, auth 0x%x\n",
+               print_mac(mac, bssid), cmd.authtype);
+
+       ret = lbs_cmd_with_response(priv, CMD_802_11_AUTHENTICATE, &cmd);
+
+       lbs_deb_leave_args(LBS_DEB_JOIN, "ret %d", ret);
+       return ret;
+}
+
 /**
  *  @brief Associate to a specific BSS discovered in a scan
  *
 
        lbs_deb_enter(LBS_DEB_ASSOC);
 
-       ret = lbs_prepare_and_send_command(priv, CMD_802_11_AUTHENTICATE,
-                                   0, CMD_OPTION_WAITFORRSP,
-                                   0, assoc_req->bss.bssid);
-       if (ret)
-               goto out;
+       /* FW v9 and higher indicate authentication suites as a TLV in the
+        * association command, not as a separate authentication command.
+        */
+       if (priv->fwrelease < 0x09000000) {
+               ret = lbs_set_authentication(priv, assoc_req->bss.bssid,
+                                            priv->secinfo.auth_mode);
+               if (ret)
+                       goto out;
+       }
 
        /* Use short preamble only when both the BSS and firmware support it */
        if ((priv->capability & WLAN_CAPABILITY_SHORT_PREAMBLE) &&
 }
 
 
-/**
- *  @brief This function prepares command of authenticate.
- *
- *  @param priv      A pointer to struct lbs_private structure
- *  @param cmd       A pointer to cmd_ds_command structure
- *  @param pdata_buf Void cast of pointer to a BSSID to authenticate with
- *
- *  @return         0 or -1
- */
-int lbs_cmd_80211_authenticate(struct lbs_private *priv,
-                                struct cmd_ds_command *cmd,
-                                void *pdata_buf)
-{
-       struct cmd_ds_802_11_authenticate *pauthenticate = &cmd->params.auth;
-       int ret = -1;
-       u8 *bssid = pdata_buf;
-
-       lbs_deb_enter(LBS_DEB_JOIN);
-
-       cmd->command = cpu_to_le16(CMD_802_11_AUTHENTICATE);
-       cmd->size = cpu_to_le16(sizeof(struct cmd_ds_802_11_authenticate)
-                       + S_DS_GEN);
-
-       /* translate auth mode to 802.11 defined wire value */
-       switch (priv->secinfo.auth_mode) {
-       case IW_AUTH_ALG_OPEN_SYSTEM:
-               pauthenticate->authtype = 0x00;
-               break;
-       case IW_AUTH_ALG_SHARED_KEY:
-               pauthenticate->authtype = 0x01;
-               break;
-       case IW_AUTH_ALG_LEAP:
-               pauthenticate->authtype = 0x80;
-               break;
-       default:
-               lbs_deb_join("AUTH_CMD: invalid auth alg 0x%X\n",
-                       priv->secinfo.auth_mode);
-               goto out;
-       }
-
-       memcpy(pauthenticate->macaddr, bssid, ETH_ALEN);
-
-       lbs_deb_join("AUTH_CMD: BSSID %pM, auth 0x%x\n",
-               bssid, pauthenticate->authtype);
-       ret = 0;
-
-out:
-       lbs_deb_leave_args(LBS_DEB_JOIN, "ret %d", ret);
-       return ret;
-}
-
 /**
  *  @brief Deauthenticate from a specific BSS
  *
        struct assoc_request *assoc_req = pdata_buf;
        struct bss_descriptor *bss = &assoc_req->bss;
        u8 *pos;
-       u16 tmpcap, tmplen;
+       u16 tmpcap, tmplen, tmpauth;
        struct mrvl_ie_ssid_param_set *ssid;
        struct mrvl_ie_ds_param_set *ds;
        struct mrvl_ie_cf_param_set *cf;
        struct mrvl_ie_rates_param_set *rates;
        struct mrvl_ie_rsn_param_set *rsn;
+       struct mrvl_ie_auth_type *auth;
 
        lbs_deb_enter(LBS_DEB_ASSOC);
 
         */
        lbs_set_basic_rate_flags(rates->rates, tmplen);
 
+       /* Firmware v9+ indicate authentication suites as a TLV */
+       if (priv->fwrelease >= 0x09000000) {
+               DECLARE_MAC_BUF(mac);
+
+               auth = (struct mrvl_ie_auth_type *) pos;
+               auth->header.type = cpu_to_le16(TLV_TYPE_AUTH_TYPE);
+               auth->header.len = cpu_to_le16(2);
+               tmpauth = iw_auth_to_ieee_auth(priv->secinfo.auth_mode);
+               auth->auth = cpu_to_le16(tmpauth);
+               pos += sizeof(auth->header) + 2;
+
+               lbs_deb_join("AUTH_CMD: BSSID %s, auth 0x%x\n",
+                       print_mac(mac, bss->bssid), priv->secinfo.auth_mode);
+       }
+
        if (assoc_req->secinfo.WPAenabled || assoc_req->secinfo.WPA2enabled) {
                rsn = (struct mrvl_ie_rsn_param_set *) pos;
                /* WPA_IE or WPA2_IE */