a fast authentication and access control method of authenticating a network access device to a communications network having an access point communicating with a remote authentication server for the network access device . the method includes the step of receiving an access request having an authentication credential from the network access device at the access point . the authentication credential includes a security certificate having a public key for the network access device and an expiration time . the security certificate is signed with a private key for the remote authentication server . the access point locally validates the authentication credential by accessing the public key of the remote authentication server from a local database , and checking the signature and expiration time of the security certificate . if the authentication credential is validated at the access point , the access point grants the network access device conditional access to the network by sending an access granted message to the network access device . the access granted message includes a session key encrypted with a public key for the network access device . the session key is stored in a database associated with the access point . the access point contacts the remote authentication server to check a revocation status of the security certificate for the network access device . if the access point receives a message from the remote authentication server that the authentication credential for the network access device has been revoked , it suspends network access for the network access device .