A method and apparatus provide security services in an ad-hoc network. In order to provide security services, a set of user identities is transmitted from a first ad-hoc node to a second network external to the ad-hoc network. The set of user identities includes user identities related to at least one ad-hoc node. A first set of authentication parameters is generated in the external network. The first set of authentication parameters includes an authentication vector for each user identity included in the set of user identities and each authentication vector including a second set of authentication parameters. Some of the authentication parameters of the second set are transferred to the first ad-hoc node, whereby a third set of authentication parameters is received at the first ad-hoc node. The third set of authentication parameters is utilized at the first ad-hoc node for providing a security service in the ad-hoc network.