System and method embodiments are provided for accessing a wireless network. The embodiments enable establishing and releasing session resources in a wireless local area network (WLAN) corresponding to packet data network (PDN) connections in a 3 GPP enhanced packet core (EPC). In an embodiment, a method in a network component for establishing a control channel with a user equipment (UE) includes setting up, by the network component, a link layer channel, sending, by the network component, an identifier of the link layer channel to the UE; and communicating, by the network component, with the UE over the link layer channel using a WLAN control protocol (WLCP), wherein the WLAN comprises a trusted WLAN Access Network (TWAN).