This disclosure provides methods, devices, and systems for lightweight, low-latency authentication and association between STAs and APs in wireless local area networks (WLANs). In various aspects, an apparatus may transmit, over a WLAN prior to authentication by an access point (AP), a first Extensible Authentication Protocol Over a Local Area Network (EAPoL) frame including first information associated with an EAPoL protocol and second information associated with an encryption protocol. The apparatus may further receive, over the WLAN, a second EAPoL frame indicating successful authentication by the AP in accordance with the EAPoL protocol, the second EAPoL frame including third information associated with the encryption protocol.