Getting started at cryptography. Need directions.

[Fábio Ricci]

Hi all!

I don't know nothing about cryptography using sockets.

I need to do an application written in C that is a client/server that
receives and responds commands.
The data must be cryptographed as it will travell in a wireless network.
I plan to do this client/server to be used inside an openwrt router.
I only need advices about how/where I can get started.


Is openssl suitable for this task?
Are there other options?


Thanks in advance!


-

In case anyone want to know, this is a task for graduation and this is the
system overview:

The client connects by cable on an AccessPoint that will pass the data for
the other AP and will communicate with a board.



              cable     +---------------+      ***encrypted data***
+----------------------+    LAN port
{client}<-------------->| Bridge AP |  <- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ->
| AccessPoint2 |-------------------->{ethernet-based controller board}
                           +----------------+           wireless
     +---------------------+  LAN cable port
                     embedded client/server
embedded client/server