Combining　the　advantages　of　WLANs　and　ad　hoc　networks,　wireless　mesh　networks　(WMNs)　are　wireless　access　networks　based　on　IP　technologies　and　have　become　effective　broadband　access　networks　with　high　capacity,　high　speed　and　wide　coverage.　Security　is　a　crucial　and　urgent　problem　in　WMNs　as　in　other　types　of　networks　and　a　simple　and　effective　distributed　key　management　is　essential　for　the　establishment　of　secure　WMNs.　In　this　paper,　we　present　an　effective　distributed　key　management　scheme　based　on　several　technologies,　such　as　ad　hoc　network　model,　ECC,　(t,　n)　threshold　cryptographic　method,　verifiable　secret　sharing　and　so　on,　and　demonstrate　its　effectiveness　through　analysis　and　experiment.