3Com WX3000 802.1x Configuration, Introduction to, Architecture of 802.1x Authentication

1 802.1x Configuration

The sample output information in this manual was created on the WX3024. The output information on your device may vary.

Introduction to 802.1x

The 802.1x protocol (802.1x for short) was developed by IEEE802 LAN/WAN committee to address security issues of wireless LANs. It was then used in Ethernet as a common access control mechanism for LAN ports to address mainly authentication and security problems.

802.1x is a port-based network access control protocol. It authenticates and controls devices requesting for access in terms of the ports of LAN access devices. With the 802.1x protocol employed, a user-side device can access the LAN only when it passes the authentication. Those fail to pass the authentication are denied when accessing the LAN.

Architecture of 802.1x Authentication

As shown in Figure 1-1, 802.1x adopts a client/server architecture with three entities: a supplicant system, an authenticator system, and an authentication server system.

Figure 1-1Architecture of 802.1x authentication

zThe supplicant system is the entity seeking access the LAN. It resides at one end of a LAN segment and is authenticated by the authenticator system at the other end of the LAN segment. The supplicant system is usually a user terminal device. 802.1x authentication is triggered when a user launches an 802.1x-capable client program on the supplicant system. Note that the client program must support the extensible authentication protocol over LAN (EAPoL).

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