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Chapter 8 802.1X CONFIGURATION 8.1 802.1X Introduction
IEEE 802.1X is a kind of port-based network access control technology. The access
equipment is authenticated and controlled at the physical access level of LAN equipment.
The physical access level used here means the ports of switch equipment. If the user
equipment connected to such kind of ports pass the authentication, then the resources of
LAN is available to be visited; if the user equipment connected to such kind of ports does
not pass the authentication, then the resources of LAN is not available to be visited, which
is equal to physical disconnection.
IEEE 802.1x defines the port-based network access control protocol. It shall be noted that
the protocol is applicable not only to access equipment, but also to the point-to-point
connection modes between ports. The ports may be physical ports or logical ports. The
typical application mode: a physical port of switch is connected to only one terminal device
(based on physical port).
802.1x system structure as follows:
Figure 8-1 802.1x system structure
As the above figure shows, IEEE 802.1x system structure including three parts:
z Supplicant System, user access equipment
z Authenticator System, access control unit;
z Authentication Server System, authentication server